The Interesting Narrative of The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah the Life of Olaudah

EquianoEquiano::Deconstructing a Slave Deconstructing a Slave

NarrativeNarrative

Dr. Kevin B. WitherspoonDr. Kevin B. Witherspoon

Equiano: a SlaveEquiano: a Slave

• The life of a slave– African beginnings– Abduction– The Middle Passage– Slavery in the Americas– Treatment of slaves– Earning his freedom

Equiano: a Free ManEquiano: a Free Man

• Life as a free black man– The trials of freedom– Continued mistreatment– Voyages– Quest for religion– Joining the abolitionist

movement– Writing the book

Life in AfricaLife in Africa

• His origins• African slave trade• His name• Capture

The Middle PassageThe Middle Passage

• Conditions on the ship• Below decks• Brutal treatment• Suicide attempts

The Middle PassageThe Middle Passage

Cruel Treatment of Cruel Treatment of SlavesSlaves

Slavery: a Flexible Slavery: a Flexible InstitutionInstitution

• The Atlantic Creole• Life on the seas• Education• Skills• Money• Power• Purchasing freedom

Treatment of Free BlacksTreatment of Free Blacks

• Capture/recapture• Could not testify• Abuse

Spirituality in EquianoSpirituality in Equiano

Vassa the AbolitionistVassa the Abolitionist

• The economics of slavery:– Poor treatment is bad

business

• Slavery degrades everyone

Equiano as Forrest GumpEquiano as Forrest Gump

• French & Indian War• Stamp Act• Great Awakening• Voyage to the Arctic• Quakers/Philadelphia• “Back to Africa”

The Slave NarrativeThe Slave Narrative

• Literature of the times– Travel literature – Spiritual autobiography– Benjamin Franklin– The “noble savage”– The slave narrative

Equiano?Equiano?

• Vincent Carretta and Paul Lovejoy• Equiano’s birth• Baptismal record 1759• Muster roll 1773• Inaccuracies of early life• Equiano’s name

Or Vassa?Or Vassa?

Equiano or Vassa?Equiano or Vassa?

• Why would he lie?• Dissecting the text:

– Plagiarism?

• What does it mean?• Does it matter to us?