Religion, more specifically, Christianity can be seen throughout The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Religion plays a major role in Equiano’s remarkable journey; that of which can be seen through his personal experiences. Religion plays a significant role in his Narrative and his life overall as he undergoes a spiritual rebirth. This narrative shapes Equiano’s physical move from slavery to freedom and also his journey from sin to salvation. Through Olaudah Equiano’s personal experiences, the audience is able to learn just how dedicated he is to his faith in the religion and how it brings a sense of empowerment for his oppressed community. Religion is one of the defining features of Equiano’s life story. Equiano was first exposed to Christianity when he was about twelve years old and during his primary arrival in England and he first experienced the sight of snow. Equiano was curious and he asked someone to find out that God created it. This is an experience in which he becomes more acquainted with God. Equiano goes to church and is in awe of the place as he has never been in such a setting before. Equiano is amazed at seeing and hearing the service and to hear that God made everyone and all things. As the years past, Equiano goes through numerous hardships but considers himself fortunate to have a kind master. However, one day, Equiano is told that he cannot go to Heaven unless he is baptized. Thus, Equiano ends up expressing his uneasiness of the idea to Miss Guerin, who insists on him doing so which leads him to be baptized in St. Margaret’s Church. Equiano’s baptism is equivalent to his soul being set free, essentially his freedom because from the moment he is baptized, no man could own him as he belong... ... middle of paper ... ...ant power struggles and Equiano is in the middle as he notices the problems and discourses. Olaudah Equiano’s spiritual autobiography follows him across his remarkable journey. His narrative follows his spiritual and physical period of enslavement, conversion to Christianity and ultimate escape from the life as a slave. Also, it succeeds with a spiritual rebirth and ultimately, his physical freedom and independence. Equiano finally gains his liberty and begins to develop his character as he converts his religion and becomes a faithful man. Equiano immerses himself and is allowed to blend into Western society. Works Cited Equiano, Olaudah. [1789] 1987. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself In Classic Slave Narra- tives, edited by Henry Louis GatesJr., 1-186. New York: New American Library.
Finding a way in life can be difficult. Following that way can be even more difficult, especially when it goes against someone's origin. In Acts of Faith, Eboo Patel tells his story of what it was like to struggle through finding himself. Patel asks the question of "How can I create a society of religious pluralism?" throughout the book, and raises implications about what our children are being taught in different societies throughout the world.
Equiano, Olaudah. The interesting narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African: an authoritative text. New York: Norton, 2001. Print.
In the eighteenth century, innocent victims from native Africa were kidnapped from their homes, the only land they knew, and then taken away on boats to a new world. This new world forced them to become slaves, and crucially took away all their human rights. A survivor of the slave trade from the middle passage is Olaudah Equaino, and he accomplished to publish an autobiography of his life in a book titled, “Equiano’s Travels: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa the African.” Equiano suffered great oppression when he and his sister were kidnapped from their homeland, Ibo. Once he became accustomed to the European culture, he was taught of the Christian faith. This religion developed him into a believer of the fatalism of Providence, or guidance of human destiny by fate. Christianity has affected Equaino by the way he conducted his life, how he treated others, and found redemption through faith.
This paper elaborates on the diverse contributions peoples of African descent have made to the pluralistic religious landscape of America and replicates various passages from our textbook. It focuses on the personal narratives of non-religious to religious leaders—exemplifying their influence on the African American religious movement during slavery and the reconstruction of America. Each section represents different historical periods, regional variations, and non-Christian expressions of African-American religion.
Everyone contributes something to the common stock; and, as we are unacquainted with idleness, we have no beggars” (39). The concept of slavery was accepted as a part of the culture and even in the fields of Isseke, Africa slaves were put to work. “Sometimes indeed, we sold slaves to them, but they were only prisoners of war, or such among us as had been convicted of kidnapping or adultery, and some other crimes, which we esteemed heinous.” (38) Equiano’s fortune landed him in the hands of a wealthy widow who purchased him from the traders who had kidnapped him. He lived the life as a companion to the widow and her son.
Equiano's own exposure of Christianity first began when he was no older than 12 years old and was first arriving in England, where he experienced the sight of snow for the first time. Curious to what it was, he asked a mate and soon found out that " a great man in the heavens, Called God " [Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrati...
Olaudah Equiano in his Interesting Narrative is taken from his African home and thrown into a Western world completely foreign to him. Equiano is a slave for a total of ten years and endeavors to take on certain traits and customs of Western thinking. He takes great pains to improve himself, learn religion, and adopt Western mercantilism. However, Equiano holds on to a great deal of his African heritage. Throughout the narrative, the author keeps his African innocence and purity of intent; two qualities he finds sorely lacking in the Europeans. This compromise leaves him in a volatile middle ground between his adapted West and his native Africa. Olaudah Equiano takes on Western ideals while keeping several of his African values; this makes him a man associated with two cultures but a member of neither.
In Frederick Douglass’ Narrative, Christianity is a prominent feature of both slave and slave-owners’ lives. However, Douglass highlights the discrepancies between the religions of these two groups, finding the Christianity of slave holders to be false, malicious and hypocritical. Though he makes clear he is not irreligious himself, Douglass condemns the insincere ideology of slave owning America.
In, conclusion the experiences of Equiano’s servitude in Africa differed from his experience in England. The African slave trade primarily was based upon providing jobs to families or punishment to real criminals. Many times the cruel example of being kidnapped from your village and forced into this way of life was also prevalent. This narrative contains the terrifying events of a young a child being held captive. The sources we have of the truth from this period of time are limited and hard to obtain. Servitude still exists to today in many parts of Africa and will remain a common part of their
Why does Equiano have such faith in God if God “made” Equiano a slave? Of course, God didn’t actually make him a slave, but if God is all powerful and benevolent, why is there slavery? Throughout Olaudah’s text, he hints at his Christianity. His religious sentiment would resonate with Europeans and possibly, would garner favor for Equiano. This belief in a higher power is consistent in many slave narratives of time. What’s curious is Equiano’s persistence in the face of adversity. He has little reason, if any, to have faith that God will provide for the struggles that Equiano faces. If anything, Equiano has a right to think that he deserves answers as to why he has suffered.
...e in the novel in that it represents quite closely the moral struggle of the reader. Although the reader might view the practices of the African clan to be wrong, they can empathize with Okonkwo, and also see the morally appalling actions of the Christians.
"The Life of Olaudah Equiano” is a captivating story in which Equiano, the author, reflects on his life from becoming a slave to a freeman during the 19th century. Through his experiences and writing, Equiano paints a vivid picture of the atrocities and cruelties of European slavery. Ultimately through his narrative, Equiano intends to persuade his audience, the British government, to abolish the Atlantic slave trade as well as alert them of the harsh treatment of slaves. He successfully accomplishes his goal by subtly making arguments through the use of character, action, and setting.
finishing his Arctic voyage, Equiano is determined to seek out religion in a deeper and more
Written by Himself, Olaudah Equiano has never heard of Christianity until he experiences snow for the first time. After his master tells him that God made the snow, Equiano is confused by the concept of Christianity and attempts to learn more about this 'foreign ' religion. Unintentionally, Olaudah is able to point out the hypocrisy of the white church in his first encounter with it. As he compares the church to African paganism, Equiano points out, "And from what I could understand by him of this God, and in seeing these white people did not sell one another as we did, I was much pleased; and in this I thought they were much happier than we Africans" (136). Already indoctrinated by white supremacy, Equiano sees that white people did not sell each other into slavery, but fails to recognize that they do participate in the selling and purchasing of Africans. Essentially, Equiano is blinded from seeing the unethical nature of the slave trade by his own internalized
During the colonial time period, people from European and North American countries attempted to convert the native people from the lands they colonized to Christianity. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, it tells the story of Okonkwo in his village of Umuofia which undergoes many changes throughout the course of the novel due to the arrival of Christian missionaries. One major theme in this novel is religion and the story’s main conflict is, in part, due to conflicting religious beliefs. The religious themes of this novel allow for different interpretations of the story. If this novel were to be read by a Christian and an atheist, it could be read and interpreted differently because of its religious and moral themes and the two different beliefs.