The Adversities of Equiano and Rowlandson

Could it be possible to find both similarities and differences in two stories relating two different kind of events? In the story the Captivity by Mary Rowlandson and in the story Of the Life of Olaudah Equiano written by Olaudah Equiano himself, there are many similarities and differences between the two stories.

Olaudah Equiano and Mary Rowlandson both go through a terrible part in their life where they have been held captive. Between the two, there are many similarities to point out. For example they both suffer the loss of there children. One of marys' children dies in her arms while the others are some where else being sold as a slave as well. Equiano has also been seperated from his family. Both authors face these adversities. They are both being held captive as slaves. The Indians treated Rowlandson well and she stopped fearing them. When Equiano was seperated from his family he was also treated with respect when being in the ship after a while by talking with them which therefore made him feel comfortable. They both began to see the captor's culture as an alternative to the way they were living. Both characters went through some ups and downs during their misfortune. Equiano saw and experienced death. While on this ship there were several slaves who died of infections and some by crewmembers of the ship. Rowlandson's daughter died in her mothers' arms because of wounds that had been infected during the capture. The were very similar in the way that dealt with death and their ability to accept it.

In these two stories you will also find many differences. Equiano was more descriptive with this words for example when he said " 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. " The author Mary Rowlandson was a little less descriptive. Equiano traveled far when he was in the slave ship while mary only traveled in her area.