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THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X
Introduction Malcolm X?s autobiography written in collaboration with Alex Haley is an exciting story of personality transformation. During several years, Malcolm X told Haley his biography in several extensive interviews. Haley described and orchestrated the stories and Malcolm X edited and endorsed every part of the book. The story is narrated in the first person and it seems like Malcolm was writing this of his own. But it is important to understand that the autobiography is not written by Malcolm. Alex Haley recorded his words. The readers only have the visibility that this is a whole consistent narrative. From the point of view of determining the personality and development of
Malcolm, the Autobiography is as captivating as it is exciting. It tempts the reader into combining the Autobiography with the real life and personality of Malcolm X in some forms. As it above-mentioned the book has intrinsic rhetorical energy because it is first person narrator. This energy is considerably heightened by the colorful writing style which persuades the reader of the genuineness of the writer. This is like a secret agreement between reader and writer in which both accept that the story is completed and has cohesion. With his usual sincerity, Malcolm X describes his life as a strong-willed personality growth, rising from the mud and darkness to a new life
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, told by Alex Haley, details the incredible journey of one of the most inspiration and life altering leaders the world has ever encountered. The book begins with the illustration of Malcolm’s early life experiences and ends with X predicting that he will die a violent death prior to seeing the publication of his autobiography.
Malcolm X, which was co- written and directed by Spike Lee in 1992, was an American biographical drama film about the Afro- American activist Malcolm X. The film amplifies major events in Malcolm’s life, such as his criminal career, along with his incarceration, his conversion to Islam, his quarrel with the organization, and his marriage to Betty Shabazz. Th film also amplifies his pilgrimage to Mecca, his reevaluation of his new concerns with white Americans, and finally his assassination in February 21, 1965. In the file, Lee describes Malcolm’s childhood incidents, which includes the death of his father by Black Legions, his mother being institutionalized for her insanity, and his experiences with racism are dramatized in flashbacks throughout
Malcolm X on the micro level involves interactions with many individuals throughout his life. From his parents and siblings to girlfriends and his wife, and even those he met in prison and after prison, they all played significant roles in Malcolm’s
This autobiography of Malcolm X was spellbinding. The fascinating persona of this man was phenomenal. As he describes his education in one part of the book, “Gentlemen, I finished the
After reading these passages written by Malcolm X, I learned some very interesting facts about him. First, I had no idea he was an ex-thug or ganster type. I was also unaware that he was in the prison system and often wrote letters to other people from pimps to politicians.
Although Malcolm X’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Jack Henry Abbott’s In the Belly of the Beast are both have a motif of change, Malcolm X experienced not only change but he also reformed.
Through his readings and new found religion, the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X finds self-pride. He starts to become proud of who he is and where he came from. He realizes that before, all he was trying to do was act like someone he wasn’t and all it had gotten him was seven years in prison. The letters he got from Elijah Muhammad and his family encouraged all of this. He strives to admit his guilt, and “implore the forgiveness of God” (170). He would often “be startled to catch [himself] thinking in a remote way of [his] earlier self as another person” and marvel at how much he had changed (170). All the reading he did “awoke … some long dormant craving to be mentally alive” (179). His trip to prison opened up new doors for him because he gained knowledge that made him rethink his niche in life.
Ever thought about Malcolm’s reasons for writing this Autobiography? Throughout the text Malcolm experiences many things that many young teenagers would not be able to experience or even understand. Even though in this day and age teens try to accomplish most of the things Malcolm X might have accomplished within a day, there still would never be a hustler like him. Growing up Malcolm experienced many changes with his family and the people around him. In the text Malcolm jumped from being a loner to a very popular young man in the streets around Boston. Malcolm was the type of person that wanted to know all he could to make sure he was good at what he was doing. He wanted to fit in but yet still be himself at the same time. Malcolm quickly
Malcolm X was one of the primary religious leaders and reformers of the 1960, where he fought for and ultimately gave his life for racial equality in the United States. His father was a reverend who believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Throughout Malcolm’s life he was treated horribly by white people, hence shaping his misconceptions of all white people and developing his strong belief in black separatism. It wasn’t until years later where he embraced his black identity and discovered all races could live and work together for a common goal, brotherhood.
Malcolm X is an extremely critical figure that contributed in shaping American social life. He was a famous man who articulated the struggle, anger, and beliefs of African Americans. He was a radical man who fought for change despite the situation. His struggle for equality for the black nation landed him in prison. While in prison, Malcolm was able to study, and earned a college degree. However, most importantly while in prison, Malcolm X was introduced to the Islam faith by one of the prisoners. He received teachings from the Muslim faith, which made him realize that, his people were being oppressed and abused by the whites. While out of prison, he went to visit honorable Elijah Muhammad and later on went around preaching Elijah
One of the greatest screen biographies, is celebrating an excursion of an American life, beginning in sorrow and bottoming out on the streets and imprisoned before its hero rejuvenated himself. After watching the film, I understood the power that we have to change our own lives, how fate doesn't deal all of the cards. Its hero was born Malcolm little a young African American boy.
Self-transformation is a major theme throughout the novel. One of the transformations Malcolm X’s experiences is while he is in prison. Two events that transpired were reading many kinds of books and receiving letters from his brothers. Malcolm X read a diverse amount of books, such as, philosophy, science, history, and politics. He even read the entire dictionary from cover to cover and wrote the definitions for each word. He took advantage of gaining the proper education while in prison. His brother Reginald was a minister in the Nation of Islam, he told Malcolm X about the devils in the world, who were the white people and he grew passionate about his brother’s message to him. After being told about the teachings of Elijah Muhammad he eventually
Analysis The apparent audience for Malcolm X’s narrative includes African American activists and those with interest in Malcolm X’s life story. There are implicit questions raised, such as what if he never was inspired to read and write? His life would have been completely different, and he would not see as
The Autobiography of Malcolm X is the story of Malcolm X, an African American male growing up in the United States in the mid-1900's. At this time in America prejudice and segregation were widespread and much a part of everyday life. Malcolm takes the reader through his experiences with American society, which rejects him. This rejection, along with the inferiority cast upon all Black Americans, forces these males to search for acceptance. They are forced to search for purpose in causes greater than single individuals. As the book shows, this is evident in Malcolm throughout his life and in the life of other African American males. The Autobiography shows how during this time in American history
Malcolm X, a charismatic and one of the greatest leaders of the black power movement and founder of the Afro-American Unity, was born in 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska and was assassinated in 1965. He converted to Islam while in prison and became one of the most influential African American in history of his parole. “Prison Studies” is an extraction of his Autobiography, which he co-wrote with the help of author Alec Haley. This excerpt explains the struggle of how he learned to read and write while in prison, becoming the well-known spokesman he was. His message was that anyone who follows his dreams can find a way to pursue them no matter what the situation was, which I believe is a true powerful message.