Analytical Essay
Reading Olaudah Equiano and the Africana Diaspora
The purpose of the analytical essay is for the student to engage the broader themes of the course and the theoretical readings and bring them into conversation with The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. In these essays, students will not only come to terms with the broader issues and concerns of these texts, but will bring these texts into conversation with the other readings and discussions engaged throughout the semester. In this essay, I would like to see you engage either question:
How does this text (Olaudah Equiano) help the reader understand and engage the idea of the diaspora? or
How does the concept of African humanity and identity (does Equiano see himself as human, object, or European citizen; does Equiano have shifting views of African culture and African enslaved persons as the story evolves) shift depending on the main character’s location in the diaspora?
Your essay should do the following (see attached rubric):
Provide a clear and cogent summary of the key text (Equiano)
Outline a thesis statement that connects the key text (Equiano) to the broader themes or issues and answers one of the questions above
Include references to at least three moments in Equiano and two of the articles that we have read within the course and feel free (but it is not necessary) to refer to other scholarly articles that support the central argument made in the paper.
Conclude by highlighting the importance of this key text and your thesis in African and African American studies and suggest possible future avenues for discussion concerning this text and thesis.
This essay will be graded on its presentation of a clear argument, its engagement with course material, and its ability to not only summarize course material but to provide a compelling and creative synthesis of it. Additionally, I will look for a consistent citation method and that you paid attention to structure and clarity as your argument unfolded.
Book link
https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/equiano1/equiano1.html
https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/equiano2/equiano2.html
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