The End of Equiano's Narrative

 I think Equiano ends his narrative quite impactfully.

He includes letters, and a closing argument, which I think both serve a purpose in bringing his message to his audience. 

The letters he includes help, once again, to vouch for his own character. This helps the audience see the credibility of the information they just read. Perhaps more importantly, however, I think the letters serve as a vehicle to put Equiano's text in conversation with the larger world and the Abolition movement as a whole. He includes a presentation to the Queen, letters he wrote to lords, and more. Here, he is directly addressing the government, bringing them into the scope of the audience.

He ends with a compelling closing argument, offering reasons why it would be in the audience's benefit to abolish the slave trade. I find it interesting that his argument seems to hinge on the economic benefits, as this shows that he was really taking his audience into consideration. Throughout his travels, he observes that these owners do not truly care about the wellbeing of these slaves, and he knows he must appeal to them in a different way. 

I think, in combination, these letters and his more tangible closing argument work as an impactful and persuasive ending to his narrative. 

Comments

  1. Audrey SchroederFebruary 16, 2023 at 4:19 PM

    Hi Cassi! I agree with everything you've said here. It's interesting how you commented that the letters put his text in conversation with the rest of the narrative. I also agree that the inclusion of the letters helps contribute to Equiano's credibility of sharing his story. I enjoyed how the narrative ended!

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  2. Hilary LeFebruary 16, 2023 at 9:48 PM

    Hi Cassi! I completely agree with you! Equiano's use of letters and a closing argument is impactful in bringing his message to his audience. I think the letters add credibility and put his text in conversation with the larger world, while the closing argument appeals to his audience by focusing on the economic benefits of abolishing the slave trade.

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  3. Catalina DegnanFebruary 17, 2023 at 12:52 AM

    Hi Cassi! I agree completely with what you wrote about Equiano's ending. I wrote in my blog post too how I feel that the letters are a final touch of credibility to Equiano's story. I agree that this makes for a very persuasive ending, especially with his passionate address to the Queen!

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  4. Monique Cov.February 19, 2023 at 12:38 PM

    Hey Cassi, I hadn't thought of the ending of Equiano's narrative in quite this way before. It does makes sense that Equiano wanted to, much more directly connect with his audience and show them again why he is credible and should be listened to. I agree that appealing to the audience's economic interests was a smart strategy for Equiano to pursue because it showcases just how much he has thought about the abolition of slavery and the right way to approach it. If the parliament refused to even see reason in his economic appealment then it will reveal to people that they aren't thinking about what's best for themselves and the nation, but on their personal biases. Great observations!

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  5. Noah English 11H BlogFebruary 20, 2023 at 5:28 PM

    I like what you said about the letter to the Queen bringing the government into the audience because it is important to understand all the factors that influenced/had to be influenced during the abolition movement. A lot of the work that Equiano did was to persuade public opinion, which lead to a public push that demanded legal change by the government.

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  6. Gema Sanchez GamezFebruary 20, 2023 at 11:33 PM

    Hi Cassi! I agree that the letters help establish credibility in Chapter 12. There was an incredible amount of factors that went into the abolition movement, and I think the inclusion of the letters serves to highlight the many different parts of that movement. I believe that Equiano was a very intelligent writer in the sense that he understood that he had to establish credibility in order to appeal to a larger audience.

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  7. James MaddenFebruary 20, 2023 at 11:50 PM

    Hey Cassi! I agree that Equiano is trying to play to his audience by explaining the economic benefits of abolishing slavery rather than the humanitarian reasons. I also believe that including letters from the Queen and other notable English people helps Equiano establish ethos with his audience.

    ReplyDelete

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