Comparison Essay

If someone wanted to know what happened in your History class last Thursday,
they could ask you and most likely get very accurate information because you would be
a primary source. A primary source is a document or physical object which was written
or created during the time under study. Primary sources offer an inside view from
someone who was taking part in a particular activity. In La Relacion by Cabeza de
Vaca and The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano by Equiano both, of
the authors are primary sources because they experienced the situations talked about
first hand. Just like everything else there are obviously some disadvantages in primary
sources such as Olaudah Equianos narrative and Cabeza de Vacas report, however, I
think the advantages greatly out weigh the disadvantages.
Olaudah Equianos narrative, The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah
Equiano, he talks about his journey across the ocean to become a slave. He talks
about the cruel behavior everyone received from the white Christians, the hunger they
suffered from, the readiness to die, and the putrid smells they encountered that came
from themselves. Equianos purpose for writing the narrative was to inform and share
his experience of the middle passage. I think this text really benefitted by being told
from a primary source because it ensures us that it is more accurate since Equiano was
there. It allows us to get an inside look on the things Equiano was thinking and feeling,
where as if we had read a version that wasnt told from a primary source we wouldnt be
benefitted with that information. At last, when the ship we were in, had got in all her
cargo, they made ready with many fearful noises, and we were all put under deck, so
that we could not see how they managed the vessel, Page 87, lines 72, 73, and 74.

Quotes like this one are especially easy to believe and reassure us that these primary
sources are credible because they are straight facts, and there is nothing biased about
them. Sentences like I think, the windlass, and tied my feet, while the other flogged
me severely, (page 86, line 36) are hard to believe because it seems for foreign to most
people, and we have never experienced anything like this.
In La Relacion Cabeza de Vaca talks about the journey of him and his people to
the Americas and the dangerous conditions they encountered. Cabeza de Vaca tells us
how much they relied upon the Native Americans for much of their food and protection.
He is writing a letter to the King describing their journey thus far. The purpose of
Cabeza de Vacas writing is to inform the reader of their experience, and to write a letter
to the King. Many of the things in this text are very helpful and accurate because it is
told from Cabeza de Vacas point of view and he is able to tell how all of the others are
doing on the trip as well, not just himself. Our two barges continued in com pay for four
days, each man eating a ration of half a handful of raw corn a day, page 18, lines 1 and
2, this is an especially credible section because it gives us plain old facts, with no
opinion behind them. It was amazing to see these wild untaught savages howling like
brutes in compassion for us, page 21, lines 105 and 106, this is a little biased and
therefore makes it a little hard to believe because he is giving a very strong opinion.
Even though some opinions may be wrong and biased I think that for the most part the
opinions given are helpful and give us a better idea of what the journey was really like.
La Relacion and The Interesting Narative of the Life of Olaudah Equino we
heard about two different journeys told by two primary sources. There are advantages to

primary sources, along with disadvantages. However, as I have explained, I think the
advantages out weigh the disadvantages.