Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative is a wonderful piece of literary work. Equiano's story became the prototype for the 19th century slave narratives that followed it. The story reveals how Equiano was free as boy and was kidnapped and forced into slavery and then won his freedom back. Throughout Equiano's story there many different "sub-themes" such as the reversal of fortunes and the obvious theme that slavery should be abolished. But perhaps his main goal in writing this narrative was to show Europeans that they are not so different from Africans, and even perhaps that the two are equals which also strengthens his argument for the abolition of slavery.
Olaudah Equiano's life was full of twists and turns and reversals of fortune. The reversal of fortune theme is apparent throughout the narrative as Equiano tells of how his freedom was stolen from him as a child when he was kidnapped and forced into slavery and then later bought his freedom from his master. Equiano was extremely fortunate just to have been owned by a slave master who would permit .
him to buy back his freedom. Equiano's name was changed to Gustavus Vassa while aboard his master"s ship(61). It is very interesting that the theme of fortune reversal appears in the story because Equiano says that his name, in his native tongue, means "fortunate"(44). .
Throughout the narrative slavery is attacked. Equiano is very careful in his methods of attack though. He asks, "does not slavery itself depress the mind, and extinguish all its fire and every noble sentiment"(46). The language used in this narrative is very proper and Equiano also goes out of his way to show respect for the white Europeans while voicing his opinion on slavery as shown here:.
Tortures, murder, and every other imaginable barbarity and iniquity,.
are practiced upon poor slaves with impunity. I hope the slave trade .
will be abolished. I pray it may be an event at hand.