The Novel The Interesting Account of the Life of Olaudah Equiano exists as an extremely important work in the abolitionist movement in England. As an 18th-century account written by a former black slave, the novel provides insight into the lives of African slaves involved in the slave trade as well as the slave traders themselves. Even with controversy over the authenticity of Equiano's claims of his origin in Africa and his subsequent journey through the Middle Passage, this novel constitutes a powerfully informative work of literature. Throughout the novel, Equiano strives to instill in the reader a certain set of moral standards or ideals that he wishes to instruct the reader. One such moral ideal that is prevalent throughout the novel is Equiano's construction of the idea of ​​the value of African slaves, as opposed to viewing African slaves as mere commodities or objects to be purchased and traded. Equiano argues and urges the reader and his audience to recognize that the African slave and the white slave owner are not as different as his audience may believe. In order to proclaim and highlight this idea of ​​the value and worth of African slaves, Equiano uses the Christian religion to develop and support his argument. In many cases during Equiano's period, and for some time afterward, Christianity and the Bible were used to defend slavery, making Equiano's assertion more powerful and revolutionary. One of the key attributes of the novel is Equiano's spiritual conversion and religious revelations. I believe that Equiano's Christianity serves to connect him with his audience, increases his credibility as an author, and ultimately proclaims the disparity...... middle of paper...... to highlight this value in relation to Africa. slaves had meaning outside of the monetary connotation that was prevalent at that time in history. Equiano implements the construct of Christianity to convince, connect, and educate his audience about the value of African slaves outside the realm of someone's property. Equiano argues, through the lens of Christianity, that the way slavery and the slave trade occur is in direct opposition to Christian morality and that endorsing one and rejecting the other is contradictory. In Equiano's narrative, Christianity is posited as the foundation for the belief that African slaves and their white community were of equal worth and value. Works Cited Equiano, Olaudah. The interesting account of the life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African: an authoritative text. New York: Norton, 2001. Print.