Views

1151 Words3 Pages

The narrative titled, “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,” written by Mary Rowlandson is closely related to the narrative titled, “The interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavvas Vassa”, written by Olaudah Equaiano. Both narratives talk about captivity, the struggles of being held a prisoner, and the everyday emotions that each character goes through. Each of the narratives dives into the theme of Self vs. Other; however, each one takes a different look or view between racial and cultural difference. Each other also focuses on different aspects of faith and the impact that it has on the characters captivity experiences.
By diving into the authors own experiences the theme of self vs. other is strongly expressed in both narratives. Rowlandson’s experience begins with her capture of her and her children; however, throughout the entire narrative she is fighting her faith, who she is, and the captors. She talks about having to deal with the vanity of this world stating, “I have seen the extreme vanity of this world: One hour I have been in health and wealthy, wanting nothing. But the next hour in sickness and wounds, and death, having nothing but sorrow and affliction.” (Rowlandson, 288) Rowlandson had to battle the vain in the world that had taught her a certain way to believe and have faith; however, this battle created a way for her to find herself and better understand the power faith could have on her and her family. The trial allowed Rowlandson to truly know, “…what affliction meant…” which allowed Rowlandson the ability to conquer the view of self vs. other. Rowlandson became independent on her abilities, her faith, and her own qualities. Olaudah Equiano shows the the...

... middle of paper ...

...onal connection with each other that enables the feeling of empathy. Through each narrative the differences, as well as the similarities, establish the beginning of what is in today’s world and how people have changed. Each of the narratives were created for a purpose and as the themes, differences, and faith is established the purposes are expressed as the author allows each and every person reading to dive into their trials and afflictions. Through the captivation of the reading audience, there is the question of what is our own faith, hope, and view of self vs. other? Though captors and slaves or not prevalent in today’s day and age, there is still other items that can capture our thoughts and mind and lead us into a captivity that brings about trials and afflictions. Is faith and hope the answer to these afflictions? Does faith and hope make afflictions easier?

Show More
Related

  • A Critical Analysis of John Demos' The Unredeemed Captive

    262 Words  | 1 Pages

    John Demos’s “the Unredeemed Captive” is a story about a man named John Williams, and his five children who were captured by Indians during a war in 1704. John Williams and his children are eventually released, but much to his disappointment, his youngest daughter Eunice remained with her captors, and married an Indian man. This story has a captivating storyline, and makes for a very compelling narrative. In this paper I will attempt to make a critical analysis of John Demos’s work. The major areas I am looking at are the evolution or the piece, from beginning to end, what the major sections of the book are and how they flow together, and how this work is and isn’t a conventional narrative.

    Read More

  • The Interesting Narrative Life of Olaudah Equiano and Amistad

    602 Words  | 2 Pages

    Both, “The Interesting Narrative Life of Olaudah Equiano” and “Amistad” are important stories about slavery in pre-civil war america because they both address the issues of slavery. These gentlemen in the story made a difference in the slave trade. In “The life of Olaudah Equiano”, Olaudah was sold on a slave ship that came to the Barbados. Olaudah worked for his freedom, and in the end became efficient in American language. He worked his way to the free life and in the end it worked out for him, although it leaves scars on his soul. In “Amistad”, Cinque is a slave that leads a revolt on a slave ship after escaping. When they get to america, Baldwin, a lawyer that is representing the slave and the former president Adams helps free the slaves.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Chapter 7

    169 Words  | 1 Pages

    Douglass as both the author and narrator in his novel took readers through his escape from slavery. Specifically mentioned in chapter seven of the book, the author expressed his new skill of reading and how that inspired his freedom. Douglass utilized rhetorical devices in chapter seven, such as pathos and personification to illustrate to his audience how his education motivated him to achieve liberation. Douglass’ effective use of emotion throughout the chapter made his experiences appeal to readers. Also, the first and last sentences of chapter seven served as bookends to show how education influenced Douglass’ freedom because within those two phrases there was a portion of Douglass’ journey told on how he escaped salvation. Lastly, Douglass’

    Read More

  • North American Slavery vs. Latin American Slavery: A Comparative Look at Frederick Douglass and Juan Francisco Manzano

    2190 Words  | 5 Pages

    When we assess the evils of slavery, we typically think of the North American slaves plight. We think of the beatings, murders, hangings and mistreatment of the Southern slave. But what about the slaves of Latin America? Who hears their cries of woe because of their evil slave masters? Is their treatment the same of their brethren under slave rule in North America? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to look into the lives of both North and Latin American slaves. For our purposes, we will utilize two slave narratives. One account will come from the North American slave, Frederick Douglass, and his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. The other account will come from the narrative Autobiography of a Slave by the Cuban slave Juan Francisco Manzano. In analyzing these two slave narratives, we will compare the childhood, slave communities, slave/master relations, and literature of both Douglass and Manzano. By taking a comparative look at Frederick Douglass and Juan Francisco Manzano we will be able to hear the voices of the slaves and understand their plight.

    Read More

  • The Life Of Olaudah Equiano Rhetorical Analysis

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Equiano 's personal slave narrative, The Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Equiano uses distinguishing first person pronouns, thought provoking rhetorical questions, and eye-opening, harsh diction to flip the idea that the African people act backwards and barbaric. Equiano does so by demonstrating his personal exceptionalism through his literacy to show that truly the white people remain backwards and barbaric because of their hypocrisy. The contradiction of the perceptions of white and African people that Equiano demonstrates in his slave narrative shows that the savagery of African people is a misconception. The misconception of the perceptions of the African people makes the reader fully grasp the need to abolish

    Read More

  • The Unredeemed Captive by John Demos

    1226 Words  | 3 Pages

    In John Demo's book, Mr. John Williams the main narrator uses four types of writing and one other last section to tell his story of captivity. The four parts are in chronological order: First the pastoral letter he wrote to those c...

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano

    374 Words  | 1 Pages

    The autobiography of Olaudah Equiano, first published in 1789, is the first example of a slave narrative. Unlike most of the class, I took it upon myself to read the entire story of Equiano’s Travels, abridged and edited by Paul Edwards. In that version, as in the version represented in The Norton Anthology American Literature Shorter Fifth Edition, the journey of Olaudah Equiano is expressed in his own words, from his own point of view. That makes this writing a truly unique piece of literature. It is not only the first slave narrative but also one of the only ones written pre-civil war by a former slave, and someone seized from Africa. These facts give the writing a unique feel, for it is the words of a man that was born a free man, raised to be a ruler of his tribe, kidnapped and made into a slave as a young child, and then journeying through life to become once again free as a mature adult. Equiano experienced almost all parts of a slave’s existence. He was a slave throughout Africa, England, and the New World.

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano And Harriet Jacobs Analysis

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    After reading the slavery accounts of Olaudah Equiano 's "The Life of Olaudah Equiano" and Harriet Jacobs ' "Incidents In the Life of a Slave Girl", you gain knowledge of what slaves endured during their times of slavery. To build their audience aware of what life of a slave was like, both authors gives their interpretation from two different perspectives and by two different eras of slavery.

    Read More

  • Helena Maria Viramontes’ The Moths

    1672 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...eedom was found and cultural boundaries were not shattered, simply battered, the narrator’s path was much preferable to that of her sisters (those who conformed to cultural boundaries). Through this story we can see how oppression in certain cultures changes individuals differently, creates tension between those who do not wish to be subjugated and those doing the subjugating, and we see the integral opposition between the path of Catholicism and that of curandismo.

    Read More

  • Olaudah Equiano Essay

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    In comparison to other slaves that are discussed over time, Olaudah Equiano truly does lead an ‘interesting’ life. While his time as a slave was very poor, there are certainly other slaves that he mentions that received far more damaging treatment than he did. In turn, this inspires him to fight for the abolishment of slavery. By pointing out both negative and positive events that occurred, the treatment he received from all of his masters, the impact that religion had on his life and how abolishing slavery could benefit the future of everyone as a whole, Equiano develops a compelling argument that does help aid the battle against slavery. For Olaudah Equiano’s life journey, he expressed an array of cruelties that came with living the life of an African slave; which demonstrates all of the suffering that he endured, then proving how much it can change one’s point of view in life.

    Read More

  • The Narrative Of Frederick Douglass

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    Slave narratives were one of the first forms of African- American literature. The narratives were written with the intent to inform those who weren’t aware of the hardships of slavery about how badly slaves were being treated. The people who wrote these narratives experienced slavery first hand, and wanted to elicit the help of abolitionists to bring an end to it. Most slave narratives were not widely publicized and often got overlooked as the years went by; however, some were highly regarded and paved the way for many writers of African descent today.

    Read More

  • The Language of Douglass’s State of Mind

    774 Words  | 2 Pages

    Slavery consisted of numerous inhumane horrors completed to make its victims feel desolated and helpless. Many inescapable of these horrors of slavery are conveyed in the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”. The entire prospect of the duration of the story is to plan an escape from the excruciating conditions awaiting Douglass as a slave. When his escape is finally executed, unpredictable emotions and thoughts overwhelm him. Within the conclusion of his narrative (shown in the given passage), Frederick Douglass uses figurative language, diction, and syntax to portray such states of mind he felt after escaping slavery: relief, loneliness, and paranoia.

    Read More

  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    The tone established in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is unusual in that from the beginning to the end the focus has been shifted. In the beginning of the narrative Douglass seems to fulfill every stereotypical slavery theme. He is a young black slave who at first cannot read and is very naïve in understanding his situation. As a child put into slavery Douglass does not have the knowledge to know about his surroundings and the world outside of slavery. In Douglass’ narrative the tone is first set as that of an observer, however finishing with his own personal accounts.

    Read More

  • Mary Rowlandson

    369 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the narrative of her captivity, Rowlandson uses Puritan themes. The Puritans often choose themes that include thoughts about man as a sinner, God as omnipotent, life being simple and fate. She does not try to change her situation by rebelling or speaking for herself. Instead she gives in to fate, "and so it must be," and the will of god. She also gives God credit for giving her "power over it,"(tobacco) when she decided to quite smoking.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Arguements in The Life of Olaudah Equiano

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    "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.

    Read More

More about Views

Open Document