Equiano First Thoughts

 I really liked the beginning of Equiano’s narrative. His descriptions of everyday occurrences are rich and detailed. He creates pictures with his words. We talked about how this part is the best so far in class, but I wanted to reiterate that I felt that the descriptions of his transitions at the beginning of his servitude were boring. But then I realized that that is so unfair to say. Of course those parts were boring to read, imagine how monotonous they were for Equiano. He had to live it. It is so much less interesting than his previous life, and that shows that his previous life was probably more interesting to him as well. Thus, we need to consider all parts of the novel important, and pretend we are living them ourselves. I also felt that the fact the he was moved around so much dehumanized him even further. Although he made “friends” (if you can even call them that) along the way, a true friend would have fought to keep Equiano in their lives. Instead, he seems replaceable. I was also particularly saddened at the disappearance of his sister. You could tell that Equiano cared deeply for his sister, and was extremely distraught to see her go. In terms of what I’ve previously learned, the Equiano story does not compare. Instead of talking about how slavery came to be, or where it ended up, it is a recollection of a man’s life in servitude. From start to (maybe? Not sure where the novel will go) finish.

Comments

  1. KrisJanuary 31, 2022 at 4:11 AM

    I definitely agree that the portions concerning the beginning of his servitude were far from interesting, which was part of the point, I'd wager. It's obvious that fiction is never meant to be boring, and if it ever is, it would be a failure in writing. Autobiographies are often not boring because the authors curate the information to create an overview of the most important events in their life, but in the case of Equiano, his narrative is also an exposé, and its monotonous nature reflects the boredom he felt in servitude.

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  2. John FredericksJanuary 31, 2022 at 1:35 PM

    I also felt the same way about the beginning parts of the narrative. The long paragraphs and summaries made it more difficult to read. That's an interesting point you made about Equiano's "friends." Equiano's narrative is a fascinating, and this style of writing is new to me.

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  3. Bianca DuarteJanuary 31, 2022 at 3:25 PM

    I also enjoyed the beginning of the test, but it did take a bit more attention and time to read. I do understand that this is an autobiography which presents facts and details which is why this book is not like The Secret River. As you stated above," he creates pictures with his words" and that is exactly what he does. I started focusing on every little detail rather than breezing over the text. I am excited to read more and appreciate more of Equiano's work.

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  4. Michelle BFebruary 2, 2022 at 1:24 PM

    Thank you for making a case for the entirety of Equiano's narrative. I often feel that if I'm not appreciating a piece of writing, it's because I haven't yet found the right way to approach it rather than because it wasn't written the right way. I appreciate you finding a way into this text and its significance.

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