Olaudah Equiano 1745-1797
Olaudah Equiano Son of a tribal leader In the Ibo language, his name means “well-spoken leader” Kidnapped at 11 years old; sold to British slave traders 15 million Africans were captured between 1500-1800 and shipped to the Western Hemisphere Many died en route
The Middle Passage Conditions on the Atlantic voyage were atrocious Crammed below decks less than 5 feet high Families were split apart Men were often shackled Equiano was so young and allowed to remain above deck He observed the mariners use of a compass A British captain purchased him and employed him at sea
Saving to Buy Liberty Equiano : Was renamed Gustavus Vassa Enslaved for nearly 10 years Managed his master’s finances and saved his own money Bought his freedom Devoted his life to the abolition of slavery Established a settlement of more than 500 freed slaves in Freetown, Sierra Leone (1787)
The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano Published in 1789 Created a sensation Eventually contributed to the banning of the slave trade in the United States (1808) and England Slave narratives played an important role in documenting history
Rhetorical Appeals (Aristotilian) Ethos: the source's credibility, the speaker's/author's authority Logos: the logic used to support a claim (induction and deduction); can also be the facts and statistics used to help support the argument. Pathos: the emotional or motivational appeals; vivid language, emotional language and numerous sensory details.
3 Examples of Pathos _________________________________ Effect on the reader: _________________________