Julie Borrego
English 48A
Journal for
Olaudah Equiano


"…I was quite over powered: neither of us could speak; but, for a considerable time, clung to each other in mutual embraces, unable to do any thing but weep"(680)

"Their money consisted of little white shells, the size of the finger nail. I was sold here for one hundred and seventy-two of them,..."(681)








Summary: Equiano is writing when he saw his sister for the last time. How they felt a sense of relief only to be torn apart again, never to see each other again.

My Ideas:

This narrative is so strait forward. I was impressed with the writing style as if I was sitting down with him at the kitchen table and Equiano was telling me about his life story. The writing style is so down to earth but yet very thoughtful and intelligent. He made sure to write about his different experiences in slavery as a way to compare the two, letting the reader see the difference between, African Slavery and European Slavery. It may have just seemed like in the beginning that it was a run down of his life, but in fact he is building a case towards how European Slavery was one of the cruelest, with the life long indentured of the slaves children as well. He also is great detail describe the horrible conditions in which they imported slaves to the new world. I also could not get out of my head the thought of being suffocated by the stench of urine and feces, while they traveled in the haul of the boat. I couldn’t help but think that there is no way I could survived those circumstances and I would be one of those who tried to jump of the ship, because death would be better. The thought of being separated from your family at such a young age was painful for me to read. For children to be with out their mother or father is heartbreaking, for the children and the parent. To have returned to find your children are missing and you may never know where they have been sold. I do not feel that there is much of a difference between, African slavery and European, in the fact it is just cruel to take babies form their mothers.