Summary:
We already know the purpose of Equiano’s Narrative: He sought the emancipation of enslaved Africans and combating stereotypes. We know that the audience for his writing was aimed at European society, namely those who had ill notions of Africans. We also know that his mission was to humanize and intellectualize the existence of Africans in eyes of European society and eventually persuade Europeans to abolish the slave trade and slavery altogether. Equiano goes about persuading his European audience in a number of ways. Provide a one-page analysis focusing on one example of Equiano’s writing strategy. Use one of the following questions as a guide:
1.) How does Equiano use his description of African customs (secular or religious) to persuade his European audience?
2.) What types of insights does Equiano provide with respects to the African diaspora? How does the dispersion from his home and homeland affect his audience? What type of nostalgic experience does Equiano provide when trying to persuade his audience?
3.) Equiano provides his experiences as a slave. However, his experiences differ vastly between moments? There is a difference in his description of slavery in Africa vs. the Atlantic Slave Trade. Describe those experiences and analyze what might have been Equiano’s intent in illustrating the differences in slave treatment to his target audience?
Assignment Directives:
Select one weekly reading
Write a one-page essay (MS Word) that demonstrates your ability in analyzing the author’s purpose given their social, historical, or political context. You should introduce one specific instance in the text in your explanation. You should also cite one brief piece of direct textual evidence that exemplifies your point. No paraphrasing allowed. Follow MLA guidelines. This assignment should not exhibit any sources other than the selected story.
Upload your WA before Friday of the current week before midnight. No late work accepted.
Any work lacking grammatically or mechanically may recieve a failing grade.
Work plagiarized to any extent will receive a zero.
Work will be graded based on completion and accuracy of directives.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/15399/15399-h/15399-h.htm#CHAPTER_I