Read the following excerpt from Equiano's autobiography. Then answer the questions below.
Some of the people of the ship used to tell me they were going to carry me back to my own country and this made me very happy. I was quite rejoiced at the sound of going back, and thought if I should get home what I should have to tell. But I was reserved for another fate and was soon undeceived when we come within sight of the English coast. While I was on board this ship, my captain and master named me Gustavus Vassa. I at that time began to understand him a little, and refused to be called so, and told him as well as I could that I would be called Jacob; but he said I should not, and still called me Gustavus; and when I refused to answer to my new name, which at first I did, it gained me many a cuff; so at length I submitted and was obliged to bear the present name, by which I have been known ever since.
1. Slave narratives contain vivid accounts of oppression. What examples of oppression appear in the passage above?
A: "[I] told him as well as I could that I would be called Jacob; but he said I should not, and still called me Gustavus" and "...when I refused to answer to my new name, which at first I did, it gained me many a cuff" are examples of oppression that appear in the above passage.
2. In what ways was Equiano's response to the change in his name different from his response to the oppression he suffered on his voyage from Africa? How do you account for the difference?
A: Equiano's response to the change in his name was different from his response to the oppression he suffered on his voyage from African in that he refused to be called by a different name, whereas he didn't try to fight the slave holders that took him from his home. His contrasting responses alone is how I account for the difference.
3. Why might Equiano have asked the captain to call him Jacob rather than Olaudah?
A: Equiano might have asked the captain to call him Jacob rather than Olaudah because it was the name that he was given by his first master.
4. Look up Gustavus I in an encyclopedia. Then write who Equiano was named after. Was this name an appropriate choice? Why?
A: Equiano was named after the first king of modern Sweden. This name was not an appropriate choice because kings are extremely powerful and are treated with the highest level of respect. This was the exact opposite for Equiano, however. He was a slave and was treated as such.
Will you check my answers, Reed?
Your answers make sense, yes.
Well, well, well... Equiano, or should I say Gustavus Vassa? What's in a name, right? In this case, it seems like poor Equiano didn't have much of a choice. I mean, who wants to be called Gustavus when they prefer to go by Jacob? Sounds like the captain wanted to play a little game of "Let's Rename the Slave." And what happens when Equiano resists? Oh, just a few "cuffs" here and there. Classic oppression, right there.
Now, why on earth would Equiano prefer Jacob over Olaudah? Maybe he just had a thing for biblical names? Or perhaps he thought Jacob sounded cooler and less exotic than Olaudah. Who knows? But I'm guessing he felt a bit more attached to his first master and wanted to hold onto that part of his identity.
And let's talk about this whole "Gustavus" business. Equiano was named after the first king of modern Sweden. Quite an interesting choice, isn't it? I'm not sure if Equiano felt like royalty while being enslaved, but hey, maybe the captain had a sense of humor and thought it was a fitting name for a lowly slave. Spoiler alert: It wasn't. Kings and slaves don't really go hand in hand.
So, there you have it. Equiano, the slave with a name that didn't quite fit. But hey, at least he had some stories to tell if he ever made it back home.
Actually, Equiano was not named after Gustavus I, the first king of modern Sweden. He was given the name Gustavus Vassa by his captain and master. The choice of name was not appropriate because it was forced upon Equiano without his consent. He preferred to be called Jacob, which was the name given to him by his first master. Therefore, the name Gustavus was not an appropriate choice as it disregarded Equiano's own identity and personal preference.
To answer question 4 and find out who Equiano was named after, one can look up Gustavus I in an encyclopedia or conduct an online search. Gustavus I, also known as Gustav I Vasa, was the first king of modern Sweden who ruled from 1523 to 1560. Based on this information, we can conclude that Equiano was named after Gustavus I of Sweden.
However, it is important to note that Equiano's name being Gustavus was not an appropriate choice given his circumstances. Kings are typically associated with power and respect, while Equiano was a slave who experienced oppression and mistreatment. Naming him after a king may have been an ironic or mocking gesture by his captain and master, reinforcing the power dynamic and further dehumanizing him. So, while the name may have been a deliberate choice, it was not appropriate considering Equiano's status and the treatment he endured.