The Interesting Narrative of the The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Life of Olaudah Equiano : : Deconstructing a Slave Deconstructing a Slave Narrative Narrative Dr. Kevin B. Witherspoon Dr. Kevin B. Witherspoon
Jan 29, 2016
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?