Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African is an autobiography of an African boy captured and sold into slavery. Equiano, who is the author, narrates his life from his capture, the transatlantic passage, slavery under Robert King, freedom in the Caribbean, and his abolitionist cause 1 . Therefore, Equiano’s motivation for writing the narrative was to persuade the public about the ills of slavery. This motivation shapes the narrative because he uses religious themes to convince his audience of the evils of slavery and convert them into active abolitionists.
On the outside, Equiano’s narrative seems direct and nonpolemical script, but is expertly written to convince the complacent white audience to join the fight against slavery. The story intentionally and self-consciously positions itself as a combination of different literature genres. It can be considered as an autobiography of a slave, a picaresque narrative, a religious treatise, an abolitionist tract, a metaphysical meditation, or a story of conversion. Regardless of the genre, the script is a spiritual autobiography and conversion account. Equiano skillfully joined all these genres because he could not afford to present it incorrectly to readers who were not ready for its content. His main premise in the story is that slavery is evil and must be eradicated. However, Equiano does not write a modest story criticizing the ills of slavery. Instead, he wraps his criticism of slavery with the less provocative genres of conversion story and spiritual autobiography 2 . The audience can experience his spiritual journey to describe definitive morality and meaning, and see his slow development of beliefs that assisted him survive the terrors of slavery. The success of his spiritual journey and a belief in the inherent goodness of Christians forced him to use his spiritual conversion and abolitionism to recruit his audience into the abolitionist movement.
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In the narrative, Equiano conveys his message directly to his audience by using the first person. His first-hand description of the horrors of slavery earned him credibility. As the narrator of his story, Equiano wins the trust of his readers, which played a role in preparing them for the contents of the book. The rhetoric of genuineness increases his convincing appeal as he offers himself as dependable reporter of his slave life and narrator of his transformation to the Christian faith.
Equiano’s purpose in writing the book is captured in his Dedication , which was an address to the house of parliament. He designed a three-tiered proposition to outline his motives for writing the autobiography. These were to offer an authentic account of his experience as an African slave, convince his audience to help in eradicating slavery, and chronicle his conversion to the Christian faith. However, he emphasized his conversion over the other two premises because it was the strongest foundation to establish his reliability and create a convincing platform to advance the anti-slavery cause 3 . Though the British parliament supported William Wilberforce’s abolitionism, it was Equiano’s input that gave the movement a sense of urgency and credibility. Using his personal experience as an African slave, Equiano presented a personality his audience could identify. He combined this with is African heritage and conversion to Christianity to connect with his audience and strengthen the undeniable truths he used to challenge them. As a Christian, he spoke to his audiences directly and on the same level before a God who does not segregate or subjugate based on random bodily features or ethnicity. Equiano offered rational arguments that compared his views of a loving God with those of white Christians, and asked audience hard questions to compel them to challenge factual issues of brutality.
Therefore, Equiano uses his Christianity to point out the outward inconsistency between slavery and Christian beliefs. The hard questions directed at his audiences were intended to force them to weigh their deeds against their Christian beliefs. Equine could not believe that self-proclaimed Christian could allow the vile treatment of their fellow human beings. The duplicity evident in this was clear to him and he desired his audience to perceive their deceit with their eyes. Though Equiano condemned their role in slavery and castigated their self-righteousness, he categorically recognized their unawareness because they lacked information 4 . Equine understood that he could use his personal experience to enlighten his readers about the ills of slavery. For instance, he compared uncivilized and pagan Africans to his audiences ‘ancestors, who were also barbarous to show that no one should be enslaved 5 . As a rhetorical technique, Equiano’s strategy was not only effective, but it also bridged the gap between himself as an African and his white audience. Furthermore, it reveals his certainty that he had an authentic understanding of God than white Europeans. Equiano’s based his deep veracity and faith in Christianity because it helped him overcome the atrocities of slavery and provided him a spiritual foundation to fight the injustice of slavery.
The sincerity of his conversion to Christianity also gave him the credibility to champion abolitionism. His account can be construed to propose that his conversion was more deceitful than truthful. However, Equiano provides a persuasive conversion in his story. Though some scholars have posited that many slaves converted to Christianity due to gullibility and an ill-advised impression that it would guarantee their freedom, his step-by-step representation of his difficulties to become a commendable Christian shows his genuineness 6 . It is indisputable that Equiano required a spiritual existence to manage the severities of slavery, take part dynamically, and get the promise that a better life was possible. This explains why he keenly adopted evangelical Protestantism since it met all these requirements. The interpretation that Equiano’s initial baptism might have associations with his pursuit of freedom than the aspiration to be a Christian may have some basis. However, the final section of his narrative is important in understanding his motivation to convert because it details his search for a certain faith and dwells considerably on his anxious transformation experience.
Thus, Equiano’s strategy for gaining support for the abolition of slavery entailed appealing to the same people who supported the system. He was intentional, careful, and thoughtful in planning his strategy against slavery lest he jeopardize the opportunity to fight for justice of black slaves. By adopting an acculturated semblance of himself, Equiano ensured that his audience were receptive to his message. His concern was not the manipulation techniques he used to win the audience, but how they perceived themselves after reading his text, and as diligent Christians, support antislavery efforts. The intricacy of his technique may create the impression that his concerns were mainly profane and political. However, Equiano’s Christian belief were the basis of his cause.
Freedom, justice, and equality were dear to him, and he understood God in relation to these values and used God as the benchmark for his anti-slavery arguments. Therefore, his idea of God had the effect of moving his audience to oppose slavery. Apparently, the political impact of his strategy cannot be distinguished from his religious foundation because the two function inseparably together. Fundamental to the religiosity of his narrative is the point that slavery is unethical and must be stopped. Other than addressing the issue directly like his white and African peers, he hides his criticism of slavery under the pretense of his conversion. His strategy would have failed if he had not gained credibility with his audience, which he achieves through the communication of his Christianity 7 . Christianity gives him trust and truth, which emphasize his conversion over secular concerns of slavery. While from a rebellious perspective, the narrative is very much apprehensive with the secular issues of slavery.
Through his story, Equiano created the slave narrative field in literature. He adopts a form of spiritual autobiography and adds the aspect of social protest. Thus, he uses his conversion to Christianity as the foundation to attack the institution of slavery. His motive for writing the narrative was to gain support for the abolition of slavery. However, gaining credibility was necessary to convince his audience that slavery was evil and needed to be eradicated. Equiano’s personal experience with slavery and his conversion were instrumental in his cause against slavery. He used his understanding of God to reveal the duplicity of white Christians regarding slavery. He ensured that his audience were receptive to his message by appealing to Christian doctrines.
Bibliography
Costanzo, A., ed. 2001. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano . Calgary: Broadview Literary Texts.
Earley, Samantha. 2003. Writing from the Center or the Margins? Olaudah Equiano's Writing Life Reassessed. African Studies Review , Vol. 46, No. 3.
Equiano, Olaudah. 2017. Interesting Narrative of The Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African: written ... by himself . [Place of publication not identified]: LULU COM.
1 Equiano, Olaudah. 2017. Interesting Narrative of The Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African: written ... by himself . [Place of publication not identified]: LULU COM.
2 Earley, Samantha. 2003. Writing from the Center or the Margins? Olaudah Equiano's Writing Life Reassessed. African Studies Review , Vol. 46, No. 3.
3 Costanzo, A., ed. 2001. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano . Calgary: Broadview Literary Texts.
4 Earley, Samantha. 2003. Writing from the Center or the Margins? Olaudah Equiano's Writing Life Reassessed. African Studies Review , Vol. 46, No. 3.
5 Equiano, Olaudah. 2017. Interesting Narrative of The Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, The African: written ... by himself . [Place of publication not identified]: LULU COM.
6 Costanzo, A., ed. 2001. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano . Calgary: Broadview Literary Texts.
7 Earley, Samantha. 2003. Writing from the Center or the Margins? Olaudah Equiano's Writing Life Reassessed. African Studies Review , Vol. 46, No. 3.
