Equiano thus characterizes white people through his exceptionalism and the knowledge he acquires, which allows him to recognize the true and hypocritical nature of the white person. Since Equiano is able to achieve this remarkable distinction, he shows that other Africans could also reach his potential if they allowed it, showing the public a new perception of the African people. By upending the common perception of white people at the time, Equiano forces the reader to question the conventions of slavery so that the audience understands the need to abolish captivity and other