Analyzing Interesting"
Throughout the book, Equiano shares his personal experiences as a slave and his journey towards freedom, but in the final chapter, he uses the word "interesting" extensively to convey his broader purpose and message.In these final pages, Equiano uses the word "interest" and its derivatives frequently to emphasize the importance of his story and to advocate for the abolition of slavery. He wants his readers to be invested in his story and to recognize the humanity of enslaved individuals. By constantly referring to his narrative as "interesting," Equiano is reminding his audience that his life story is not just a historical account but a story that has relevance and value to contemporary readers. Also, the repetition of the word "interesting" highlights Equiano's “interesting” experience as a slave. On one hand, he acknowledges the horrific and inhumane treatment of slaves, but on the other hand, he describes the "interesting" aspects of his experiences, such as the cultural practices of his people, his travels to different parts of the world, and his journey towards freedom. By using the word "interesting" in this context, Equiano is complicating the traditional narrative of slavery and challenging his readers to see the complexity of the issue. Overall, the use of the word "interesting" in the title and the final chapter of Equiano's narrative serves to advance his purpose of advocating for the abolition of slavery and to challenge his readers to think critically about the issue. The word is powerful and captures the reader's attention and encourages them to engage with Equiano's story on a personal level.
Hi Griffin, I agree that the use of "interesting" in the final passage primarily serves a broader purpose. I mentioned on my response to Jalen's blog post that it might also be kind of an easter egg within the reading. It allows the reader to play with nuance within the narrative to become more engaged. I also see the repetition of the word to be one of the ways it had so much effect on the reader. Personally, I did not catch on to the nuance until the final chapter of the book. But understandably, that was when it was on most display.
ReplyDeleteHi Griffin, I totally agree that the use of the word interesting adds to the abolitionist nature of the book. Equiano's narrative is still interesting to us because it presents an in depth moral account of his personal experience with slavery. He gives complexity to people who have been historically underrepresented.
ReplyDeleteHi Griffin, I agree that Equiano uses interesting to kind of show a personal and non-objective side to his story. It is a way to convey humanity and show that the story is a real life, not just information. I also like how you showed just how nuanced the word interesting is in the way Equiano uses it. The story was interesting in the sense that I learned new things about cultures such as in the Benin Kingdom, but also interesting in the sense of how his life played out and how unique it was compared to other slaves.
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