Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative - Essay Example

And so much as his revelations might seem shocking; they are actually reality of what is happening now. We are barbarians as they tell us, although they forget that even those at one point their ancestors were barbarians too. So I concur with my friend Gustavas when he says these words (Equiano 2-162). Working alongside Equiano was fun and I liked it. I realized that the captains loved him a lot because he seemed very agile and responsible. He is simply good at what he does. Many sins have been committed to my friend and other slaves like me.

No one seems to care what we go through just like he feels. Giving service to our masters is all we do, yet no reward is given unless we sweat for it and grind our fingers trying to save something to buy our freedom. When Equiano was sold to Robert King, I felt like the world was all crumbling and I knew I was next in line. But this is not what bothered me most. The most disgusting thing was the level of betrayal that happened that day. I had known Pascal as a very close friend of Gustavas despite the fact that he was his master.

I had a belief in this man, just like he did and I was shocked when he let him be seized and thrown into a barge. This is the highest form of betrayal that I have seen happen. Humility and good service is expected of us slaves, yet nothing is given in return. Gustavas was very frightened of the new places we used to go during the sails in the sea. When I read these memoirs, the cries and drums of warfare that used to scare us to bone still haunt me. The journeys were frightful and horrible because it was not known whether we would come out a live or not.

We slaves were disposable objects at the will of our masters. Service to these masters was paramount and even when Equiano says that he gave his full service with all the faithfulness and love for Pascal without asking for payment, I feel what he went through (Equiano 2-162). The anguish and pain that we went through was excruciating. Thinking that this was punishment from God is the only thing we could do. Our repentance does not even seem to bear fruits. I have all the reason, like Equiano, to believe that God is punishing me.

Finding a new conviction to pursue and spread the Christian faith brought us joy. I understand why Equiano chose to believe in Christianity. It gave us hope and he could tell me that the love of God was beyond what we were going through. I was always left wondering why the Englishmen did not practice what the Christian faith purported. Looking at the atrocities we were subjected to with Equiano, at times I feel contempt for what we call western civilization. This period of slavery is actually one of the dark ages in the history of mankind.

It is even more disturbing when no word of apology is uttered to us. Our inhumane treatment as slaves left me wondering if indeed reverence did exist. I sat with Gustavas and we would always think about our roots back at home in Africa. The pain of being separated from family and friends was too much to bear. This is why I do not blame Equiano when he talks less and concentrates on his work. He says getting busy helps him forget the pain he bears inside. We are forced to forget about our roots and embrace the cultural beliefs that we know nothing about (Klein 2-209).

Now 15 years have gone down the line since I last got my freedom and left. These memoirs bring me back the memories of my past. This is why I feel like disappearing from the face of the earth.