Olaudah Equiano/Gustavus Vassa Term Paper by Nicky

The paper discusses the serious doubts many have as to Olaudah Equiano's roots and how some assert that Equiano may have invented rather than reclaimed an African identity. The paper considers how Equiano presented himself as an African and why Equiano adopted a complicated notion of self-identity. The paper discusses how even after publishing his book, "The Interesting Narrative", critics in London doubted that he could have written it himself. The paper opines that given the slavery and racism at the time, it is not hard to relate to the skepticism of Caucasian editors and critics regarding a black man's writing skills.

Outline:
Thesis
Introduction
Questions for Consideration