Olaudah Equiano Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetoric stands as an author’s most powerful weapon. It has the ability to persuade politicians, challenge ideas, and even influence the everyday worker. Olaudah Equiano wrote his narrative with one purpose in mind: to encourage masters to treat their slaves with respect. Equiano tells his Interesting Narrative from his time in Africa to his visitation in between as a way to bring about change in the slave industry. Equiano most effectively does this through his use of rhetorical strategies, such as imagery and Biblical allusions and references which prove he knows his audience to successfully influence his readers to reform- and maybe even abolish- the slave industry,
Through the eye’s of the white plantation owner in the eighteenth century, Equiano is less than credible. Equiano himself mentions that free blacks have less rights than slaves(Equiano 88). Equiano is aware of this. Showing he knows his audience well, Equiano begins to use Biblical allusions and references to build his credibility.

Equiano begins these allusions in the very first chapters of his narrative. He mentions that his own tribe practiced animal sacrifice and circumcision(Equiano 19). This alludes to the ancient tribes of Israel. The ancient Hebrews practiced animal sacrifice and circumcision. By mentioning this, Equiano alludes to the possibility that his tribe is one of the lost tribes of Israel. Because Equiano has now established his knowledge of the Old Testament, he has begun to build credibility with his audience. In later chapters, Equiano’s credibility strengthens as readers learn that he was baptized( Equiano 43). This shows his readers that he not only knows about the Christian faith, but he lives it too. His knowledge of the Bible coupled with his Baptism, give Equiano a powerful advantage over other free black writers: his white peers consider him a moral Christian rather than a pagan heathen. Equiano proceeds to mention providence and Christianity throughout the rest of his narrative. He has successfully used his knowledge of Christianity to prove that he is, in his reader’s eyes, civilized. This allows Equiano to gain his audience’s attention.
Now granted with his audience’s attention, Equiano uses imagery to both entertain and persuade his reader. Equiano knows it is popular to discuss the adventures of traveling in stories. Because of this, Equiano tells of his own amazing feats such as when he saved slaves below deck. In this story, despite captain’s orders, Equiano goes below deck and risks his own live to save a countless number of slaves( Equiano 109-110). Equiano’s tale of managing a ship would deeply interest the reader of the time. This story along with others, such as the story of near magical creatures at the North Pole( Equiano 130), would not only keep the reader reading, but would also prove that Equiano is worldly and knowledgeable.
Having finally proven that he is a credible source, Equiano now uses his persuasive imagery to appeal to his audience's emotions.

He begins doing this in chapter two, when he describes the conditions of the first slave ship he ever boarded, “[t]he closeness of the place, the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, being so crowded that each scarcely had room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. This produced copious perspiration, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells which brought on a sickness of which many died”(Equiano 35). This graphic description appeals to his audience’s sense of humanity. Having heard of the sufferings of others, most moral, ethical, and empathetic humans would feel remorse and sorrow for these slaves. Ever-aware of his audience, Equiano knows that horrific, vivid details of human suffering and torture will appeal to powerful whites and may even influence them to bring about

change.
Equiano’s narrative can best be viewed as an effective tool of persuasion that may have influenced statesmen and plantation owners to treat their slaves better and encourage others to do the same. Eventually, Equiano’s narrative helped in the complete abolition of slavery in America, the West Indies, and England. Equiano knows his audience well which, in turn, helps him build credibility and connections with his reader. Equiano’s knowledge of his audience’s emotions helps him to assemble a sense of compassion and empathy for slaves through the use of graphic details to bring about a reform in the slave industry.