In Frederick Douglas’ essay “Learning to Read,” and Malcolm X’s autobiography one of the most important similarities is that they both used their learning to read as an escape of the white man's persecution. Additionally, both lived in centuries of great oppression, gained their education while imprisoned or enslaved, and overcame the immense obstacle of being black in a white man's time. However, there are obvious differences between the two, such as Douglas simply wanted equality for himself, while Malcolm took his learnings and transformed them into a seething hate of the whites. Douglas was a very clever man who was peaceful and smart, whereas Malcolm had an aggressive mentality. Instead of despising the white race, as Malcolm along with
Nick Roquette Identify two of the essays we’ve read and discussed in class and explain one main thing you personally have in common with both of them. Should babies be fed milk? Yes, of course. Just as all people should be allowed the right to learn, live and thrive. As I read “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X and Richard Rodriguez’s “Around the World”, it was shocking to realize how awful the people were treated.
Malcolm X is more adversarial towards the white community through his vivid descriptions of the brutal history of oppression black Americans face, in order to empower his audience to follow
Furthermore, Malcolm x was sent to jail where he was motivated to begin his homemade education by struggling to communicate with Elijah Muhammad and envying Bambi for his competence to assume control of the conversation and his stock of knowledge. For that reason, Malcolm learned to read by copying dictionary, beginning to read and comprehend books, exploring black history, especially slavery and studying world or global history.
Both of which are male and both are black, both had a visible hatred towards their oppressors (whites). Frederick Douglas was a slave who obtained the ability to read and write from various actions and events, his first grasp of this ability was when his mistress (slave owner) had decided for him to acquire this ability, while later being punished for it she became another one of his oppressors. Although Frederick’s mistress began her thrashings upon his determination to gain the power of literacy, he found other ways of gaining the power. Malcolm X obtained his literacy due to his prison confinement, and his introduction to
Malcolm X “You can’t separate peace from freedom, because nobody can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” These words came from the mouth of Malcolm X, but who was he? Some people call him deranged, others call him too radical. But truthfully, Malcolm X was one of the most influential African Americans in history.
Malcolm X 's "A Homemade Education" uncovers a story of how he gained knowledge by himself and how it guided his thoughts and ideas in becoming a more knowledgeable speaker. Although Malcolm X is a very outspoken person about racism in the United States and throughout the world, he had the right to be upset but goes a little overboard on blaming whites. The main focus of "A Homemade Education" by Malcolm X is his endless attempt to increase his knowledge by teaching himself how to fully understand different words of the dictionary. Although he was inspired by a fellow inmate when he was in Charlestown Prison, Malcolm, young as he was back then, began reading intensely but couldn’t understand exactly what he was reading because of his writing and reading skills. Starting from being illiterate, Malcolm X used every resource he had to broaden his language abilities and be able to communicate to the world and his people.
Furthermore, both Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass had to struggle to be able to read. It was their desire for education that kept their dreams alive; however, Frederick Douglass thought that learning how to read was a sin and he should have killed himself (Douglas 27). To Malcolm X learning to read and write was one of his greatest accomplishments because it gave him clarity on the blindness, deafness, and dumbness that was afflicting the black race (X 6). In comparison, both advocated freedom for their people but in contrast Malcolm X wanted complete segregation from whites but Frederick Douglas wanted unity.
Both Frederick Douglas and Malcolm X were born into situations where they did not know much about or interact frequently with their parents. In Frederick Douglas’ case, he was separated from his mother when he was an infant, and he only saw her a few times when he was very young (Douglas 13-14). When it comes to Douglas’ father, all he knew of him was that he was a white man who may or may not have been his master (Douglas 13). Malcolm X ’s
In “Learning to Read”, Malcolm X uses rhetorical analysis to argue how African Americans continued to struggle in gaining education due to racism. He informs people that through our history books, there have been modifications that restrain the truth about the struggles black people faced. Malcolm X encouraged his audience to strive to get the rights that they deserved. He demonstrates that knowledge is very important because the truth empowers us. In his interview he persuades his audience with diction, tone, pathos, ethos, and appeal to emotion to make his point.
Countless battles have been fought on American soil, some with weapons, but most with words, opinions, and selfless actions. These memoirs tell the stories of Malcolm X and Ulrich and how they affected their respective movements. Malcolm X is one of the most famous and well known advocates of the civil rights movement. He has inspired many to stand up for their race, and to not be put down for the color of their skin. Much like Malcolm X, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is a famous and well known figure head in the fight for equality.
Learning to read by Malcolm X is an autobiographical piece describing his self-education. Malcom describes being “Increasingly frustrated. At not being able to express what I(He) wanted to convey in letters.” This gave him the drive to learn to read and write during his time in Charlestown Prison, and Norfolk Prison. He started his self-education by reading books, piecing together the bits that he could understand using context to complete sentences he could not comprehend.
Martin Luther King Jr said,“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools”. In the late 1960s, racial tension was high, African Americans were not given the right to vote, the right to a fair education, and the right to a fair judgement. This then led to the separation of schools and the destruction of a normal livelihood. Dr.King and Malcolm X, two men in the face of oppression rose up to challenge the racial barrier, thus changing the world forever. Although Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X seem to have mutual respect and an equal understanding of the inequality, their philosophies were quite different from each other.
The Story of Malcolm X Malcolm X was a Black rights activist during the 1960’s, he was regarded as a powerful speaker and a highly intelligent person. He was averse to blacks and white living in harmony, and spearheaded the black separatist movement. Malcolm X was not always the man that is taught to the public in history classes however, “Learning to read”, and excerpt from Malcolm X’s autobiography, recounts the tale of who Malcolm X was before he was well read, and how a prison’s library shaped views during the civil rights movement, and started fanning the flames for his racism.
A Homemade Education by Malcolm X, is an informative essay about the author Malcolm X dedication to further his education by himself. In this essay the author talks about how he was envious, how he turned that into motivation, and how he didn't let the fact that being imprisoned would keep him from pursing his goals. The essay " A Homemade Education" was very meaningful. The most meaningful thing to me about this essay was the dedication behind the authors purpose to further his education.
a. Explain the process by which the author improved his reading and writing abilities. The process by which the author improved his reading and writing abilities begins when he is in prison. At first, he studied in prison under the teaching of Mr. Elijah Muhammad, and he wrote letters to people, whom he knows in the outside world. After these letters were sent, he found out that it was difficult for him to express his feelings because of the lack of vocabulary.