Slave Narrative

"When I looked round the ship too, and saw a large furnace of copper boiling, and a multitude of black people of every description chained together, every one of their countenances expressing dejection and sorrow, I no longer doubted of my fate; and, quite overpowered with horror and anguish, I fell motionless on the deck and fainted. When I recovered a little, I found some black people about me, who I believed were some of those who had brought me on board, and had been receiving their pay; they talked to me in order to cheer me, but all in vain. I asked them if we were not to be eaten by those white men with horrible looks, red faces, and long hair. They told me I was not: and one of the crew brought me a small portion of spirituous liquor in a wine glass, but, being afraid of him, I would not take it out of his hand. One of the blacks, therefore, took it from him and gave it to me, and I took a little down my palate, which, instead of reviving me, as they thought it would, throw me into the greatest consternation at the strange feeling it produced, having never tasted any such liquor before. Soon after this, the blacks who brought me on board went off, and left me abandoned to despair" (Equiano 2).

Diary:

I have been brought onto a strange ship, I know some men, whom are from neighboring villages. Normally we have nothing in common, but we all have a look of fear upon out faces. I do not know where we are going or why I am here, but I can only hope that I will return to my family. I am so scared but I dare not speak out, for another man like me, skin of ebony, spoke to a man with ivory skin and he was beaten. I can only pray to make it home safely.

Reflection:

In the narrative, Equiano exposes the many injustices he suffered as a slave. Along wiht the social change, he describes the many feelings he goes through as he experiences something so foregin to him.

Source: "The Life of Gustavus Vassa"
http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/Equiano.html