Equaino's Slave Narrative with Journal

Equanio's Middle Passage
"But this disappointment was the least of my sorrow. The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time, and some of us had been permitted to stay on the deck for the fresh air; but now that the whole ship’s cargo were confined together, it became absolutely pestilential. The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died, thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable; and the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the children often fell, and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. Happily perhaps for myself I was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck; and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters. In this situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries."
http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/extract3.htm

Reflection:

The passage from Equanio’s Middle Passage is a very descriptive writing of the entrapped slaves aboard a slave ship. It explains the hardships of climate, smell, no room, and no food or water during the journey. These slaves were abused and they were strip of there rights to be free on there land. I like the imagery of this passage but I dislike what it is about, the torture they endured. I find it very sad and unbelievable that a human being would do this to another. I think that Equanio and the other slaves were very strong to endure such hardships.

Dear Dairy:

Today at market I met a slave girl her name was Niki and she ran away from her slave owners. She told me her story and I will try to retell it. This is her sad terrible story of coming over to America. "'Walking down the stairs you can hear the creaking of the boards, the smell of the snitch, and the chains clinging against each other.' 'The smell is never ending the smell of death creeps through the room dieses are waiting in every corner for this nightmare is never over because we are slaves.' 'Trap within the gates of hell where we stay hidden in the dark, waiting for the small chance of escape even though it may cost us are lives.' 'Being dead is better than being a slave.' 'Trap within a cage, waiting for food that will never come, waiting for the dieses to hit you in order to die, and waiting for your misery’s to be over.' 'There is no light, there is no food, and there is no room to move, you can not escape the masters will.' 'Those who are prepared to die move to the stairs were they wait patiently to be brought up the stairs of death.' 'There is no freedom for a slave we will be slaves forever until we die.' 'I welcome death with open arms, in order to say good bye to slavery.'" Niki told me this, I thought it very sad and I felt angry towards the slave owners. She also told me that she had lost a lot of her friends on the boat coming over, her family are dead and she is alone. I welcome her to come home with me but, she said she was going to Canada were it was safe. She told me she wasn't all alone because she thinks her cousin lives somewhere up in Canada. That is the last time I saw Niki I hope she maded it across the border to Canada, and I hope she was able to make it with out getting caught. I pryed for her safety every night and I also pryed that someday the slaves will be able to become free again. The conversation with Niki made me realise that whites have been very mean to others who weren't of there color. Like English they think they are superior to other religions and countrys however, a lot of people think that way. I do not think so, I believe we should all get along, no narrow-mindness, everyone should just open there mindes to different opinions and be nice. I will always have an open mind, polite, and I will not hurt the earth.

-Jane

Essential Question Reflection:

The African Americans coming to America, have no American Dream, ther only wish and hope is to go home away from slavery but, that is a false hope. With no wish of coming to America, African Americans were robbed from there rights, from there land and from there loved ones. Barely a live they reach land, where they work everyday from sun up, to sun set. The American Dream is only for white men who are rich, it is not for the lower class or for anyone who is different from the white men. To African Americans there is no American Dream, there is no hope, and they are stuck as slaves who will remain slaves till the day they die.

Verses upon the Burning of our House by Bradstreets

Verses upon the Burning of our House

In silent night when rest I took,For sorrow near I did not look,I waken'd was with thund'ring noiseAnd piteous shrieks of dreadful voice.That fearful sound of "fire" and "fire,"Let no man know is my Desire.I starting up, the light did spy,And to my God my heart did cryTo straighten me in my DistressAnd not to leave me succourless.Then coming out, behold a spaceThe flame consume my dwelling place.And when I could no longer look,I blest his grace that gave and took,That laid my goods now in the dust.Yea, so it was, and so 'twas just.It was his own; it was not mine.Far be it that I should repine,He might of all justly bereftBut yet sufficient for us left.When by the Ruins oft I pastMy sorrowing eyes aside did castAnd here and there the places spyWhere oft I sate and long did lie.Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest,There lay that store I counted best,My pleasant things in ashes lieAnd them behold no more shall I.Under the roof no guest shall sit,Nor at thy Table eat a bit.No pleasant talk shall 'ere be toldNor things recounted done of old.No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.In silence ever shalt thou lie.Adieu, Adieu, All's Vanity.Then straight I 'gin my heart to chide:And did thy wealth on earth abide,Didst fix thy hope on mouldring dust,The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?Raise up thy thoughts above the skyThat dunghill mists away may fly.Thou hast a house on high erectFram'd by that mighty Architect,With glory richly furnishedStands permanent, though this be fled.It's purchased and paid for tooBy him who hath enough to do.A price so vast as is unknown,Yet by his gift is made thine own.There's wealth enough; I need no more.Farewell, my pelf; farewell, my store.The world no longer let me love;My hope and Treasure lies above.

Reflection:

This poem is by Anne Bradstreet’s is about the tragedy of lousing a house in a fire. Many immigrants who came across the sea experience such tragedy because they are unskilled in building there houses which, develops the terrible outcome of lousing everything they love. To be separated from humanize objects that you put in the effort of taking care is hard. This poem reinforces the tragedy by having the speaker is a girl who experiences her feelings of lousing everything. I pick this poem because of these feelings it expresses her feelings in a sad, angry mood. Through this experience of lousing the house can give a new founding strength in the family or it can be the beginning of the end.

Dear Diary:

Today in class we read this poem, it is about a burning house. I almost cried because it reminded me of my sad fate when we first arrive. We had everything set up, a house and everything was going well when our house caught on fire. I couldn't save any of my things, I was grab by my father and we were out in a flash. Everything that I love was burned. We stood outside watching our house fall apart into rubble, we all work so hard but it was gone in minutes. We couldn't do anything to save our beloved home. After the fire, we stayed at my aunt and uncle's house. My uncle is a very nice man and my aunt makes the best cherry pies. I love them both, they are the kindest people I know, they took us in when we needed it. After a while my papa and my uncle started working on a new house. They decided to build it close by in order for us to stay close to them just in case if there was any more trouble. The new house is much bigger and better than before. The reason why everything is going so well is because of our hard work and our prying to God for a new better home than the last one.

-Jane

Essential Question Refleciton:

The Piligrims who have made America there home, seek the American Dream of a happy civilize world where they can live in peace. However, that is a false dream, the American Dream can never happen because it is only a dream. America isn't a peaceful world where you can move right on in and except no trouble. There are always misfortunes happening and when they do you just have to go with the flow. Like when you are attacked by Indians, diseases and lousing your house to a fire. Once these disasters happen, you just have to pick up what you have left and move on but, the American Dream is just a drem where it can never become a reality.

Anne Bradstreet Prologue

The Prologue

To sing of wars, of captains, and of kings, Of cities founded, commonwealth begun, For my mean pen are too superior things: Or how they all, or each their dates have run Let poets and historians set these forth, My obscure lines shall not so dim their worth.

2 But when my wond'ring eyes and envious heart Great Bartas sugared lines do but read o'er, Fool I do grudge the Muses did not part Twixt him and me that overfluent store; A Bartas can do what a Bartas will But simple I according to my skill.

3 From schoolboy's tongue no rhetoric we expect, Nor yet a sweet consort from broken strings, Nor perfect beauty where's a main defect; My foolish, broken, blemished Muse so sings, And this to mend, alas, no art is able, "Cause nature made it so irreparable.

4 Nor can I, like that fluent sweet tongued Greek Who lisped at first, in future times speak plain. By art he gladly found what he did seek, A full requital of his striving pain. Art can do much, but this maxim's most sure: A weak or wounded brain admits no cure.

5 I am obnoxious to each carping tongue Who says my hand a needle better fits, A poet's pen all scorn I should thus wrong, For such despite they cast on female wits; If what I do prove well, it won't advance, They'll say it's stol'n, or else it was by chance.

6 But sure the antique Greeks were far more mild Else of our sex, why feigned they those nine And poesy made Calliope's own child; So 'mongst the rest they placed the arts divine; But this weak knot they will full soon untie, The Greeks did nought, but play the fools and lie.

7 Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are Men have precedency and still excel, It is but vain unjustly to wage war; Men can do best, and women know it well. Preeminence in all and each is yours; Yet grant some small acknowledgement of ours.

8 And oh ye high flown quills that soar the skies, And ever with your prey still catch your praise, If e'er you deign these lowly lines your eyes, Give thyme or parsley wreath, I ask no bays; This mean and unrefined ore of mine Will make your glist'ring gold but more to shine. 1650

Reflection:

The reason why I pick this poem was because it has a lot of passion in it, I like the different metaphors and sayings which the author uses to describe his message. I like this poem because you have to think in different ways to understand how the author is expressing his feelings through the poem. This poem has the message of survival the author express this survival instant through the lives of a pen and the lives of the people. The speaker could be anyone expresses his feelings to only to those who will listen. This poem speaks of many different things but, it many talks about the hardships in which people endure to survive.

Dear Dairy:

As one sits to read this poem, many thoughts per into my mind. I have become puzzled between two worlds, one is the life of a poet and the other is the life of many individuals in which the poem speaks of. Both pieces of life are hard and difficult to live like, the life of a pen will always struggle to accomplish the page. While many individuals struggle through hardships in life with different kinds of tragedies. For me, my tragedy is coming over across the sea to the new land. What hardships I have experience, the loss of friends, and the sickness of the sea I have experience. I myself feel trap between two worlds. Sometimes I feel like turning back to France, to live in a more civil world. Then there are times were I am glad to live here. Like the painting above I see a beautiful bird trap inside a storm, will he be able to turn back and head home or will he be lost. I hope for his safety that he is able to return safetly to his home. For I have decided that even though time here is hard, I am still glad I came across the big sea and made this new solid ground my home.

-Jane

Essential Question Reflection:

The American Dream can mean many things but, the main one is to be happy and to live your life to the fullest. Even if you are going through a hard time right now, it doesn't mean it will last forever. To live your life to the fullest you just have to throw away your worry's and live your life care free but, if you throw all your worry's away you will never reach the true American Dream. The only way to reach the American Dream is to work hard by worrying and working hard through your hardships then maybe you will be able to reach your happiness.

To My Dear and Loving Husband

"To My Dear and Loving Husband"
by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we. If ever man were loved by wife, then thee; If ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me, ye women, if you can. I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold Or all the riches that the East doth hold. My love is such that rivers cannot quench, Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense. Thy love is such I can no way repay, The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray. Then while we live, in love let's so persevere That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Reflection:

The speaker is a woman expresses her feelings to her husband through the poem, To My Dear and Loving Husband. The woman conveys her feelings by comparing her love to objects and women. Like gold mines, other women, and riches. I like it how she is trying to convey her feelings to her husband but, I don’t like it how she compares herself to other women and riches. I think love is too pure to have it be compared to other things. However, to even write a letter about her love to her husband is a great act and her choice of imagery is good.

Dear Dairy:

Right now, I am reflecting over a poem I just read, it is called To Dear and Loving Husband by Anne Bradstreet it conveys a message of how much a woman loves her husband. Through this poem I can see that she thinks very highly of him, and she wishes to stay with him always in life as well as the next. What I think is odd about this poem is that she refers to money, and she compares herself with other women. I wouldn’t compare myself to other women, I think it is very odd but, I have never experience love. I shouldn't complain since I have not reach that stage, yet. Although I may not have a love relationship I know many people who are having one. Like my parents which is going well. However, I hope Ashley's relationship improves because she and her boyfriend are having a little bite of trouble. He is still living in France and she misses him a lot. I hope they will find a way to solve there problem. To tell you the truth, I think I should give Ashley, this poem to help express her feelings to her boyfriend. Since she talks about him nonstop, you think it would be easier to express her feelings to him. It is so obvese that she loves him and that she doesn't want to be away from him. Right now, I may not understand this poem but maybe some day I will.

-Jane

Essential Quesiton Reflection:

The American Dream can be lead down different roads, the road of happiness, hope and of love. Through the American Dream many individuals wish there dreams of love to stay eternal. To be able to experience the same feelings of love for the other individual for the years to come. Happiness and love come together because as long as you have love you can always be happy. The American Dream can be seen as a false dream to some but, to others it can be seen as a sign of hope where there wish of love and staying together will last forever.

Huswifery by: Edward Taylor with Journal

Huswifery
by Edward Taylor
Make me, O Lord, thy Spinning Wheele compleat;

Thy Holy Worde my Distaff make for mee.

Make mine Affections thy Swift Flyers neate,

And make my Soule thy holy Spoole to bee.

My Conversation make to be thy Reele,

And reele the yarn thereon spun of thy Wheele. Make me thy Loome then, knit therein this Twine:

And make thy Holy Spirit, Lord, winde quills:

Then weave the Web thyselfe. The yarn is fine.

Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills.

Then dy the same in Heavenly Colours Choice,

All pinkt with Varnish't Flowers of Paradise.
Then cloath therewith mine Understanding, Will,

Affections, Judgment, Conscience, Memory;

My Words and Actions, that their shine may fill

My wayes with glory and thee glorify.

Then mine apparell shall display before yee

That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory.

Reflection:

The poem Huswifery is by the author Edward Taylor who expresses the tale of a woman asking God to be granted her desires in order to be premitted be to be in his grace. She asks him to spin her soul through the spinning wheel into whool to make her life beautiful. The woman wishes to be granted these different personalities because she wishes to be given the life of happiness. The author uses alliteration to conveys the message of how this individual must prove to him that he has the right to be apart of his wisdom. I like this poem because of how it compares a spinning wheel to the wheel of fate. I like how it expresses the imagery and I like it that the individual is asking to be greater than he once was, to improve himself in his fight of survival.

Oh glory God, let the sun rise in the sky
Oh glory God, may it shine with all your might
May you shine to help me rise to you
May your bright star help guide me in the night sky
So that I will have the strength to rise from the ground
Oh glory God, let your Rain, your treasure of the sky fall to me
Oh glory God, May your jewels of precious pearls fall from the sky
Letting me grow and spread my petals
With everlasting beauty
In the eyes of all that look upon me
For I maybe a flower for a moment
But, a precious memory for all time

Dear Dairy:

Today I was walking down the road and I notice a blind man by the side of the road. Beside him he had a case open with food and money in it. I walk up to him and ask, “Are you ok sir?” He smiled and said, “I am fine miss, but I would be better if you allow me to tell you a prayer in exchange for something.” I look through my pockets and found an apple that I was carrying with me to give to my teacher for school. I ask him, “Would an apple be all right?” The blind man replied with a smile and nod. He took in a scratchy breath of air and recited the prayer (poem) Huswifery. It was about a human asking God to be given the personality of a noble human being. The poem then talked about a spinning wheel that decided everyone’s fate, and I wish to myself that it could be that easy to pick out ones own fate. When he finished the poem he asked, “How did you like it miss?” I smiled and replied, “It is a nice prayer, it is very spiritual but, it is faked, no one can pick out there fate.” He nodded then looked up to me as if he could see and said, “‘well miss that is true but you can pick out your destiny by picking the road you travel on.’ ‘You can pick your own destiny because it is your own and no else’s.’ ‘Do you see a dream catcher hanging from my case?’” I looked over and there it was hanging from his case, I never noticed it was there before. I reach down and felt it. It was very pretty with eagle feathers hanging from every corner. In the middle was this spiral twin connecting the sides like a wheel which kept spinning within the twin. He smiled and looked down there as if he could see it there still he then said, “‘every piece of string on that dream catcher is connected to each other.’ ‘They make there own destiny, like the people they are all connected and they all are alike in the same way of wishing for the best life.’ ‘They may not pick there fate but, they do pick how they lived there lives.’ ‘Do you understand, now miss?’” I look at the apple then the dream catcher and smiled, “Yes sir, I understand now, this poem is about connecting with God asking to be granted her desire to be given the right to be in his grace.' 'This poem is about beautiful spirtial prayer to God asking to be given the dream that everyone dreams of, happiness Thank you and God Bless You!” I then place the apple in his hands with a smile I waved good bye to the old blind man and left for school. After school on my way back he was gone but his memory remaind inside of me forever.

-Jane

Essential Question Reflection:

The American Dream can be seen as a false hope but, it can also be seen as the only hope left with the spin of the wheel it can be either one. Constantly spinning it's results can lead to destruction of bad luck or the best spark of luck. When the Puritans come across good luck they think that God grace them with his favor. However, when they come across bad luck they say that, the individual has fallen in God's disfavor. The American Dream is a wheel where God is constantly spinning to see which individual will come across his favor or his disfavoring.

Jonathan Edwards - Sinners in the hands of an Angry God! with Journal

"Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.
That the reason why they are not fallen already and do not fall now is only that God's appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foor shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then, at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost."





Reflection:

The speaker is an individual expressing his feelings about how people louse there grip and fall to the darkness of the world, through this passage, Sinners in the hands of an Angry God! The author conveys his feelings of how individuals louse to the darkness of the world. Even though people do louse there grip to the darkness of the world there is always a chance for them to recover and become part of the light. I didn’t really like it how it said people can louse there grip and become evil but, that is kind of true. People do experience hard times, and they louse there will to survive. However even though a person has given up hope there are always others who haven’t given up on him. There is always a chance to recover and move on with your life. I hope if anyone becomes lost they will be able to find the light and get help from someone to move on.

Dear Dairy:

Today I read the must horrible passage ever. It made me sad, it was about how humans fall to the evil side and how they have a choice between good then evil. In the quotes above Edward display's how anyone can louse there grip and fall into the darkness of the world. When an individual falls, God can not always save that individual becuase it is a lesson, for them to learn from there mistakes. The picture above, has a fallen angel falling to earth with his wings changed from bird feathers to bat wings this shows how he has become lost to the darkness and now he falls to earth. Good always conquers over evil and thats a lesson were everyone must learn.

I knew this old man once and he was going through some hard times. His name was Tom and his family died from a diesase coming over from England. Tom was always sad and usually drunk. Mama always sent me over to see him everyday because, she thought that someone should give him a helping hand. Sometimes I thought that it was annoying but after a while I was glad that I could help him because without me, he seemed kind of lost. A couple of months ago I was able to convience him to stop dranking and I thought that I lifted his spirits. I thought he might be on the road to recovery. I also thought that he had conquered his own darkness, just a little and some day he will be able to reach his true happiness within him.

Essential Question Reflection:

The American Dream is a dream of bogus imagination for all who consider it as a dream worth trying to succeed. This dream is a fake, it isn't for everyone, it is only for rich white men, too everyone else it is considered has a nightmare. The American Dream is a sine because it gives the people a phony hope in which it brings disappointed and depression. American Dream isn't a dream, it doesn't provide hope, and it doesn't provide the possibility of you succeeding, the only thing it gives you is the insurance that you can never recieve the American Dream.