In the 18th century, innocent victims from their native Africa were kidnapped from their homes, the only land they knew, then taken on ships to a new world. This new world forced them to become slaves and above all took away all their human rights. Olaudah Equaino is a survivor of the Middle Passage slave trade. He managed to publish an autobiography of his life in a book titled “The Travels of Equiano: The Interesting Account of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa the African”. Equiano suffered great oppression when he and his sister were kidnapped from their homeland of Ibo. Once accustomed to European culture, he learned the Christian faith. This religion made him become a believer in the fatalism of Providence, or the direction of human destiny by destiny. Christianity affected Equaino through the way he lived his life, how he treated others, and found redemption through faith. Once forced into slavery, Equiano was introduced to a master. He had to abide by his master's rules, as long as he was with him, if he wanted to continue living. Equiano could be considered a privileged slave because his masters were also at his side. His master favored him and sent him to his sister-in-law, Miss Guérin, in Great Britain to learn to read. Equiano explains his favoritism when he writes: “Sometimes when a white man takes away my fish, I go to my master and he asserts my right; and when my master by force takes away my fish, what should I do? I cannot turn to anyone to be straightened out; so…I must look to Almighty God above for righteousness” (65). Equiano also said that when nepotism was not in his favor, he simply turned to God to vindicate his rights. While in Britain he learned o...... middle of paper ......h Equaino, and he asked Equaino why the white men on board swear, lie and get drunk so that they know what Equaino knows, but Equaino is the only one not participating in these activities. Equaino answers: “The reason was that they did not fear God, and if one of them died like this, they could not go to God or be happy with God” (128-129). Equiano truly believed in living a life that he preached in order to one day be united with God. The belief in God in Equaino's life guided him to endure difficult labors. The thought of God in his head dictates his actions and words. He never wanted to lie and treated people the way he would like to be treated. Works Cited Equiano, Olaudah and Paul Edwards. The Travels of Equiano: the interesting account of the life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc., 1996. Print.