Analysis Of The Interesting Narrative Of Equiano

The Interesting Narrative of Equiano features a man who experienced several shifts in identity on his journey to freedom, as opposed to someone who worked to construct a specific identity. At the beginning of the narrative, Equiano presented the reader with his rendering of Africa—a portrayal of Africa often not in agreement with the Eurocentric view that several non-African native people share. He wiped away a misconstrued guise of primitive and inferior beliefs, describing the mannerisms of their women, their level of cleanliness, and their customs. He called out to his oppressors asking, “Did nature make them inferior to their sons and should they too have been made slaves?” (Equiano, 22). And he apologized for introducing the customs and
This transformation was exemplified in his view of the white man from his adolescence to his adulthood. In his adolescence, he described man as the most fearsome animal, often perplexed by the utter savagery of the white man. “…the white people looked and acted, as I thought, in so savage a manner; for I had never seen among any people such instances of brutal cruelty,” (Equiano, 36). Savage is usually a word for those associated with Africans or natives, but he used this word to describe the white man, almost naively breaking down prejudice. He was crafting an identity of good and innocent for himself. There was undeniably a form of hatred and disbelief towards the white man when he was torn away from his sister, or when the slaves were beaten and tortured in malicious ways. Even so, there was a shift in the text in which he develops an admiration for the white man. “…I had the strongest desire to resemble them: to imbibe their spirit, and imitate their manners. “(Equiano, 62) When fear shifted to reverence, he began to assume some of the qualities of the white man and view things differently. On page 47, Equiano was “ignorant, a stranger of a different complexion, and a slave!” (Equiano). By page 79, Equiano was “the Black Christian.” And by page 138, he was a free man. Perhaps, in attempt to restore an identity that had been destroyed, he clung to the identity of
It commenced with the knowledge of the sunset as method of escape, but evolved into methods of procuring pounds, learning to read and interpret the bible, and becoming a hairdresser. His love for academic liberation was a crucial part of his identity, and was ultimately vital to his success. Through it all, it was the only visible part from his childhood to adulthood that endured that was still “him”. His fears were channeled into his love for adventure. As Equiano incessantly developed more European characteristics and traits, his dread transformed to the enjoyment of the traveling aspects of his voyages. At one point, he even urged for more, he now disliked lingering in one place. His joy towards the free school they had erected for every denomination of black people, “whose minds are cultivated here, and forwarded to virtue” was a testament to his identity in education (Equiano, 239). Equiano’s persistence for cultivation never wavered. He described his childhood and every event afterwards as “an impression on his mind which time could not erase, (Equiano, 26).” Even in this unimaginable state, his wished to present himself as someone who constantly took refuge in knowledge and experience. He identified as someone who was constantly learning. It is evident that Equiano’s core was never lost, only