Christianity and Conformity, Equiano

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano, is a narrative that consistently refers to the act of conforming for survival. Reading this narrative, the conversion Equiano had to Christianity was compelling to me, and as I continued to read, I noticed the act of talking about his love for Christianity was consistent throughout the piece, while also comparing it to where he came from. While comparing the two, he used more of a harsh dialect while speaking of Christianity, and when talking about his past, it was light and airy and filled with excitement. This made me wonder if even though he physically and verbally stated that he converted to Christianity if he was simply using it as a ruse to remain in the good graces of the slave owners. Ultimately, Equiano used Christianity to mask his presence in the community and use it to promote his true intentions to abolish slavery in a way that white slave owners would comprehend.

Equiano, as stated many times in the reading, is very driven by the Religion of Christianity. When he first traveled to Europe, he found himself learning to read, and write. One of the major readings he focused on was the Bible. He was taught about the beliefs of Christianity as well as everything that was expected of a good Christian person. This leads me to wonder, was this learning and conforming to the religion a sort of defense mechanism? To leave his heritage behind and accept the new ways of life as a way to blend? Being baptized, and fully converted to become a Christian man, he is quick to learn that his opinions on Christianity and those who taught him, were not the same. This, I believe, creates a glitch in his opinions of Christianity. If it is this “superior” religion that he must learn, why was no one following the text, while still asking God for forgiveness?

I used to express my abhorrence of it to a priest whom I met with. I had frequent contests about religion with the reverend father, in which he took great pains to make a proselyte of me to his church; and I no less to convert him to mine. On these occasions I used to produce my Bible, and shew him in what points his church erred. He then said he had been in England, and that every person there read the Bible, which was very wrong; but I answered him that Christ desired us to search the Scriptures

Eqiano, Chapter 1

This only solidifies the concept that when he was taught, he took his reading seriously, where others simply claimed they read the Bible. I think at this point, he realizes that the bible had been embellished in terms of how much of it was truly followed.

Also, the reading, shows him remembering back to his time in Africa. He refers to everything as magical, rather than the works of God. This rhetorical thought leads to the concept that while he was on the ship and being transported, he thought that everything was the work of magic because he was unaware of what everything was. Once he converts to Christianity, he rarely talks about the idea of magic, unless he is describing where he is from. 

But that there were cloths put upon the masts by the help of the ropes I saw, and then the vessel went on; and the white men had some spell or magic they put in the water when they liked in order to stop the vessel

Eqiano, Chapter 2

This quote from chapter two is a recount of his travels when he was first taken and placed into the slave trade. Here, he recounts that his only reasonable explanation for how the boats moved and stopped was magic. He was taught that this was the only explanation until he was able to put two and two together to realize that the anchor was heavy enough to stop the boat. This is important to note that he mentions this early on, and even if the bible and Christianity tell you that magic is “bad”, he never says it outright or thinks of it as such. He thought of magic as an explanation, just like people think of God as an explanation for everything. He also goes to lengths to describe magicians as physicians:

These magicians were also our doctors or physicians. They practised bleeding by cupping; and were very successful in healing wounds and expelling poisons

Eqiano, Chapter 1

Even though this is only the first Chapter, it is important to note that he never once makes his past religion and beliefs seem bad, or egregious as the Slave Owners would want everyone to believe. He, in lieu, talks highly of his people, praising their abilities as doctors and physicians, and explaining what they’re good at, and what they could teach. Possibly even providing more for the British. The way he writes gives off more of an upbeat tone, as though remembering back to happy memories of the community, rather than depressing memories of being taught by the slave owners. Instead of sitting and studying, he remembers dancing, drums, and celebrations.

With his acknowledgment at the beginning of the reading of the opportunities and possibilities with his newfound religion, he is quick to also use this as reasoning and support to the idea of abolishing slavery. It feels as though the entire text brings you through his life, and he writes as though supporting the Slave owners, thanking them for giving him “opportunity” and becoming a free man. I think he writes in this fashion knowing that most people reading his narrative would be rich white slave owners. Essentially, this entire narrative becomes a political advertisement for abolishing slavery through conforming and converting to Christianity.

Population, the bowels and surface of Africa, abound in valuable and useful returns; the hidden treasures of centuries will be brought to light and into circulation. Industry, enterprize, and mining, will have their full scope, proportionably as they civilize. In a word, it lays open an endless field of commerce to the British manufactures and merchant adventurer. The manufacturing interest and the general interests are synonymous. The abolition of slavery would be in reality an universal good.

Equiano, Chapter 12

In all, with this being an autobiography or a narrative of oneself, you can sense the resentment that Equiano has towards the slave trade, but does an ample job at masking it. Throughout the entire text, every positive comment he has towards the slave trade, his masters, and slave owners seems like backhanded compliments. While using this as a progressive way to subconsciously get his point across, that being, showing his strong opposition to the slave trade, and his want to abolish it. By conforming to the ways of the slave masters and trade, he converts to Christianity. We can always speculate whether he truly converted to Christianity, or if he simply accepted it as a way to survive. To become more like those who had taken them to blend in. This leads me once again to my previous statement that, Equiano used Christianity to mask his presence in the community, and ultimately use it to promote his true intentions to abolish slavery through a way white slave owners would understand. That being promoting African goods that would bode well trading with the British.