The book by Olaudah Equiano tells about the life of a man who was born in Africa and then for ten years was a slave in Britain. He spent a lot of time wandering on the ship and, as a slave, experienced all the difficulties and troubles of a forced man. Equiano participated in the abolitionist movement, which had a significant impact on the formation of the self-consciousness of the peoples of Africa and helped in the mutual enrichment of Europeans, Africans, and Americans. Although the work is quite heavy as it tells about the complex life of black slaves, it still brings readers a deep meaning about the perception of this slavery and racism in general.
The story of a man who was in slavery contains rich factual material that reveals the life of slaves. The work comprises shocking details of the journey on a slave ship to America, which was experienced by a very young eleven-year-old boy. Equiano described details of the inhumane treatment of slaves, labor on sugar plantations, and sale at auctions1. Reading this work, a person is imbued with all the horrors and complexities of the lives of young people who could have chosen a different way of life, but because they were enslaved, they were forced to experience various hardships.
In conclusion, the work of Olaudah Equiano is deep and difficult to perceive as it tells about the complex life of slaves. This work must be read by every person to find out how difficult the trials can be for some very young people. Also, this work demonstrates the problem of racism, which is still relevant to this day which must be eradicated and unacceptable in the modern world.
Bibliography
Olaudah, Equiano. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written by Himself. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2009.
Footnotes
- Olaudah, Equiano. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written by Himself. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2009.