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.
"Interesting" way of looking at his use of the word. I also think that you are right to be weary of the accuracy of his accounts because we have to keep in mind this story was written for a specific audience
ReplyDeleteEquiano definitely had to delicately balance his account and how interacted with Parliament to gain there trust. I hadn't thought of that, but I definitely see it.
ReplyDeleteYou make a really good point about Equianoʻs attitude. He had to force himself into a certain box so as not to overstep and insult Parliament.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Equiano seriously had to be careful and selective of his word choice and style when addressing Parliament specifically. I doubt he would have received a second chance to be heard if the members decided he was dishonest or cunning the first time around.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything said here, Equiano had to really focus and tailor what he was saying to fit his audience which may not qualify it as autoethnographic. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI think you hit it right on the mark for the first paragraph, really great analysis.
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