Before the audience can even begin to read his narrative, Equiano introduces visual and rhetorical features to which he uses to flatter and incite their sympathy in order to implicate the audience’s involvement regarding slavery. First, Equiano presents the audience with his frontispiece, capturing their attention and conveying an implication between the audience and his narrative. Equiano’s frontispiece has a distinct difference from the common African frontispiece at that time as it has Equiano staring directly at his readers rather than looking to the side. This direct gaze signifies that, rather than being next to his audience, he is confronting his audience from the opposing side, a side representing enslaved Africans facing the side of white supremacy. Then,…show more content… Equiano mentions both his birth name and slave name, “Gustavus Vassa,” to prove himself as a former enslaved African, which makes himself “the African” with an appropriate voice to represent all African slaves as he has the experience of enslavement (76). Equiano finishes his title with the phrase, “written by himself,” to establish authenticity of the narrative, stating that no outside or white source translated his work (76). Finally, he includes a letter to the House of Commons that compliments his British audience but also affects modesty of himself to reflect the superior image his audience instills on themselves. Equiano describes England as “liberal” and “glorious” nation that “exalted the dignity of human nature” and then portrays himself with affected modesty by making his work and himself appear inferior and “wholly devoid” to his British audience (76). Equiano emphasizes the enlightenment values that England proclaims about themselves and the neoclassical value of being above others, highlights his British audience’s own sense of cultural and moral
