The Assimilation of Equiano

So, even though I was assigned to write this post for American Studies, since this is cross disciplinary, I will start by addressing the reading on Equiano's life.  In class we were asked the question "To what extent was Equiano European, and to what extent was he African?", to which I would answer that Equiano was capable of assimilating to life in European culture because he was captured in a crucial stage of cognitive development.  Between the ages of  approximately 7 and 12 children form concrete operational cognition (see link for details).  In this stage Equiano would have been below the level of development that would make it difficult for him to learn a new language or assimilate to a new culture, but mature enough to understand his situation to a certain extent and make connections about how to best handle it.
However, regardless of cognitive developmental facts there is no way he could ever completely assimilate.  Overall his skin color, or race if you will, was his limiting factor.  Equiano could be the most diligent, smart, well-mannered slave in the world and he would never be considered completely human.  Rather, in many of the households he served, he was treated somewhat like a well loved pet.  He was taken care of, but denied a portion of basic human rights.
Essentially, the point I am attempting to get at is that Equiano was to no extent European in a sense that a Caucasian European would have been.  If he was considered European in any sense by his captains or masters it would have been in a way similar to a domestic animal.  Unfortunately, in their world, and partially in ours too, race is everything.