Reading Guide for Olaudah Equiano' Narrative of the Life

Biographical Introduction:
Why does Equiano have two names?
Where was he born?
What do Robert King and John Woolman have in common?
What do the roots of the word Philidelphia mean? Why is that ironic for Equiano?

Narrative:
What was the mark of high rank which his culture put on a person?
According to Equiano, how are Greek dances in Smyrna like Ibo dances in the Essaka valley
Most of his education in early life consisted of what kind of training?
Describe generally the route traveled by Equiano in the early section of his narrative. Can you guess at the route by looking at a map and the book?
Why was he traveling that route? What had happened?
Who did he unexpectedly meet during these travels (someone he had gotten separated from)?
What kind of animal did he kill?
What did his mother never let him do and what famous American does that remind you of?
After he killed it, the people he was living with were angry. Why didn't he run away? Describe what he did instead.
What were his general feelings about his captors (He makes a statement about this)?
How did his life come to a sudden and dramatic change early one morning?
These new folks were nasty: What did they *not* do that they should have (Two things named; Equiano's tone indicates this)?
What did the new people (the dirty ones) want to do to Equiano?
When it came to food, what was a frequent problem with he and his fellow travelers experienced? (Hunger or not finding any is not the answer)? How was the problem solved?
What did he think about the first white men he saw?
When he reached his destination at the end of this section, he was so frightened that he fainted. Name two things he saw which he'd never seen before?
What did his "friends" give him to try to bolster his spirits?
What did he think they were going to do to him?
Why couldn't he eat?
What did they do every hour to those who refused to eat?
What did he notice that the "whites" were missing?

What was the cook wearing and why?

What were some of the reasons he was valuable to his master?  Be very specific.
What was Mr. King's occupation?
What was "a common practice" of slave owners in the West Indies?
Describe several acts of cruelty which disgusted Equiano. Be very specific
How many new Africans were needed in the West Indies to keep the working population up?
Why were Mr. King's slaves reluctant to do anything to make him angry even though he was one of the "better" masters? What was Equiano's the first trade item?
What trouble did Equiano and his friend have in Santa Cruz?
What belief of Equiano's help get him through the day
What, surprisingly, could Equaino not do?
What happened to Joseph Clipson, the mulatto man with a family?
Another captain wanted to buy Equiano: How did Equiano talk his way out of being bought and sold?
In Philadelphia for the first time, Equiano had a dream. What did he dream about and how did that dream play out the next day?
Dr. Perkins, the bad guy in Georgia. Equiano went to two church services in Philidelphia. How were they different? What did the second service illustrate to him?
How much did he cost?

An interesting connection between English practices toward women and Uncle Tom's Cabin--

Scold's Bridle or Scold's Brank--A device which fits over the head and holds the tongue forcibly against the bottom of the mouth. Works like a horse bridle and bit.