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?