The slave narrative

Picture Extension:

Excerpt: "While I was on board this ship, my captain and master named me Gustavus Vassa. I at that time began to understand him a little, and refused to be called so, and told him as well as I could that I would be called Jacob; but he said I should not, and still called me Gustavus: and when I refused to answer to my new name, which I at first did, it gained me many a cuff; so at length I submitted, and by which I have been known ever since." (61)


Reflection: I found this narrative particularly interesting because even though it tells the story of how the African people were mistreated it manages to maintain a unbiased attitude and almost 3rd person perspective in order to shed true light upon the situation. I also felt aghast at the actual situation in terms of raw emotion.

Journal: Today I have read Equiano's story. I must confess before now i thought of slaves to be an inferior kind and enslaving them to be the only proper way to get them to work. However after reading this i am indeed convinced that free men might be harder workers and better suited for the job. Also I think that some of the conditions describes are even to cruel for people such as them.