According to his book, but otherwise contested, Olaudah Equiano was an African slave born in the Ibo village of Essaka, Benin (present day Nigeria). At the age of eleven, he was kidnapped by slavers and sent overseas to Barbados. He was re-shipped to Virginia where he was sold to a ship captain. Later, under the ownership of a new master, Equiano was allowed to buy his freedom.
In the first chapter of “The Life of Olaudah Equiano,” Equiano describes what he remembers of his tribe and culture, being remarkably descriptive in some parts, yet somewhat bland in others. While this may be due to Equiano being fairly young before he was kidnapped, another reason could be that he was not from the Ibo village of Essaka. It has been suggested, most notably by Vincent Carretta, according to Cathy N. Davidson, the author of “Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself,” that Equiano was in fact not the kidnapped African that his book suggests, but instead a ex-South Carolina slave. While others may believe that Equiano is a fraud, Davidson defends Equiano, saying that even if Equiano fabricated the “Middle Passage” part of his book, the importance of his book has not diminished and that “we need to claim him as one of the first American novelists”(25). She has a valid point, considering that his birth in Essaka is not what binds together the tale of his life. Instead, his ability to buy his freedom, sail around the world, and write a novel is the real point behind his book, and is why we still read it in the modern era.
Works Cited:
Davidson, Cathy N., "Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself." Academic Search Premier, Sept. 14, 2009
"Olaudah Equiano." Encyclopedia.com, Sept. 14, 2009
Stop and ask yourself, do you remember vividly everything you did in elementary school? Equiano is definitely older than we are when he writes this book. This could be another explanation for the 'blandness'.
ReplyDeleteAlthough he may have been the first American novelist, is he reliable? Ha may have lied about his past. True, more of us can't remember much about our past, but at least you would remember where you were born. Even if buying his freedom is more important than his childhood story, can we trust Equiano that his slavery experience to be true when his past was bent in a way we do not know if his past is true or not?
ReplyDeleteYou have to look at the true purpose and historical meaning of Equiano's book. First of all, though personally his story may be fabricated in some places, the events described were realistic accounts of what took place throughout the middle passage. Secondly, even if they weren't, I agree with you that the real reason that people read Equiano's story is to view and interpret his success and accomplishments not to learn about his birthplace.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that the whole point in reading Equiano was to learn about slavery and why this Autobio was such a major impact on abolishing slavery.
ReplyDeleteIn seminar when we did that agree/disagree statement thing in Prof. Ormsbee's, the statement of which you think Equiano can be trusted as an author, shouldn't matter. Personally, I cannot trust liars, but this book was not about who's lying and who's telling the truth. This book helped end slavery, and if Equiano in fact was lying, are we to go back to slavery just because of that? Do not think so.
The point of this book was to demonstrate the American dream which Equiano did. He went from a slave, the low end of life, to a free man that sailed around the world and wrote a book. Everyone tells lies, and if Equiano lied about his past, it was just buffer to lead into his main point.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading Equianos story, whether he was born in America or Africa doesn't really matter, he tells a story of slave life and how he came so far as to have his own freedom. His story is one of accomplishment. A story of the American Dream that everyone seeks.
ReplyDelete