The culture in which Equiano lived

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1. Briefly describe the culture in which Equiano lived before his capture; then

summarize his capture and separation from his sister.

2. Describe Equiano’s reactions as he first encounters the slave ship and the white men

who are enslaving them (p. 379). What are the emotions that he feels? What fears

does he have? How does he describe the countenances of those who were enslaved

as he was?

3. These few pages are, in some textbooks, subtitled “The Horrors of the Slave Ship.”

List five “horrors” from pp. 380-382 that strike you as particularly dreadful.

4. Describe the procedure for selling the slaves describe on p. 383. (Do not forget this

part of the question.) According to Equiano, what is the greatest horror of the selling

of slaves? At the end of the chapter, he writes, “Surely, this is a new refinement in

cruelty.” To what is he referring?

5. Describe Equiano’s friendship with Richard Baker, found at the end of chapter III on

p. 385. Comment on at least one other thing that stands out to you from chapter III.

6. The excerpt from chapter VII describes how Equiano gained his freedom. How did

this come about? Who helped him? Respond to Equiano’s expression of the joy he

 

Sample Solution

  1. Equiano lived in a culture that was matrilineal, meaning that property and inheritance were passed down through the female line. The people of his tribe were also polytheistic, meaning that they believed in multiple gods. Equiano’s tribe was a peaceful one, and they lived in harmony with nature.

Equiano’s capture and separation from his sister were traumatic experiences. He was kidnapped from his village by a group of slave traders. He was separated from his sister and other family members, and he was taken to a slave ship. The conditions on the slave ship were horrific, and Equiano witnessed many people die.

  1. Equiano was terrified when he first encountered the slave ship and the white men who were enslaving him. He felt a sense of “dread and horror” (p. 379). He was afraid of what would happen to him, and he was also afraid of the white men. He described the countenances of the enslaved people as being “full of horror and despair” (p. 379).

  2. The horrors of the slave ship are difficult to read about. Here are five that strike me as particularly dreadful:

  • The overcrowding: The slave ships were often overcrowded, with hundreds of people crammed into a small space. This led to disease and death.
  • The lack of food and water: The enslaved people were often not given enough food or water. This led to malnutrition and dehydration.
  • The physical abuse: The enslaved people were often beaten and tortured. This was done to keep them in line and to break their spirit.
  • The psychological abuse: The enslaved people were constantly reminded of their status as property. This was done to make them feel worthless and hopeless.
  • The separation from family and friends: The enslaved people were often separated from their families and friends. This was a great source of pain and suffering.

These are just a few of the horrors of the slave ship. It is important to remember that these horrors were real, and they were inflicted on millions of people. The transatlantic slave trade was a brutal and dehumanizing institution, and it is a reminder of the dark side of human history.

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