Jerrod Thomas posted Sep 30, 2023 10:24 AM Subscribe European readers made up the majority of Equiano's audience, many of whom were ignorant of African cultures and societies. Equiano attempted to

make his own people, culture, and experiences more relevant to his European audience by establishing comparisons between the Ibo and the Israelites. By drawing parallels between the Ibo people and the Israelites in biblical stories, the analogy aids readers in understanding the situation of the Ibo people. ibo and the Israelites, he emphasizes universal themes of freedom, justice, and the inherent dignity of all human beings. This aligns with Equiano's comparisons between the Ibo and the Israelites also serve a moral and religious purpose. The European audience was predominantly Christian, and by likening the Ibo to the Israelites, Equiano could evoke sympathy and a sense of moral obligation among his readers. He suggests that just as God delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, so too should the Ibo people be. Equiano's narrative's larger purpose is to advocate for the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and to improve the conditions of enslaved Africans. By drawing parallels between the lbhi broader abolitionist movement of the time, which sought to end the enslavement of Africans, freed from the bonds of slavery. Equiano's frequent comparisons between the Ibo and the ancient Israelites in his narrative aim to make his own culture and experiences more relatable to his European audience, appeal to their moral and religious sensibilities, advocate for univers themes of freedom and justice, and challenge stereotypes about African cultures. p 0 0 Replies Views