learning to read malcolm x thesis

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Free Thesis On Learning To Read By Malcom X

Type of paper: Thesis

Topic: United States , America , Malcolm X , Civil Rights , Books , Literature , Education , Movement

Words: 1400

Published: 02/10/2020

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The Civil Rights Movement in the American South gave rise to a number of amazingly intelligent African-American activists and speakers. One of those speakers was Malcolm X. Malcolm X was born into a family that was touched by racial violence, and as a result, he became one of the leaders at the forefront of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and onwards (X and Haley). Unlike some of the other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, Malcolm X was unabashedly fierce on certain topics-- notably, Malcolm X frequently advocated the separation of the races, and occasionally even advocated the idea of black supremacy (X and Haley). However misguided his ideals, Malcolm X was undeniably a driving force forward for the Civil Rights Movement. During the years leading up to the height of the Civil Rights movement, it was very difficult for African-Americans, particularly African-Americans in the American South to obtain a good education. When a bevy of well-spoken African-American speakers and thinkers appeared seemingly out of the ether during the Civil Rights Movement, many people began to wonder how these men and women achieved their education. Some were formally educated in mainly African-American schools, but others, like Malcolm X were self-educated (X and Haley). These self-educated individuals tended to have a fierce recognition of all the good an education does a person; it is for this reason that thinkers like Malcolm X so heavily stress the importance of a good education. Malcolm X himself did not begin to become an educated and literate individual until he went to prison. This may seem inconsequential, but his imprisonment brought about a change in him that would follow him throughout his life. “I became increasingly frustrated,” Malcolm X writes in “Learning to Read,” “at not being able to express what I wanted to convey in letters that I wrote, especially those to Mr. Elijah Muhammad. In the street, I had been the most articulate hustler out there. I had commanded attention when I said something. But now, trying to write simple English, I not only wasn’t articulate, I wasn’t even functional. How would I sound writing in slang, the way 1 would say it, something such as, ‘Look, daddy, let me pull your coat about a cat, Elijah Muhammad—’ Many who today hear me somewhere in person, or on television, or those who read something I’ve said, will think I went to school far beyond the eighth grade. This impression is due entirely to my prison studies” (X and Haley). The reason this is important, X goes on to say, is because he was not educated beyond the eighth grade, and he was still able to craft an education for himself. At first, X’s interest in education and being well-educated seems merely cursory; he wishes to sound educated in his correspondence with others, and perhaps when he is speaking to others in a more formal setting (X and Haley). However, as the discussion of learning to read progresses, Malcolm X begins to display some very real understanding of why and how learning to read changed-- and will continue to change-- his life. Malcolm X’s sheer joy at discovering new words and ideas in the world is somewhat in contrast to his fierce and aggressive public persona; however, it is easy to see the drive and intellect behind the words he writes. It is this love for words, and this newfound love for education, that continues to shape Malcolm X over the years (X and Haley). X writes, “I suppose it was inevitable that as my word-base broadened, I could for the first time pick up a book and read and now begin to understand what the book was saying. Anyone who has read a great deal can imagine the new world that opened. Let me tell you something: from then until I left that prison, in every free moment I had, if I was not reading in the library, I was reading on my bunk. You couldn’t have gotten me out of books with a wedge months passed without my even thinking about being imprisoned. In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life” (X and Haley). This is, perhaps, one of the most profound statements on the nature of freedom. Malcolm X would go on to advocate for education for African-Americans, in part because of the elation that he himself felt at obtaining intellectual freedom. Malcolm X seems to have reveled in his newfound intellectual freedom, using every waking minute to absorb new information. “No university,” X writes of his early days of intellectual discovery, “would ask any student to devour literature as I did when this new world opened to me, of being able to read and understand” (X and Haley). Perhaps it is the latter half of this idea that set Malcolm X apart from his peers: he had the ability and the drive to absorb this information, whereas the average person may be afflicted with mind-numbing apathy in the face of imprisonment. Once Malcolm X had obtained the ability to read and write at a high level, he claims that his point of view-- his entire worldview-- shifted ever-so-slightly (X and Haley). He saw that he could now direct conversations and command attention; however, perhaps more importantly, he could also find and absorb new ideas through the books he was reading. It was during this time that Malcolm X’s philosophy grew into something concrete and tangible; it was only able to do so because of his ability to read other people’s ideas and interchange ideas with intellectuals on paper (X and Haley). There is certainly an intellectual ferocity in Malcolm X that is not seen in some of the other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement of the day. While many of the leaders, such as Martin Luther King, Jr were very highly intelligent and well-spoken people, the intellectual fire that Malcolm X demonstrates in his work is staggering. When Malcolm X is corresponding with the leader of the Nation of Islam, one of the thinkers that would greatly inform his decisions and politics throughout his life, he begins to use his newfound skill of literacy to exchange ideas that may have been inaccessible to him prior to his literary awakening (X and Haley). Learning to read also seems to have awoken Malcolm X’s fury at the injustices of the past. X writes: “Book after book showed me how the white man had brought upon the world’s black, brown, red, and yellow peoples every variety of the sufferings of exploitation I read, I saw, how the white man never has gone among the non-white peoples bearing the Cross in the true manner and spirit of Christ’s teachings—meek, humble, and Christlike” (X and Haley). Although this text is carefully penned, the pain and anger of a man who was wronged many times in his young life shine clearly from the page. It is here, in this prison cell, that Malcolm X begins to formulate his ideas on the separationist movement, clearly seeing that the wrong done to his people and all non-white people could not be undone by any mechanism he knew of. Malcolm X may have had a stunning intellect from birth, but his intellect is not what turned him into the figurehead that he would come to be in the Civil Rights Movement. Instead, his attitude-- his drive for knowledge and his unquenchable thirst for more information is what allowed him to hone his innate skills and become the great leader he would be. Although Malcolm X often advocated extreme policies, he was an incredibly influential thinker. His ideas on education and the role that education-- or the lack of education-- plays in oppressing the masses are relevant to this day. Instilling a good education in a child or a group of children is fundamentally important when it comes to securing the future of those children.

Works cited

X, Malcolm and Alex Haley. The autobiography of Malcolm X. New York: Ballantine Books, 1973. Print. X, Malcolm. Malcolm X talks to young people. New York: Pathfinder, 2002. Print.

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Malcolm X: "Learning to Read" - Self-Education, Determination, Understanding

600 words - short analytical review of the 3-page long "Learning to Read" extract from Malcolm X's Autobiography

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This essay both reviews Manning Marable’s Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention and reflects more broadly upon Malcolm X’s political trajectory and human rights activism in the context of American, African-American, and international history. The essay seeks to analyze the meanings of Malcolm X’s rhetoric, social background, and global ambitions, in particular vis-à-vis the civil rights movement, the geopolitics of the Cold War, and the place of the United States in the wider world. The essay also focuses on the strengths and limitations of Marable’s approach to Malcolm X’s career and on the distinctions between humanizing Malcolm X and historicizing him. The essay concludes with some speculations on the implications that Malcolm X’s life and death might have for understanding public affairs today.

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Malcolm X’s “Learning to Read” During Imprisonment Essay

Introduction, works cited.

To many people, prison is the place where freedom is lost and all hope abandoned. However, to some people, prison can be the turning point, where the individual comes to his moment of truth. There are a number of things about prison that may lead to an individual stumbling into a turning point. One of the things is the fact that the person will have too much time because unlike free people, an imprisoned person does not have appointments and deadlines to meet.

The other thing is that this person does not just have a lot of time, but he or she is also closely monitored. Prison will give the prisoner time and space to think and meditate on the most important issues of life and the philosophies of life. Once this person reaches a point where his inner being is seeking to answer the important questions of life, it will be time for the person to look for an alternative reality or to look for something to distract him from his predicament. This is the reason why it is said that the body can be imprisoned, but the mind cannot be imprisoned, at least not in a conventional physical prison.

A good example is Malcolm X, who after being incarcerated; he found the love for books and literature. When he realized that he could not read efficiently because his vocabulary was poor, he started mastering the vocabulary of the English language until he was very good at it. The work that Malcolm did in an attempt to master the vocabulary without the aid of a teacher, was amazing and incredible. After he had mastered enough vocabulary, he started reading books, usually the enlightening type. Reading made his vocabulary even better, and he had a better way to improve his vocabulary as time went on.

The mind of an imprisoned person will want to free itself in spite of the fact that it is tightly coupled to the body of the person. As a result, the inner person of an incarcerated individual will try to look for ways to escape from the imprisonment. This is the reason why most imprisoned people become very good in what they do. One person may decide to take a technical course such as masonry or carpentry, and will seem to have the right motivation to make this an area of expertise.

The motivation behind the reason why the person will want to excel in whatever he or she chooses may be different. Some will be doing that because they see it as a second chance to life, and that they cannot manage to waste it. However, for another person, the person may be motivated by the fact that he has been pushed to the philosophical points by the challenges that the prison life brings.

It is not by coincidence that many people who go to prison are those who in one way or the other, had certain aspects of their lives that were so colorful, that prison life will not be able to satisfy them. When such a person goes to prison, he will have to adjust his attitudes and feelings in order to help in compensating for this lack.

In the case of Malcolm X, he says in his article that it was the command that he used to have in the streets, which he now did not have, especially due to the fact that the only channel of communication for him in prison was writing. Though well informed, he was unable to write well, and he couldn’t write in slang. Malcolm (1) says, “How would I sound writing in slang, the way 1 would say it, something such as, “Look, daddy, let me pull your coat about a cat, Elijah Muhammad—””

The other factor that will change the way a prisoner will see the world and react to it is the way the prisoner will regard the cause of the imprisonment. Some will accept the imprisonment and accept that it was their fault. However, if the prisoner regards the imprisonment as harassment and that he is innocent; he will have a different perspective. Malcolm X did not just have a great desire to read and enlighten his mind, but he did it because he was seeking to understand the history of the black people and the history of all races.

He was raged and concerned about the unfairness of the white people towards the rest of the world races, and this led him to studying any material he could find on the subject. Malcolm (6) admits: “The Oriental philosophers were the ones I came to prefer; finally, my impression was that most Occidental philosophy had largely been borrowed from the Oriental thinkers”. In other words, he had come to find purpose in understanding the place of the other races in the world history, and this impressed him the most. This is so with almost every other prisoner, because they will come to have a sense of direction which they will follow.

Malcolm even confesses in his article that he could not have managed to learn as much in college as he did in prison. As Malcolm (6) says, “In fact, prison enabled me to study far more intensively than I would have if my life had gone differently and I had attended some college”.

Malcolm X, Little. Learning to Read . Smccd, 2012. Web.

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1. IvyPanda . "Malcolm X's "Learning to Read" During Imprisonment." November 27, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/malcolm-xs-learning-to-read-during-imprisonment/.

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Malcolm X Learning To Read Summary

When Malcolm X was in prison, he decided to educate himself. He started by teaching himself how to read. Learning to read was a difficult process for Malcolm X, as he had never received any formal education. However, he persevered and eventually became an accomplished reader.

Malcolm X’s experience of learning to read is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it highlights the importance of education. Secondly, it demonstrates the ability of black people to overcome the disadvantages imposed on them by slavery and racism. Finally, it shows that Malcolm X was a self-motivated individual who was willing to work hard to achieve his goals.

In “Learning to Read,” an excerpt from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which is included in Reading From the Inside Out, author Malcolm X laments his illiteracy while incarcerated for fighting against white people. When he was on the street, Malcolm realized that he wasn’t the most fluent hustler any more because he used to be.

Facing a long jail sentence, he decided to educate himself in order to gain power and knowledge. Learning how to read and write was his way of gaining power over the white man who had oppressed him and his people for so long.

Malcolm X grew up during a time when black people were treated like slaves. They were denied basic rights and were forced to work in terrible conditions. Malcolm X’s family was no exception. His father was killed by white supremacists, and his mother was sent to a mental hospital. Malcolm X was sent to live with different relatives, but none of them could provide him with the stability or love he needed. As a result, he turned to a life of crime.

In prison, Malcolm X realized that he needed to change his life if he ever wanted to be free. He started reading everything he could get his hands on, and he quickly realized that education was the key to success. Learning to read and write gave him the power to communicate his ideas and reach people who might not have otherwise listened to him.

Malcolm X’s story is an inspiration to black people everywhere. He showed that it is never too late to learn, and that education can be the key to freedom. Learning to read allowed him to gain the knowledge and power he needed to fight for equal rights for all black people. Black people today continue to face many of the same challenges that Malcolm X did, but his story reminds us that we have the power to change our lives and make a difference in the world. Learning to read is just the first step.

Bimbi was chosen as a result of his wide vocabulary and knowledge gained from reading, therefore he took over conversations. Malcolm was both impressed and aspiring to be as intelligent. “Bimbi made me envious of his enormous store of information,” says Malcolm. When he began serving time, the highest degree that he had achieved up to that point in his life was eighth grade. So Malcolm begins reading in order to acquire the same elegant speech that Bimbi does, but there’s a snag:

The dictionary is written in standard English, a language Malcolm wasn’t familiar with. So he uses a technique where he would sound out the word then break it down into smaller pieces. He also reads the dictionary from front to back. Learning how to read was a turning point for Malcolm X because now he could gain knowledge that was previously inaccessible to him. It allowed him to connect with people and engage in intellectual conversations.

Not only did reading improve his speaking abilities, but it also broadened his perspective. He became interested in history, particularly African American history, and began to see the world differently. This newfound knowledge led him to become an activist and spokesperson for the black community. Learning to read was instrumental in shaping Malcolm X into the leader he became.

Malcolm X was born in 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the fourth of seven children born to Louise Little and Earl Little. His father was a Baptist minister and active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Malcolm’s parents worked to instill pride in their children for their African heritage. Unfortunately, the family faced racism and violence from white supremacists.

When Malcolm was six years old, his father’s body was found lying across trolley tracks after being hit by a streetcar. The coroner ruled it an accident, but Malcolm’s mother believed that Earl had been murdered by white racists. Two years later, Louise had a nervous breakdown and was institutionalized. The children were then split up and sent to different foster homes.

At the age of thirteen, Malcolm was living in a white foster home in Michigan. He was a good student and had dreams of becoming a lawyer. However, his aspirations were dashed when he was accused of breaking into a neighbor’s home. He was then sentenced to ten years in prison.

It was while he was incarcerated that Malcolm began to educate himself. He started by reading books from the prison library, including biographies of famous African Americans such as Frederick Douglass and Marcus Garvey. He also tutored other inmates who were struggling with reading. It was through these experiences that Malcolm realized the importance of education.

After serving six years in prison, Malcolm was released on parole in 1952. He moved to New York City, where he became involved in criminal activity. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to jail for larceny. It was during this time that Malcolm had a life-changing encounter with a fellow inmate named Bimbi. Bimbi was well-educated and spoke eloquently. He would often take over conversations, impressing Malcolm with his vast knowledge.

Inspired by Bimbi, Malcolm began teaching himself how to read. He started with the dictionary, sounding out words and breaking them down into smaller pieces. He also read books from the prison library, including history books about African Americans. Through reading, Malcolm broadened his perspective and gained a better understanding of the world around him.

When he was released from prison, Malcolm moved to Boston and became involved in the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist organization. He quickly rose through the ranks and became one of the organization’s most prominent leaders. He changed his name to Malcolm X and began preaching about black pride and self-defense.

In 1963, he broke with the Nation of Islam and founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. He also helped establish the Organization of Afro-American Unity. As a leader of the black community, Malcolm X advocated for blacks to gain equality through any means necessary, including violence if necessary.

Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 while giving a speech in New York City. He was shot by three members of the Nation of Islam. At the time of his death, he was 39 years old.

Malcolm X was a significant figure in the civil rights movement. He was a passionate and eloquent speaker who inspired many black Americans to fight for their rights. Learning to read transformed Malcolm from a criminal to a leader. It opened his eyes to the injustices faced by blacks and motivated him to fight for change. Malcolm’s story is an inspiring example of the power of education.

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3.4 Annotated Sample Reading: from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Read in several genres to understand how conventions are shaped by purpose, language, culture, and expectation.
• Use reading for inquiry, learning, critical thinking, and communicating in varying rhetorical and cultural contexts.
• Read a diverse range of texts, attending to relationships among ideas, patterns of organization, and interplay between verbal and nonverbal elements.

Introduction

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) was born into slavery in Maryland. He never knew his father, barely knew his mother, and was separated from his grandmother at a young age. As a boy, Douglass understood there to be a connection between literacy and freedom. In the excerpt from his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave , that follows, you will learn about how Douglass learned to read. By age 12, he was reading texts about the natural rights of human beings. At age 15, he began educating other enslaved people. When Douglass was 20, he met Anna Murray, whom he would later marry. Murray helped Douglass plot his escape from slavery. Dressed as a sailor, Douglass bought a train ticket northward. Within 24 hours, he arrived in New York City and declared himself free. Douglass went on to work as an activist in the abolitionist movement as well as the women’s suffrage movement.

In the portion of the text included here, Douglass chooses to represent the dialogue of Mr. Auld, an enslaver who by the laws of the time owns Douglass. Douglass describes this moment with detail and accuracy, including Mr. Auld’s use of a racial slur. In an interview with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Harvard professor Randall Kennedy (b. 1954), who has traced the historical evolution of the word, notes that one of its first uses, recorded in 1619, appears to have been descriptive rather than derogatory. However, by the mid-1800s, White people had appropriated the term and begun using it with its current negative connotation. In response, over time, Black people have reclaimed the word (or variations of it) for different purposes, including mirroring racism, creating irony, and reclaiming community and personal power—using the word for a contrasting purpose to the way others use it. Despite this evolution, Professor Kennedy explains that the use of the word should be accompanied by a deep understanding of one’s audience and by being clear about the intention. However, even when intention is very clear and malice is not intended, harm can, and likely will, occur. Thus, Professor Kennedy cautions that all people should understand the history of the word, be aware of its potential negative effect on an audience, and therefore use it sparingly, or preferably not at all.

In the case of Mr. Auld and Douglass, Douglass gives an account of Auld’s exact language in order to hold a mirror to the racism of Mr. Auld—and the reading audience of his memoir—and to emphasize the theme that literacy (or education) is one way to combat racism.

Living by Their Own Words

Literacy from unexpected sources.

annotated text From the title and from Douglass’s use of pronoun I, you know this work is autobiographical and therefore written from the first-person point of view. end annotated text

public domain text [excerpt begins with first full paragraph on page 33 and ends on page 34 where the paragraph ends] end public domain text

public domain text Very soon after I went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Auld, she very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C. After I had learned this, she assisted me in learning to spell words of three or four letters. Just at this point of my progress, Mr. Auld found out what was going on, and at once forbade Mrs. Auld to instruct me further, telling her, among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read. end public domain text

annotated text Douglass describes the background situation and the culture of the time, which he will defy in his quest for literacy. The word choice in his narration of events indicates that he is writing for an educated audience. end annotated text

public domain text To use his own words, further, he said, “If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. Now,” said he, “if you teach that nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master. As to himself, it could do him no good, but a great deal of harm. It would make him discontented and unhappy.” end public domain text

annotated text In sharing this part of the narrative, Douglass underscores the importance of literacy. He provides a description of Mr. Auld, a slaveholder, who seeks to impose illiteracy as a means to oppress others. In this description of Mr. Auld’s reaction, Douglass shows that slaveholders feared the power that enslaved people would have if they could read and write. end annotated text

annotated text Douglass provides the details of Auld’s dialogue not only because it is a convention of narrative genre but also because it demonstrates the purpose and motivation for his forthcoming pursuit of literacy. We have chosen to maintain the authenticity of the original text by using the language that Douglass offers to quote Mr. Auld’s dialogue because it both provides context for the rhetorical situation and underscores the value of the attainment of literacy for Douglass. However, contemporary audiences must understand that this language should be uttered only under very narrow circumstances in any current rhetorical situation. In general, it is best to avoid its use. end annotated text

public domain text These words sank deep into my heart, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty—to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. It was just what I wanted, and I got it at a time when I the least expected it. Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master. end public domain text

annotated text In this reflection, Douglass has a definitive and transformative moment with reading and writing. The moment that sparked a desire for literacy is a common feature in literacy narratives, particularly those of enslaved people. In that moment, he understood the value of literacy and its life-changing possibilities; that transformative moment is a central part of the arc of this literacy narrative. end annotated text

public domain text Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope, and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and strove to impress his wife with the evil consequences of giving me instruction, served to convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was uttering. It gave me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost confidence on the results which, he said, would flow from teaching me to read. What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most hated. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn. In learning to read, I owe almost as much to the bitter opposition of my master, as to the kindly aid of my mistress. I acknowledge the benefit of both. end public domain text

annotated text Douglass articulates that this moment changed his relationship to literacy and ignited a purposeful engagement with language and learning that would last throughout his long life. The rhythm, sentence structure, and poetic phrasing in this reflection provide further evidence that Douglass, over the course of his life, actively pursued and mastered language after having this experience with Mr. Auld. end annotated text

public domain text [excerpt continues with the beginning of Chapter 7 on page 36 and ends with the end of the paragraph at the top of page 39] end public domain text

public domain text [In Chapter 7, the narrative continues] I lived in Master Hugh’s family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else. It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at first lacked the depravity indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as though I were a brute. end public domain text

public domain text My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat another. In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of a mere chattel, and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband’s precepts. She finally became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. end public domain text

annotated text Douglass describes in detail a person in his life and his relationship to her. He uses specific diction to describe her kindness and to help readers get to know her—a “tear” for the “suffering”; “bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner.” end annotated text

public domain text She was not satisfied with simply doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed anxious to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her apprehension. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other. end public domain text

annotated text The fact that Douglass can understand the harm caused by the institution of slavery to slaveholders as well as to enslaved people shows a level of sophistication in thought, identifies the complexity and detriment of this historical period, and demonstrates an acute awareness of the rhetorical situation, especially for his audience for this text. The way that he articulates compassion for the slaveholders, despite their ill treatment of him, would create empathy in his readers and possibly provide a revelation for his audience. end annotated text

public domain text From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this, however, was too late. The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch , and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell . end public domain text

annotated text Once again, Douglass underscores the value that literacy has for transforming the lived experiences of enslaved people. The reference to the inch and the ell circles back to Mr. Auld’s warnings and recalls the impact of that moment on his life. end annotated text

public domain text The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;—not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. end public domain text

annotated text Douglass comments on the culture of the time, which still permitted slavery; he is sensitive to the fact that these boys might be embarrassed by their participation in unacceptable, though humanitarian, behavior. His audience will also recognize the irony in his tone when he writes that it is “an unpardonable offense to teach slaves . . . in this Christian country.” Such behavior is surely “unchristian.” end annotated text

public domain text It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey’s ship-yard. I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. I would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. “You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life ! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?” These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by which I might be free. end public domain text

annotated text Douglass pursues and attains literacy not only for his own benefit; his knowledge also allows him to begin to instruct, as well as advocate for, those around him. Douglass’s use of language and his understanding of the rhetorical situation give the audience evidence of the power of literacy for all people, round out the arc of his narrative, and provide a resolution. end annotated text

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Malcolm X “Learning to Read”

• Read “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X. Write a response to the reading, using at least 2 of the following questions as a guide. It should be approximately 250 words.  Be prepared to share in class.
• What motivated Malcolm X to learn to read?
• Why do you think Malcolm X wrote this article? Who do you think is his intended audience?
• What did you think of the piece?
• How is Malcolm X’s literacy narrative similar to or different than those of Tan and Vargas?

Malcolm X Reading , Reading Response , Uncategorized

September 20, 2020 at 8:16 pm

Malcolm X had struggled with expressing himself through words in his letters, he was then also influenced by Bimbi, who was articulate and knowledgable in any type of conversation, which motivated Malcolm to learn how to read, write, and broaden his vocabulary. Malcolm explains how his life would have turned out differently if he had just gone to college instead of the prison where he dedicated hours to reading books and writing. Through his experiences, he tells readers how much reading has positively influenced him and could be intended towards those who wish to gain more knowledge or learn how to better express themselves. This article leaves you feeling inspired by reading how much Malcolm grew as a person by educating himself, and learning how he was able to use his knowledge to impact thousands of people. His narrative is similar to Tan’s and Vargas’s because they all share how specific events impacted them and changed their way of thinking.

September 21, 2020 at 9:41 am

Dear Claudia, Thank you for this thoughtful response! I love how you note how Malcolm X believes his experience/ education would have been very different had he just gone to college instead of prison. I am also pleased that you, too, found the article inspiring and you make a wonderful comparison to the Tan and Vargas pieces that I would love you to further discuss in class today. Thanks!

September 20, 2020 at 10:25 pm

Malcolm X wanted to express his experience learning how to read and write throughout the passage . He also wants to express how important it is to him that everyone learns how to read and write. His experience in learning how to read and write was not easy to do especially in the 1960’s for a black individual. He was motivated by another prison inmate during him time in jail because of how well he was able to speak and have conversations. He also puts a stress on how history as we know it may not be accurate due to white men interfering with the truth. He shows his concerns on how not only black but other cultures have been simply ignored in history . Malcolm x wants future generations white or black to know the truth. He supports separating black leaders from white in order for the black community to strive. The main idea of malcolm x in this passage is his struggle of developing as a reader and a writer and how it could grow without the interference of the white community.

September 21, 2020 at 9:47 am

Dear Jacob, Thank you for your very thoughtful response. I really love how you both focus on how learning to read and write opened him up to reading about global imperialism and gave him a deeper understanding of the world he lived in at that moment. I would love for you to bring all of these ideas that you discuss in this response up during our discussion today. Thanks!

September 21, 2020 at 12:57 am

The time in which Malcom x decided to learn how to read and write was when he spent time in prison for burglary. During that time, he met someone that went by them name Bimbi, this person’s extent knowledge and ability to take hold and lead a conversation is what motivated Malcom to learn these skills because he envied Bimbi. Malcom would later on learn the meanings from a dictionary and that is how he passed his time in prison, by self-educating himself in order to be able to convey his thoughts and philosophy into writing. Malcom X’s literacy narrative is similar to those of Tan and Vargas by their articles talking about their experiences with obstacles in their lives to send a message to the audience they wrote it for. Both Tan’s and Vargas articles gave the impression that their articles were written for children of immigrants who went through the same struggle. Even though I feel like it is not the same case for Malcom, I feel that his article was intended for minorities in general who didn’t have the privilege to learn how to read and write and go to college, like him. As the reader , I feel that the one thing these articles have in common are that they were written to show that other people go through these experiences and give the message that even though they had bumps in the road others didn’t, they still went past it and succeeded in what they wanted to do, past the stereotypes.

September 21, 2020 at 9:49 am

Dear Catherine, Thank you for your thoughtful response. I really love how you focus on Malcolm X’s intended audience and purpose of the article. I would really like it if you could discuss this in class today! Thanks!

September 25, 2020 at 9:38 pm

I feel this piece should have way more credit than it does. To start in America jail is associated with the black man going only to serve time for a crime. You never hear the stories about the men who use jail as a segway to a better life, a new beginning. To me Malcom had an obstacle thrown at him and he found some light in it. Education is always a good thing no matter where you achieve it, no matter how and no matter how long it takes. Malcolm became fed up when he noticed he wasn’t able to properly communicate his thoughts and even write in a street line. It’s very hard to write letters with feelings incorporated in them, when you are not educated and able to write a proper English sentence. Malcom made the best of his circumstances and used the resources available to him in prison, the best for him being a dictionary. He studied the dictionary word for word, letter by letter copying everything. Eventually he learned more words than a common man in jail which brought him praise .He also was then able to read many high level books. The education he brought to himself allowed him to feel more aware of the problems going on in the world. He began to learn about the inequality many races dealt with at the hands of a white man. This made him feel more alive and woke, a feeling he never was able to experience being uneducated I imagine. He felt education gave him his power and in my opinion I think education is always power. Knowledge is power. To be able to educate someone else on a topic you know a lot about is power. This piece was amazing and I am glad someone got more out of jail than what the system creates it for. The intended audience is multiple groups of people in my eyes. I think many young black men could benefit from reading this, as well as many older black men who maybe are even in prison, and feel they no longer have a purpose or have any power. This reading might give them some light or a start to a route that will then open a new “light’ for themselves.

September 27, 2020 at 5:33 pm

Malcolm x was motivated to learn how to read because he wasn’t happy with his educational skills. As an ex street guy “often in years in the streets I had slept less than that” all he knew was street but his reading and writing abilities needed some help so he decided to read and write the dictionary to learn words in prison. Malcolm spent nights reading books and copying the dictionary with his sloppy writing. He never stopped until it became a hobby to him, it got to a level of interest so high that he only slept 3-4 hours a day because he spent his night reading and when the guard came he acted like he was sleeping “ I jumped into bed and feigned sleep”. Is crazy how he was risking being caught and punish just because of a book.

I think Malcolm X wrote this article to tell his story of how he went from the streets to prison to becoming a human rights activist. He wants people to know that if he achieved all he did from not knowing how to read and write to defend people’s rights they can also achieve their goals. His intended audience are the people without any education, people without a voice and people that support his doing. As for the people with no education, they have no excuse as to why they can’t progress in life because this man was in prison without any knowledge of words and he managed to learn by reading and write day and night until he was satisfied with his accomplishments.

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• Human Rights

learning to read by Malcolm X

Updated 22 April 2021

Subject Human Rights ,  Islam

Downloads 46

Category Religion ,  Social Issues ,  Sociology

Topic Activism ,  Malcolm X ,  Muslim

Introduction

Before the adoption of the letter X to signify the lack of his African tribal identity, Malcolm X was known as Malcolm Little. He was born in 1925 in Nebraska, and his political activity started with his conversion to Islam. Learning to Read was based on interviews gathered shortly before his death. It is, in reality, an extract from Malcolm's autobiography written by Alex Haley in 1965. Learning to Read is a detailed commentary that describes how X became enlightened and thought for himself while incarcerated. Malcolm's philosophy of white men's evils is also described in Learning to Read. Below is a critical analysis of Learning to Read. It will identify the audience and the purpose of the text. It will further analyze the rhetorical language and appeals of the text.

The audience of the text was meant for the whole world and any person who wants to seek inspiration. However, the message was closely meant for all the minority groups. Even among the minority group, Malcolm X was primarily the activist of the people of color. Malcolm was moving around the globe to spread his philosophies of the black oppression by the white man. As the commentary was written during his struggles in prison, his message also resounds well with the prisoners, especially the young black ones.

X was a school drop-out at grade 8. At a young age, he was taken as a prisoner, for criminal activity. For a person faced with myriads of challenges and tremendous obstacles, he is considered an epitome of great success. He took his personal story and the challenging times into the world of literature. He used the hard time in prison to read in their library and advance his knowledge. This time did not only lead him to his success in the world of academics but also made him a famous human right activist and an influential African-American minister and spokesperson for the Islamic nations. Learning to Read informs the people of the hardships he endured and his inspiring journey to a literate. It educates people of his education which forms an important and significant portion of his life. It is his education that transformed Malcolm into what the people know him today. Learning to Read also spreads the message of hope to all the people that are imprisoned (especially the incarcerated African-Americans). Apart from encouraging people to learn and be educated, the essay also spreads his philosophies and persuades readers to be on his side. Without the power of learning, X eyes’ would not have “…opened, gradually, then wider and wider, to how the whole world’s white man has indeed acted like devils…” (Malcolm,262).

Rhetorical analysis

The rough childhood, adolescence and ten years of imprisonment for burglary opened his eyes to be what X became to be. Even though the most vocal gangster, Malcolm was a nobody in prison. That moment was awakening and ignited his ambition to learn. The excerpt represents this awakening. He did not have any qualification regarding education, and therefore, the readers do not expect a good utilization of the rhetorical feature of ethos. However, Malcolm utilizes kairotic moment and the features of logos and pathos to lay bare the white man’s oppression and his prison’s reading. One can interpret that X was persuading people to join his course for civil rights. The goal of Malcolm was to correct all the evil things and harm the white men did to all the people of color and his ancestors. During that time, the civil rights movements were active and powerful and therefore, he was able to speak freely. Malcolm’s conversion to Islam was a rhetoric moment for him so that he could communicate with Elijah Muhammad. His position in the Nation of Islam gave him the much-needed fame and publicity. He had strong views on the subject matter of civil rights. The only way he would convey these views is through letters to Muhammad. Therefore, the only way all he could achieve this goal was to become literate. It is the desire for literary that made him began to write and learn more words. While in the Nation of Islam, X had a strong opinion that the white man was the incarnation of the devil. He had more radical views when compared to famous activities such as Martin Luther King. Even in Learning to Read, which just forms a small proportion of his autobiography, the hatred of the white term is evident. Further, living in that time was hard as any attempt to oppose the powerful Caucasians was received by punitive actions. The only way he could speak vehemently against their harshness was if he understood the language. It was only through literacy that he could convince his supporters. While in prison, Malcolm became a competent writer and developed the art of rhetoric through wide readership and extensive use of the dictionary. He states that “I was lucky enough to reason also that I should try to improve my penmanship……it was sad. I could not even write in a straight line” (Malcolm,354). Here, he is seeking sympathy from the readers and blaming the white people for denying him the power to read and learn. That was a powerful way of convincing his followers to oppose to the white men. He vividly describes the evils committed by the whites again the people of color during slavery. “…black slave women tied up and flogged with whips …evil white men with whips and clubs and chains and guns” (Malcolm,357). Such descriptions were not only to seek sympathy from his readers; it also makes them angry for knowing how even children and women were harmed during slavery. He not uses specific diction such as “atrocities” but also repeats them through words such as “whips and guns” to give them more emphasis. He does not merely list the evils; he uses the literary device of repetition to persuade the readers. He further uses logos as another strong rhetorical strategy to persuade the readers. The excerpt has clear usage of logos. They are probably the most convincing strategy in writing. All readers of any particular piece would like to see some facts. Malcolm X uses Learning to Read to provide factual information. He does not only provide the facts but also gives them in a specific way to direct the audience in a certain direction. The direction is to join him to loathe the white man. Any young person of color would have wanted to know the history of the black people during the rise of civil rights movement. Malcolm says that he was no different. He gives the book that he had read to learn about his people. He read the origin of human race and books that deal with cruelty the people of color that endured throughout history. He states facts such as while in his seventh grade and studying history class in a school that was predominantly white, the history of the black man was only covered in a single paragraph” (Wardle and Downs, 356). Such is a factual first-hand experience that one cannot dispute. He continues brilliantly highlighting certain facts. He alludes to Gregor Mendel’s findings in human genetics. He states that "...if you started with a black man, a white man could be produced; but starting with a white man, you could never produce a black man because the white gene is recessive" (Wardle and Downs, 357). The statement is not explained further, and the reader is left to make his judgment. It is thought-provoking and inflicts some emotion in any reader who of color.

Learning to Read is an excerpt from Malcolm’s autobiography. The story covers his time of imprisonment during which he developed his literary skills. The main target audience of the story is the young person of color especially those that are incarcerated. However, any person who wishes to drive inspiration can enjoy the reading. It is purposed to encourage people to learn and encourage prisoners. He also uses the story to spread his philosophy of the oppression of the black persons by the whites. The article is highly persuasive. Although Malcolm did not have any formal educational qualification, he was able to use rhetoric strategies to convince his readers. He had kairotic moment during the conversion to Islam. The use of logos and pathos as rhetoric strategies are evident to convince the readers.

Useful info: Can I write my research paper online ? Yes, use WritingUniverse.

Works Cited

Malcolm, X. (2000). Learning to Read. 50 Essays, A Portable Anthology, 245-254. Wardle, E., & Downs, D. (2014). Writing about writing: A college reader. Macmillan Higher Education.

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