The Comfort in Communication: An Analysis of the use of Language in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself Anonymous College

Language connects people in a way that nothing else can. Communication is the key to understanding, expression, and building connections with others. In Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography, entitled The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, Equiano describes his story of being torn from his family and sold into slavery, along with his sister. During his journey Equiano is taken far from his home in West Africa and finds himself traveling throughout the Western Hemisphere. Throughout this slave narrative, Equiano places much importance on the language spoken around him, either finding comfort in a shared vernacular, or feeling outcast when he cannot understand those around him. When he found others who he could understand and share his thoughts with, Equiano felt closer to home and less afraid. Likewise, when he was taken to a place where he could understand no one he felt lonely and isolated. This change in language also serves as a geographical reminder of how far Equiano has been taken from his home, family, and tradtions. Language is utilized in this narrative to represent how far Equiano had traveled from his homeland, both in distance and mindset.

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