Blog Post Week 4 Prompt 3

    This version of settler colonialism in Australia was definitely different from other examples we've seen in literature. While in Equiano's account, the Europeans are very aggressive in their exploitation and assimilation of the slaves, the treatment of the Aboriginal people feels more passive. While there is some limited interaction between the Europeans and native Australians, it seems like both groups are happy to ignore the other. The Europeans seem to fear the Aboriginals as most don't venture far from the colony to avoid running into them. On the flip side, Sullivan says that the Aboriginals rarely let the Europeans see them, so it appears they also seek to stay away from the settlers.

    While both groups mostly avoid each other, it does appear that Will, and mostly likely the other convicts, have a sense of superiority over the Aboriginal people. This seems most apparent in their treatment of Scabby Bill. Will seems to look down on him being naked, seeing Bill and the other Aboriginals as less civilized. Furthermore, they take advantage of Scabby Bill, making him dance for rum. They take advantage of his situation and exploit him for their own entertainment. While the settlers may be more passive in their treatment of the native peoples, it is clear that there are still some internal prejudices.

Blog Week 4 Prompt 1

    Going into The Secret River, the only thing I knew about England around 1800's was that the Industrial Revolution was going on during this time period. Just from historical knowledge, this was not a time of great working conditions for the lower classes, and this is reflected in Grenville's novel. The author does a great job of highlighting the wealth inequity, as I was not only shocked by the living conditions of the Thornhills but also the striking differences between the lower classes and the gentry. For instance, when Will's father took him to scrape dog crap off the streets in order to make a living when the gentry lived a life of decadence.

    One thing I learned, both through the novel and microlecture, was about the Bloody Codes. I was appalled at the harsh sentences being handed out, especially when it was punishing the poor for trying to survive. A death sentence for stealing 12 cents ($3.40 in today's money) was really shocking. To put that in modern terms, you could receive capital punishment for stealing a bottle of lipstick. 

One last scene that stuck with me was the downfall of Sal's family. It was really sad to see someone who had been wise with money, bought their own boats, and work hard their whole lives lose everything they owned due to one illness. Unfortunately, it reminded me of the US, where one major illness or surgery can completely wipe out someone's savings, even with insurance. 

    

Blog Week 3 Prompt 3

I found Equiano's concluding remarks very intriguing, and I believe it shows resourcefulness and an understanding of his audience. He seems to know that simply a description of his experience and attempts to gain sympathy likely won't lead to action. Instead, he offers an incentive, hence his use of the word "interest" many times. The English seem to only be interested in what's good for them, and providing some benefits (the exploration of the untapped African markets) makes Equiano's pleas much more compelling for his readers. 

I don't know if I would categorize this action as autoethnographic, which is when an author depict themselves in a way that engages with representations others have made about them. I don't believe the point of Equiano's point of including this argument is to challenge Parliament's view of him, but rather to achieve his ultimate goal of abolition. While it's true that Equiano's account likely challenged a lot of the stereotypes that his readers had about Africans, I don't think this was his ultimate goal. If anything, Equiano making himself appear too clever or even manipulative would hurt his efforts, as Parliament, who are likely inclined to ignore his account, would be more mistrusting of his story. 

Blog Week 3 Prompt 2

    I thought the interaction between Equiano and the Mosquito Native Americans was really interesting, and I think it revealed some new aspects of Equiano's character. Namely his subconscious embrace of colonizing culture regarding his treatment of the Natives. This can first be seen with his interactions with Prince George, who he earnestly attempts to convert to Christianity. Just as those who abducted him essentially forced the religion upon him, Equiano does the same to this native, who had his own culture and beliefs. 

    After this fails, Equiano helps Doctor Irving purchase slaves. While he doesn't really have much of a choice, he still participates in the slave trade, even suggesting which people to buy. Upon arriving in the Mosquito Coast, Equiano describes interactions with the Mosquito Natives, and this instance where he uses Columbus's tactics is one such moment. This shows that he has learned from those who colonized the Americas, reading and learning from these voices. Equiano also uses religion as a tool to control the Mosquitos, threatening divine punishments if they fail to comply with his instructions. While Equiano may also include this section to appeal to his readers, his actions throughout the second part of the novel demonstrate a participation in, or at least acceptance of, colonizing culture.

Blog Week 2 Prompt 2

I am very excited for our class with Rhiannon this coming week! The topic of Muslim Africans being forced into slavery was something I was not aware of before reading the autobiography of Omar Ibn Said. His story challenged my prior knowledge of the Africans abducted in the Slave Trade, and provided a different account than that of Equiano. I think that overall, history has been rewritten by the colonizing powers in control, which is a reason that knowledge like this has largely been ignored. That is the reason that primary sources like Equiano's narrative and Omar Ibn Said's autobiography are crucial in order to understand what really happened. Thus, I think Rhiannon's sponsorship of this opera to tell Omar's story is awesome, as more people need to better understand the history of the Slave Trade, even if it's uncomfortable or hard to hear. Here are my two questions for Rhiannon:

1. How did you hear about Omar Ibn Said's account or the stories of African Muslims forced into slavery in general, as I know I hadn't heard much of either before preparing for this discussion.

2. What was the most difficult part of transforming Omar's autobiography into an opera?

Blog Week 2 Prompt 1

    This is a very hard question to answer, because, as discussed on Tuesday, Equiano is writing with a mission or something he wants from his readers. This makes it difficult to discern what his true feelings are, and it's certainly possible that he includes different ideas in his writing to appease the members of Parliament he is writing to, his apparent Christian belief being an example. 

    Before attempting to answer this question, I think it's important to note that Equiano did not really choose Christianity. In fact, he probably never would have even heard of the religion if he hadn't been abducted from his home and forced into slavery. Rejecting Christianity was not an option for Equiano, as he would likely face torture or death. That being said, I do believe Equiano embraces Christianity in the end.

    My first piece of evidence for this is Equiano's purchase of a Bible. As he is rarely, if ever paid for his work, this purchase would be very significant for him. I don't think he would buy this unless he wanted to learn more about Christianity. Secondly, whenever Equiano seems to face perilous circumstances, he turns to God and asks him for help. Lastly, Equiano goes on this journey of spiritual exploration, traveling to Turkey to learn more about the religion. Here, he seems to reject the version of Christianity he was taught and embraces a new teaching.

    One thing I will say is that Equiano seems to hate the hypocrisy of Christians. In his miscellaneous verses, Equiano points out that Christ's death cover his sins just as much as anyone else despite Christian's treatment of him and other people of color. Additionally, he doesn't seem to enjoy going to church (being with other Christians) and prefers solitary time reading the Bible.

I conclude my thoughts on Equiano's belief with this quote from Mahatma Ghandi: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Week 1 Prompt 2

 I think I was disappointed but not surprised to learn that we would not be on campus during the winter quarter. I occasionally take a look at the numbers locally and nationally, and it seems like things are only getting worse. Not to be excessively pessimistic, but I doubt we will be in person for the spring, as it just doesn't seem to make sense to move in for 10 weeks, especially amid worsening COVID conditions. At the restaurant I work at, we had a COVID outbreak, with 4 employees testing positive, and nearly everyone missing time due to contact tracing. While I was lucky to have not really been affected earlier in the pandemic, I spent most of my winter break dealing with that.

Regarding the riots at the Capital earlier this week, I was shocked to see the news on Wednesday. Regardless of political opinions, it is absolutely unacceptable to try and invalidate the results of an election based on completely unsubstantiated claims, in what was essentially an attempted coup. I felt that the actions of the President were shameful, and incited unnecessary violence. If there is a silver lining, I know that Trump's actions further alienated some Republicans I know, and if he is not impeached, likely weakens support for a future run for office. One thing I disagree with is Twitter and social media permanently banning President Trump's accounts. As the age old saying goes, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." While I understand the removal of posts that are not factual or incite conflict, the complete censorship of anyone, seems like it sets a dangerous precedent and seems in conflict with the values of free speech (I realize that the 1st Amendment only applies to government figures and not companies like Twitter). I know other people have different opinions, and I'd love to hear what other people think about this subject. 

Blog Week 1 Prompt 1

 Thus far, I have really enjoyed Equiano's narrative. I thought the way he started, describing the culture and customs of his people, was really interesting. I admit that I didn't have much knowledge on African village life in the 18th century, and it was enlightening to learn that for the most part, their way of life was fairly similar to that of more "sophisticated" societies. 

I think it was helpful to talk about the introduction in class, specifically to understand that this text was written to members of Parliament. One of the things I observed as I read was that Equiano's account seemed tamer than the experiences of others that I had read. While the conditions described aboard the slave ship, I got the sense that his account was slightly watered down. Maybe I'm wrong, but Equiano seems to be treading lightly throughout his novel regarding Western/English practices, and praises their culture numerous times. Overall, I've enjoyed what I have read so far and look forward to reading the remainder of the text.