In the 18th century, innocent victims of their native Africa were kidnapped from their homes, the only land they knew, and then taken away on boats to a new world. This new world forced them to become slaves and, above all, stripped them of all their human rights. A survivor of the slave trade from the middle passage is Olaudah Equaino, and he managed to publish an autobiography of his life in a book entitled "The Travels of Equiano: The Interesting Narrative 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, Ibo. Once he became accustomed to European culture, he was taught the Christian faith. This religion transformed him into a believer in the fatalism of Providence, or the guidance of human destiny by fate. Christianity influenced Equiano by how he led his life, how he treated others, and how he found redemption through faith. Once forced into slavery, Equiano was introduced to a master. He had to respect 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 on his side. His master favored him and sent him to his sister-in-law, Miss Guerin, in 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 gives me my right; and when my master forcibly takes away my fish, what shall I do? I cannot go to anyone to be corrected; then…I must look up to Almighty God on the right hand” (65). Equiano also stated that when nepotism was not in his favor, he simply looked to God for his rights. While in Britain, he learned from...... middle of paper ......h Equaino, and asked Equaino why the white men on board swear and lie and get drunk when they know what Equaino knows, but Equaino is the only one not participating in those activities. Equainus replies: "the reason was that they did not fear God, and that if any of them had died like that, they could not go nor be happy with God" (128-129). Equiano truly believed in leading a life he preached so that one day he could unite with God. The faith in God in Equiano's life guided him to endure harsh hardships. The thought of God in his head dictates his actions and words. He never wanted to lie and treated people as he would want to be treated. Works Cited Equiano, Olaudah, and Paul Edwards. The Travels of Equiano: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African.Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc., 1996. Print.