Gustasvus Vassa, more commonly known as Olaudah Equiano, was born in 1745 in a region known as "Assaka" located near the river Niger. At the age of 11, he and his sister were kidnapped by kinsmen and sold to local slaveholders. Eventually, Equiano was sold to white European slave traders who transported him across Atlantic Ocean to the English the colony in Virginia. After being traded by a few slave owners, Olaudah was bought by Robert King, a Quaker, who educated him and allowed him to engage in independent trading, which allowed him to later buy his freedom. As a freeman he spent the rest of his life sailing, exploring, and trading goods with the Atlantic colonies.
One of the biggest controversies surrounding Equiano's life is the legitimacy of his acclaimed birth place. In the first few chapters of "The Life of Olaudah Equiano" the reader is introduced to Equiano's lifestyle and culture. Also, he writes about how he was kidnapped with his sister, separated, and transported across the Atlantic. While Equiano claims that he was born in Assaka, there are individuals such at Vincent Carretta who believe that he was originally born in South Carolina. Regardless of his true origins, Equiano's true worth lies in the fact that he was able to purchase his freedom and go on to achieve major accomplishments, such as sailing around the world and writing a novel. Equino was not only able to free himself, but he was also able to educate himself during a time when literacy was scarce in all aspect, especially for slaves.
Cathy N. Davidson the author of "Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself" said that even if Equiano fabricated the early part of his life, the meaning of the book is not destroyed. The earlier part of his life could of been based on real stories not necessarily depicting Equiano's life, but other African Americans who passed on the story of the "Middle Passage". Then again the main point is what he achieves while living in the Colonies.
Davidson, Cathy N. "Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself." 18-51. Duke University Press, 2006. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library, San Jose, CA. 9 Sep. 2009
Boyce, Nell. "Out of Africa?." U.S. News & World Report 134.4 (10 Feb. 2003): 54-56. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library, San Jose, CA. 9 Sep. 2009
After reading the blogs regarding Olaudah, I really liked that both akballow and Trelane emphasized the fact that it doesn't matter if part of the story is slightly skewed. They both explained that the importance lies more in the fact that he was able to overcome so many struggles during an uneasy time. And it is after reading these blogs and actually seeing the list of his accomplishments that I find it easy to gain a sense of optimism for the abilities of mankind to overcome hard times. It is also through this realization that I can see why, as tehdricd said, British lawmakers were swayed at the time to abolish the slave trade.
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ReplyDeleteIf you put into perspective how much we really know about our neighbors, think about how much we know about the story of an individual person who lived hundreds of years ago.
ReplyDeleteIn this day and age, we have people being exonerated for murder convictions that were based on 'solid evidence'. So we shouldnt put too much weight on discrediting Equiano's childhood, after all everyone who has fame has critics looking for a fault.
While some might say he might not really be from Africa, the story is very accurate. The description of the middle path was very real. On the boat he explained the close quarters and how unsanitary it was.
ReplyDeleteAssuming he really was actually a plantation slave, then people back then may not have been interested to read.
This leads to what we mentioned in class about the story being propaganda because Olaudah Equiano was an abolitionist.
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ReplyDeleteI think that no matter if he is from Africa or not, we shouldn't discredit the story. If the author is in fact from Africa, then we can all see what life was like from his perspective. If he is not from Africa, then we can view this story as more of an informational source, like BB 408 said in the comment above about the accuracy of his descriptions, which were in fact very realistic. No matter if the author was from Africa or not, anybody can see that the author's main purpose was obviously to educate the readers on slavery.
ReplyDeleteEven if the story is not entirely an autobiography, the events Equiano describes are true to somebody. Many people had to endure the hardships that Equiano describes; therefore the story remains beneficial to read. The book still gives readers today insight to how life was for slaves in both Africa and America.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Though some might say the stories of Equiano are fabricated, like many others, I think the text is still significant. I have read in his autobiography, and he paints a picture of vivid details. What he describes as a slave is real. If it was not him him who endured the hardships then it had to be someone else. Because the stories he tells are too precise and detailed, it is impossible for these events to be fake. Many can view this piece as propaganda, but i don't.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe that even if Equiano fabricated the beginning of his life, it's still an important piece of literature in American History. It just shouldn't be read as non-fiction and hard facts but rather as fiction. The reason why is because Equiano's story still gives us a glimpse to what life in America was like for an African slave, even if he was treated better than most other slaves hew as still a slave.
ReplyDeleteBut knowing the fact that parts of the story could be fabricated, should alter the reader's view of the story and have them keep in the back of their minds wheter or not Equiano is a trustworthy narrator or not.
I believe that even though Equiano might have lied about being from Africa, his story is still believable, and if not it could be read as fiction.
ReplyDeleteHis story tells us how he was able to free himself from slavery and how he became a plantation owner starting from nothing. Even the story might be fiction, it is still interesting to know that slaves were sometimes able to free themselves, and build family, and have good life.