Brutal Events In Equiano's Life

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While a slave, Equiano experienced some brutal events. He was starved, beaten, and other torturous events happened to him. The start of the events happened when his sister and him were captured by kidnappers and sold to slave traders. After Equiano was brought to the coast of Africa, he was sent to the West Indies via the dreadful Middle Passage. After being sold again he was reunited with his sister when their masters crossed paths but Equiano experienced grief and anxiety when their short lived reunion ended and he was sold again. At one point Equiano became ill and wished for death to save him. He was tied and flogged severely due to his lack of eating from being sick (page 88). Equiano was a victim to beating a few times. After …show more content…

After Equiano was sold again he was transported to Tinmah which he says is a lavish country and is the most beautiful country he has seen in Africa (page 79). In Tinmah he was sold to a wealthy widow and her son. Under their care he was rarely treated like a slave. He was washed and perfumed and was fed by his new his owners (page 80). However, this experience was short lived and was once again sold. There are several occurrences in which Equiano presents his belief that free blacks are worse off than slaves. Their freedom was only nominal and lived in constant fear of becoming recaptured as slaves or being constantly abused of their liberty. While in Georgia, Equiano engaged in a fight with Mr. Read’s slave. Mr. Read wanted punishment and Equiano was shocked and frightened that Mr. Read didn’t respect his title as a free man (page 276). Another occurrence happened shortly after he gained his freedom. Equiano became employed by Doran and had to prove his education when almost being kidnapped and returned to slavery by slaveholders. He later points out that free slaves are little to none better than captive slaves because of the horrific treatment both

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