Wednesday, October 22, 2014
English III Olaudah Equiano Journal
Please include your FIRST AND LAST NAME at the top of every journal you write. Your journals must be 150 words minimum.
Pick ONE topic to address and write about.
Journal #1
What characteristics of Equiano’s autobiography distinguish it from Phyllis Wheatley’s poem? How does the message in his autobiography differ from that in Wheatley’s poem?
Journal #2
How do you account for the depth of human cruelty described in parts of this autobiography? What current world events reveal similar horrors and violations of human rights? How would Olaudah Equiano see the United States in 2014?
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Jodie Antonio
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
Phyllis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano were two slaves who were kidnapped from Africa at a young age and both share their views and experiences of slavery through literature. Olaudah Equiano's and Phyllis Wheatley's view of slavery is different because of their experiences due to their tone and how they saw power. Since Phyllis Wheatley's poem was addressed to a person of high power, her tone of voice was nice and respectful. In Equiano's Autobiography he explains his unpleasant journey of how he was kidnapped along with his sister. Phyllis on the other hand, talked more about religion. For example, she was raised as a Christian because her owner’s were missionaries. Through her struggles she wrote poems which resulted in her being the first African Poet. Both Phyllis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano address the topic of slavery based on their personal experiences which are relatively different. Equiano explained more of the cruel side as to Phyllis who was more on the religious side.
Artreau Sheppard per.3
ReplyDeleteJournal #2
I say the depths of human cruelty in this autobiography is extremely deep like the pacific ocean deep. I say it’s deep because the way other human beings are being treated in this autobiography is truly pure evil because the Africans and African Americans didn't want to be slaves or beaten they was forced into life like that; also, I believe people shouldn't be forced to be striped of their family members. The current world events that I think how violations of human rights similar to this, is dictatorship because a lot of dictatorship shown is horrible and people shouldn't be under harsh rule. I think that if Olaudah Equiano saw the world now he would be astonished to how much better it got; but, he won’t be truly happy because there is still places that are extremely racist and he will have problems with that.
Journal #1
Some characteristics that distinguish Equiano’s autobiography and Phillis Wheatley’s poem are how they both viewed slavery. In Equiano’s autobiography he talked about how the white people took him and separated him from his loving family. Equiano got beaten and don’t like the concept of slavery at all. Where Wheatley got taken away and then taught english and language. And it can be said that she might like slavery because she became a slave and gotten taught something she became interested in. The messages from both papers are different by Equiano’s being how “slavery is an awful thing and treating people terribly based on differences is wrong”, and Wheatley’s message can be “try and learn something new and take interest in it because it may change your life.”
Melissa Martinez
ReplyDeleteWhat was said in the Equiano’s autobiography is something that happened but sometimes what we don't think about when we think about slavery is all of the people that were separated from their families. People were broken up and taken and filled in very tight quarters with strangers. A current event that reveals some of these similar horrors are people who have lived here in the united states their whole lives and and are being sent back to a country that they possibly not even know. People that have come from other countrie and have lived here most of their lives who also have family here are forced to go back to a place that no longer has anything there for them. People are also basically excluded from being let into the united states unless they have a green card. Olaudah Equiano would see the united states in 2014 as a country who still needs to change its mentality but has definitely come a long way.
Lauren Adona
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
Phyllis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano are two slaves that were carried from Africa to other European colonies, that share their experiences throughout this dreadful journey. Olaudah Equiano's autobiography differs from Phyllis Wheatley's autobiography, because on one hand, Wheatley credits her slavery as a more positive view, because it was brought to her Christianity. Equiano shares his story by describing the tragic events he went through, such as separating from his sister, and becoming a merchant to obtain money to buy his freedom. He eventually published his first autobiography as a slave in England, where he moved to. Wheatley's owners were different from Equiano's. Her owners were missionaries, so Phyllis was raised as a Christian. She was the first American poet, and her poems were written during the Revolutionary war. Though their experiences are slightly different, they've technically been through some of the same things as slaves, but they just have different perspectives on slavery. For example, Wheatley uses the phrase "mercy brought me," making the violence of the kidnapping of a child, and the voyage on a slave ship less as harsh as it seems.
Michael Lee
ReplyDeleteJournal #2
Olaudah Equiano accounted for every scrap of misery during his travels. We as the reader account for his troubles through his narrative that he himself wrote. One of the biggest issues that are very similar to childhood slavery would have to be sex trafficking. Although sometimes willing to join to make cash, most girls are kidnapped by guys who are then going to "rent" them out as property for a paid amount of time to willing Johns. This provided a similar if not even worse experience for the girls involved in sex trafficking. These actions stripped girls and sometimes guys of their human rights by forcing them to participate in these vile actions, or face punishment and/or death. If Olaudah Equiano was still alive in the year 2014 today, I think he would see a much better future on the horizon for his people. Why over the horizon? Equiano would obviously see separation of races still going on and other obvious racism. However, he would admire the future since slavery was and has stayed banned for nearly 300 years.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
ReplyDeleteEquiano’s autobiography explains more of the cruelty of slavery by describing the horrid conditions of slaves on ships to America/the New World. He discusses the inhumane conditions of the cramped cargo space of the ship, having numerous slaves trying to fit into one space. Often many people died due to these unhealthy conditions. His autobiography gives more explicit details and explains more of the worse sides of slavery of the west as a worker. Phyllis Wheatley’s poem depicts more of the luckier slaves of the West who were given to kinder masters. Wheatley, although seemingly free, complains about the pain of being separated from her family and home country due to being forced into slavery. In a way, both Equiano’s and Wheatley’s passages describe how the horrible men separated them from their families and invaded their human rights. But Equiano’s message is that men during that period are wreckers of human rights, while Wheatley’s message is more of how the men during that time were more tyrannical and did not have feelings.
Nini Tran
ReplyDeletePer3
Journal #1
Equiano's autobiography is distinguished from Phyllis Wheatley poem by their themes and tones. In Equiano's autobiography his theme was the cruel inhuman conditions of how African Americans were treated both on the ship and when they arrived in the Americas. As you can already surmise his tone is a mix of anger, confusion, and sadness. While in Phyllis Wheatley's poem she mainly talked about the pain of being ripped away from her family and about social rankings. She talked about how Europeans were at the top of society and African Americans were like peasants. As you can surmise her tone would be both pain,homesick, sorrow, and respectful. Equiano's message is different from Wheatley's because her message was the dominance European men had and Euiano's message was to treat others the way you wanted to be treated.
Angelo Belenson
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
Journal #1
Although both Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography and Phyllis Wheatley’s poem was both about slavery, you could see pretty significant differences. In the start of Olaudauh Equiano’s autobiography you find him getting kidnapped with his sister. That in itself is already pretty bad but from there it only gets immensely worse. He was stripped of his only comfort after being kidnapped and left completely alone to be traded over and over again. Throughout the story you would also notice that the way he describes what happened to him is much more different than Wheatley’s poem. Equiano describes everything with a very negative tone while Wheatley describes her experiences much more positively. Wheatley was also kidnapped however what happened after was much less severe than what happened to Equiano. After being kidnapped Phyllis Wheatley was sent to live with missionaries where she was treated kindly and raised as a catholic. She has a more positively outlook on slavery because of this compared to Equiano’s autobiography on the horrors of slavery.
Ahmad Odeh
ReplyDeleteOlaudah Equiano was kidnapped when he was still a kid, him and his sister. He became a slave and was resold into slavery to others. They moved into another village but they were again captured but sold to european slavers. While Equiano was a slave under a certain owner he developed the skill of being a merchant. He became a merchant himself and gained the money to give himself freedom. He eventually moved to England and publshed his first autobiography of slave. Phyllis Wheatley was raised a christian by her owners. Phyllis was the first American poet and one of her most famous poems was written during the revolutionary war addressed to George Washington. Olaudah Equiano sends a message that no matter what happened in your past life or who you are, you can make a change if you work hard enough. Phyllis Wheatley sends a message that people are very intelligent and should use it, not let anyone or anything keep you back from doing so.
Elon Hufana
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
Olaudah Equano and Phyllis Wheatly, both African-American Slaves. Although their are noticeable differences from the two on what they have to say, they do have some sharing qualities. In her poem she talks a lot about religion and how she was introduced to it by her masters. But besides that, she's still talks about the pain that was thrown at her, like being torn away from her entire family. Although hardships were in her face, she writes about a more positive light about her Christianity. Whereas Equiano speaks so heavily on how cruel people can be and how it disgusts him completely. He speaks of how he wants everything negative around him to just completely stop, but even though it doesn't he falls in deep desolation. Equanio explains the cruelty and absurd of being a slave and coming to America, on Wheatlys side she talks about religion and how people show evil with power.
Lara Friedlund
ReplyDeleteJournal #2
The depth of human cruelty in The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano reflects the low view of Africans by Caucasians; at least, it shows how their views used to be. The major factor that contributed to the conflict between the two groups was skin color. Caucasians developed a sense of entitlement and abused it through abusing Africans, who were approached using violence, disrespect, and degradation. Equiano described with some detail the extent of his, and other slave's, mistreatment. He was kidnapped, sold numerous times, forced in cramped and unsanitary slave ships, and so much more. It might just be because I live in the fourth most culturally diverse city in the United States, but I don't see anything that could compare to Equiano's reality. However, many female farmers have revealed to be receiving sexual harrassment, death threats, and violence from male employers and co-workers. Many of these women cannot speak English and don't know our country's laws, so they end up keeping quiet about their mistreatment. If Olaudah Equiano saw today's society, he would be very impressed by some aspects. Although racism has not disappeared, we are moving forward from it and live more or less as equals. Our first African-American president, Barack Obama, gives an added sense of hope that we may move past racism. However, we can never have a society that satisfies everyone. While Equiano would enjoy the African American rights, he would be very disappointed by the other corrupt aspects of our society.
Norielle Lopez
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
Olaudah Equiano and Phillis Wheatley are two individuals coming from the same nation. They are African Americans from Africa who became part of the slave trade, not because they chose to, but because they were dragged into it. Although slave stories might have the same beginnings, not everybody has the same end points. As a kid, Olaudah Equiano was kidnapped and the little boy’s childhood was taken away from him. Equiano’s autobiography narrates an emotionally negative toned story of what he had to go through and how they were treated very inhumanely while Phyllis Wheatley’s poem has a very enlightening tone to it. The messages of the two narrations differ from each other because they have two different tones to it. While Equiano’s story tells us depressing situations of when him and his sister got split up, Wheatley on the other hand states a very successful ending chapter in her life. Wheatley not only was bought by a warm family who made her understand how important knowledge is, but she also got to publish her written poems and improve her standard of living.
Maggie Mehari
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
Phyllis Wheatley and Equiano both are authors who were previous slaves. Despite them both going through the horrors of slavery and experiencing similar stories in how they got to the Americas, they both have two different perspectives which is translated into their work. Equiano is an African man who was taken from his home and his loved ones. After being kidnapped, he was forced to work for his new masters. His autobiography describes in vivid detail the exact horrors of slavery. He describes his trip in the slave ships and the suicidal thoughts that ran through his mind while being imprisoned. On the other hand, the poems written by Phyllis Wheatley are slightly less sorrowful. Wheatley was lucky enough to receive kinder masters who educated her enough to have her live slightly less miserable than Equiano. Her poems are mostly religious oriented and portray her sadness in how she is lost in this world whereas Equiano’s autobiography is very angry and more intense in his misery. He discusses his sadness of being separated from his family, especially his sister whom he cared very much for. Overall, there are differences in tone, implication and detail.
Mosiah Yearwood
ReplyDeleteJournal #1
Equiano and phyllis wheatley were both great writers and were both common relation to eachother as slaves.They both went through awfully alot of hard times and obstacles during there time period of leaving but some how they were both able to get through this obstacle. They both had some very interesting stories about how they came to america but they also had two very different point of views on life and slavery. Equiano was a man from african dscent and he was captured and tooken away from eveything he had in life. He had masters who forced to work him as there slaves. His writings are great and they tell everything that he went through throughout his life. He tells us about how he thought often about killing himself and how it was working for someone as a slave. Phyllis wheatleys poems arent twice as bad compared Equiano. Wheatley was also a slave but not quite the same type of slave as equaino was.Her masters were alot more nice towards her and the way they treated her as well. Her writings were poems that were about sadness because she feels lost and helpless. Equianos writings were more hateful and violent. Even though they are both slaves and have both went through similar problems, They are both very different.
Manuel Carrasco
ReplyDeleteJournal #2
The autobiography describes the depth of human cruelty by telling us african americans always got treated badly by whites. They really couldn't do anything about it either because that's just how things were back then. The view of african americans was at a low standard. The cruelty was definitely worse back then, than it is now. I mean it's still bad now because of the amount of racism that goes on today. Two current events that can relate to this is when Oscar Grant was shot at bart and when Trayvon Martin was shot for looking suspicious. It shows how horrible things still are today but not as bad as back than when african americans were sold. Equiano was sold numerous times and put on unsanitary ships with other people who had diseases and plagues. Today that may not be happening but there are still things that are still pretty bad happening.I think Equiano would notice improvement in todays society beside the fact that there is racism that exist and would be happy with the rights african americans are given in todays society.