Olaudah Equiano Essay

A journal is kept to reminisce on experiences people have gone through, also to share with others in the future. In the two narratives â€Å"from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano† by Olaudah Equiano and â€Å"from The Journal of the First Voyage to America† by Christopher Columbus are both journals about their life experiences. Equiano and Columbus had different encounters with the people they met, and used different imagery. Likewise, they both wrote for the same purpose. The impressions of the people they met were different. Equiano had a horrible encounter with the slave traders on the ship he was on. He mentioned, â€Å"Every circumstance I met with, served only to render my state more painful, and heightened my apprehensions, and my opinion of the cruelty of the whites. † (p. 45) The white slave traders were cruel and horrible. The whites treated them horribly and had no respect for them. In spite of that, Columbus had a different approach towards the natives he met with on his voyage. â€Å"the natives came down to the shore with their calabashes full, and showed great pleasure in presenting us with it. † (p. 64), unlike the whites, the natives are giving and considerate. I ordered more glass beads to be given them, and they promised to return the next day. â€Å" (p. 64) Columbus and his men developed a relationship with the natives and they got along. In addition, the imagery that Equiano and Columbus used were different. Equiano uses imagery to help visualize the horrible condition that him and the other slaves were in. â€Å"The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole scene of horror almost inconceivable. † (p. 45), Equiano explains the agony they were going through, so much pain that many people felt as if they were dying. On the other hand, Columbus analyzes that â€Å"This island even exceeds the others in beauty and fertility. † (p. 62), which shows his admiration towards the island he was on. Although Equiano and Columbus shared many differences, they both had the same purpose for writing. Equiano wrote about his awful experience while being transported to an island as a slave. The reason for writing about his experience was for people to recognize the horrible condition they were in, and how bad they were being treated by the whites. â€Å"at all events I am determined to proceed on to the continent† (p. 4), Columbus wrote in his journal to pass on his experience he had during his voyage to others and to â€Å"deliver the letters of your highnesses† (p. 64) which he will return answers to the King and Queen back home. In conclusion, Equiano and Columbus both lived an unforgettable experience. They both wrote about it and kept it in a journal. They had different experiences and encounters throughout their voyage. Their main purpose for writing was to share their life experiences with others and also to teach about the unknown and undiscovered.