Read about Slavery
Equiano’s “Narrative” and Jacobs’ “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”
Jacobs lead a very easy life for a slave. Being born into a kind family and having a grandmother to watch out for her allowed her to have a childhood that was almost enviable, although she was mistreated after her original mistress died she never had to experience the brutal torture many slaves faced at the hands of their masters. Many would wonder why she ran away from her home and family when her life was not all that bad and could get a lot worse, however even though her life was not in constant danger of physical abuse she was still a slave and subject to her master’s every whim. This situation alone is enough to make a person risk life and limb to be able to reach freedom.
Unlike Jacobs, Equiano was not born a slave and instead was captured at the age of 11 by slave traders, however he did not immediately get shipped to the Americas as slaves but instead his first master was from another tribe.
Moral – The Evil in Savery.
Although some see evil as commonplace and slavery a “natural” phenomenon, this simple is not true. Evil can change from one location to another; in some societies eating the dead is a religious experience however for others it is a great evil. Yes, there is evil and yes, it is common, but what is evil? Is slavery truly evil? Are not all humans slave to some job? Without performing their job they would die from lack of sustenance. Hunter/gatherers are slaves to the environment; agriculturists are slaves to the land; industrialists are slaves to the factory; and modern office workers are slaves to their computers. What is truly the difference between these types of subsistence and being a slave to a human? Is the reasoning behind slavery is evil that it puts one man in control of another? Yet, parents control their children; bosses control their workers; the rich control the poor; the government controls us all.
