Going into Equiano's narrative, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from both the content nor the way in which it was written. After reading the firs few chapters though, I think I am beginning to get used to the flow of the text. Much like we discussed in class, I found the transitions between events and ideas to be a little jarring. Sometimes they just happened way to quickly where Equiano was one place and then within a matter of a few sentences he is in a completely different place. I believe that these transitions also led to me getting a little lost in sections of the chapters, especially when Equiano started mentioning the names of places and people. There just seemed to be too many to keep track of.
In terms of actually reading the narrative, I would say that I am reading the chapters a little slowly to make sure that I am actually comprehending what is going on and keeping track of the different places that he goes.
Thinking back to my prior knowledge on slavery as a whole, I only ever really learned about slavery in the Americas and how badly they were treated here. I don't think I was ever taught about slavery in other nations or areas. I think I always assumed that slavery was going on in other places, but never really thought too much about it or the difference in how they were treated in comparison to in the Americas. Though now that I have read a little more about the different treatments Equiano received as a slave, I found the varying degrees in which he was treated to be quite different. I was expecting to see him treated more like when he was on the slave ship to the Americas than the almost equal status he had while a slave in Africa.
Hi Monique, I also felt at times rushed along by Equiano. This was especially so when he was transferred between so many people and groups that he just told the reader that he cannot explain everything that happened. In some ways, it's cool to me because it tells us what Equiano thinks is important looking back on his own life. The things he rushes through don't mean much while the things his sticks on to are what we should pay attention to. I also have only really learned about slavery in America. Like you, I thought slavery was similar in other places. Now, it seems like there may be greater differences than I previously thought.
ReplyDeleteHey Monique! I wonder if Equiano created a rushed feel to his narrative on purpose. Causing the readers to feel overwhelmed may have been a strategy to get his intended British government officials audience to grasp the scope and variety of injustice he had endured. It also speaks to the chaos and lack of order of the slave trade - something sure to be uncomfortable to a body of people that thrives on systems, patterns, and control. Thoughts?
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