Compare Equiano & Smith Narratives
Victoria Holland

Venture Smith focused on the American dream more, and Equiano focused more on sharing his life story. Venture was in the pursuit of money, whereas Equiano wanted to tell his story of how hard it was being a slave and how immoral it was. Venture talked about how bad slavery was and that money was being used the wrong way, but after he bought his freedom all he focused on was money. He even wanted slaves himself! Before he was emancipated all he was more concerned more so with family, but when he was freed all he cared about was what his masters had been focused on. Also Ventures narrative was not as vernacular because he had someone write it for him. Equinao’s narrative was in its purest form because he did not have someone write it for him. All were his truest thoughts. Equiano also never changed, after slavery he still cared about family. Also, Equinao’s narrative went more in depth, in Venture’s he was not as detailed. Equiano wanted to better himself after being emancipated but not by being controlling like Venture Smith.