The Kindness and Caring of Equiano

The Kindness and Caring of Equiano

Olaudah Equiano is a symbol of kindness and care. He wrote his autobiography to help reveal the truth against enslavement and to help bring an end to this disease. Equiano wanted to put forth a strong effort to finally help the cause of the abolitionists. He wanted to justify that slavery was a disastrous tornado that would wipe out the society. Slavery ruined many helpless lives and left a bad mark in history. Throughout Equiano's life horrid experiences of slavery helped spark Equiano into a passionate, strong willed, and tender hearted man that was willing to do anything to stop slavery.

In the 18th century, slaves were constantly treated like properties and animals than human beings by society, ultimately causing an effect of inferiority between . Masters would barely provide for their slaves and have their overseers physically and mentally abuse them everyday. Equiano's first experience of being treated like an animal was when he was on board the slave ship. He described the ship as "the closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself (22). This particular experience might have been the spark for the hate of slavery for Equiano. The slave ships were very dangerous and had all the Africans packed into a small section of the ship. They were stripped of their clothes and were forced to see themselves naked. This made them feel ashamed of their bodies because most of the time husbands and wives slept in separate rooms. The slaves didn't even have a restroom and were forced to leave their waste on the floor. Equiano described the image as "a scene of horror almost inconceivable" (23).He gave a tone of surprisement and disappointment and described this event as very horrifying. This event sparked Equiano to hate slavery and stand up to it.

Throughout the autobiography, slaves weren't given a choice for their freedom and when they tried to stand up against their masters and society, but