Equiano's Goal

 I would argue that in "Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano", Equiano's main goal is to abolish slavery altogether. Throughout the text, Equiano presents several instances of the cruelty and inhumane treatment he and other enslaved Africans faced, including the separation from their families and the harsh physical punishments they received. He also mentions the inherent injustice of the slave trade and how it violates the basic human rights of Africans. However, Equiano does also acknowledge the reality that slavery existed and was widely accepted in his time. He even points it out as something that exists within his own culture and the differences in the treatment of enslaved people in Africa when compared to the treatment of enslaved people under the oppression of white people. But when he begins to understand more of the western culture around slavery, he remarks on the fact that he is impressed by the lack of enslavement of white people by other white people. He commends that part of the western culture and I think this is an effort to make his point for abolition. He is living proof that African people are just as smart and capable as white people by, when given the opportunity, becoming a successful merchant. He also is incredibly well spoken, literate, and even converts to Christianity and becomes baptized. Although speaking English and becoming Christian are not the grounds on which one should be considered capable and break through the barrier of being considered in-human, it does appeal to parliament who the book is addressed to. He is a living argument that Africans are just as capable as whites and therefore if whites don’t enslave each other, nor should they enslave Africans.