Explain Africans ability to assimilate into European culture.

The book's main narrative is that of a man who is allowed no identity early in life, but perseveres to shape one in spite of the world. As an African and a slave, Equiano had no identity. He was invisible, erased, a void. He had no control over his own movements, his property, or even his own name. Equiano endeavored from early on to discover who he was, but slavery limited his opportunity for self-discovery. After he was freed, however, Equiano was finally able to fashion himself a true identity and discover a real sense of self. He made his own decisions regarding where he went and what sort of employment he pursued. He proved his worth at sea, and garnered the approbation of those around him. He resisted oppression and violence.

The ways in which Equiano assimilated into European culture were born in a desire to attain an individual identity. There were certain things he accepted...... and there were others he refused. Equiano converted to Christianity and began to define himself in terms of that religion. He entered the public world of the British empire, becoming involved with the abolitionist movement. He presented a petition to the Queen, protested the government's criticisms of him, and, of course, published his autobiography. Equiano was proactive, and his choices and ensuing work asserted that he was a man, a British citizen, and a Christian. Equiano thus developed an identity forged from his manumission, his experiences at sea, his conversion to Christianity, and his movements in the public arena. It is a fiercely individual identity, not beholden to any one creed but instead full of complications.