Georgia were just as cruel as the slave traders Equiano had known from his past. One incident, a man who asked for money he had earned was put into jail then, accused of trying to set the man’s house on fire and running away with his slaves. Another incident that happened in Georgia was when Equiano was standing in a yard with some slaves and the slave master of them, only recognizing Equiano as a stranger, proceeded to beat him with whatever tools he could get his hands on. Equiano’s treatment in the America’s was something he wanted to forget. Yet, later in his life, it was here where he preached his ideas of religious certainty and became known as a public figure. Equiano spent most of his slave life at sea, either for the Royal Navy or as a sailor. He stayed with numerous families in Europe throughout his time that he served in the Navy. He was treated very well in their homes, almost like an Englishman and learned to understand the English language. “I was so much caressed by this family that it often reminded me of the treatment I had received from my little noble African master” Now influenced by European Civilization he knew he had a new founded yearning to learn how to read and write. Yet, Europeans at this time do no think blacks can comprehend their way of life and are skeptical of his thirst for knowledge. He became a Christian and then baptized; he expected to gain his freedom at the end of the war because of his baptism but, it was not so. Later after he had served under the direction of a new master, sailing ships and selling merchandise, he was able to buy his freedom. However, he did not feel he was free in the West Indies and reverted to London. He realized that there is no real protection against violent people. In England, he was fully exposed to English ways and just wanted to show white people that he was just like everyone else. Olaudah Equiano faced a life filled with ...
