Malcolm X Learning To Read Analysis

Malcolm had started his journey of education when he settled in “The Charleston state prison” in Boston, Massachusetts. Malcolm had never ignored the fact that he couldn’t write the same way he spoke. He was very confident about the way he spoke,but never the way he wrote. He came to be literate by self- teaching, copying down word- for- word from a dictionary. “I saw the best thing I can do was get hold of a dictionary-to study to learn some words.”

He first copies dictionary to build stronger vocabulary words and to improve his penmanship or handwriting because he wants to be able to write in a straight line and to learn the meaning of words he never knew existed. As a result, he copies the dictionary into his tablet page after page, read and reread his own handwriting. He finally copies the entire dictionary which helps him "to pick up handwriting speed"(172). Additionally, Malcolm begins to read and comprehend books on religion and history, which exposed him into a new different world. Malcolm X says "I never had been so truly free in my life"(173).

He describes the books at their house by saying, “They were stacked in crazy piles in the bathroom, bedroom, and living room” (215). Which details how he learned to read despite having limited resources but only books that helped him to mature and be concerned to help others with his knowledge to be as great as him. Sherman Alexie knew he was different and that is why he never gave up even though he was viewed as an oddity. Knowing this stereotype motivated Alexie to become an exception to this rule. When he was adult he tries to make other students believe that they can make a difference by reading and opening their minds to the world.

Amir has the power of literacy over Hassan, Amir said “Hassan absently plucked blades grass from the ground as I read him stories he couldn’t read for himself.” (28) But he uses the power to control and mock Hassan instead of teaching or sharing with Hassan, “when we came across a big word that he didn’t know, I’d tease him his ignorance.” (28) This causes the gap increased between Amir and Hassan, and they seem to be in two different worlds as a result the friendship broken.

Montage the curious newly opened minded man he is, found the one person who could help, Faber, the old English professor. montage asked the old man, "I want you to teach me to understand what I read. "(Bradbury 78). Perspective can be shielded by society so when montage saw past his societies perspective and made his own he became a new person a different person someone who understands right and wrong.

  Frustrated by an inability to articulate his thoughts, Malcolm X studied a dictionary in prison and worked hard to improve his penmanship.    By copying portions of the dictionary onto paper,  Malcolm X eventually learned to read books. This allowed Malcolm X to understand the writings of Elijah Muhammad, and eventually to become a well-known civil rights leader.   While in prison, the ability to read was liberating for Malcolm X; instead of focusing on his imprisonment, he focused on educating himself.

“I succeeded in learning to read and write,” said Frederick Douglass, whom struggled to achieve his goal in learning to read and write. “I never realized so many words existed,” said Malcolm X whom learned to read and write under some difficult circumstances. Evidently, Douglass and X have both experienced some interesting challenges to succeed in the English language. Without a doubt, currently today education is difficult, although not in the same way as Douglass and X experienced it, but some individuals do not have the proper education due to the lack of resources, or due to a learning disability. Unquestionably, Douglass and X have many interesting similarities and differences.

In Frederick Douglass’ narrative, Learning to Read, he states that, “As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to had no ladder upon which to get

In Malcolm X excerpt “Learning to Read”, Malcolm X was sent to prison at a young age where he began his journey to achieve a homemade education. Malcolm X became motivated and strived to enhance his education when he first began to write letters. He often became frustrated and discontent writing to Muhammad, not being capable of communicating how he felt. In addition, Malcolm X did not know how to write proper English since all of his youth he did not attend school and was just a “hustler.” Once, he was sent to prison Malcolm X decided to further his education and began to teach himself.

Throughout my education, writing strategies persisted to be a challenge for me. I dreaded writing because I could never find ways to transition my thoughts from my mind to the paper. Ironically, a class that petrified me due to the amount of required writing ended up helping me in numerous ways. English 1301 and my professor prepared me for college and real life by giving me a foundation of effective learning strategies.

Reading American Scholar and Civil Disobedience, stuck out to me the most. By going in depth with reading American Scholar and Civil disobedience I slowly developed my skill in reading older pieces of text, and truly understanding what they mean. Initially reading them was really rough as I was limited in my understanding of the purpose of the text, and the rhetorical devices that were embedded within them. As I learned that teamwork was quite important in situations like this, as my table mates and I had to exchange ideas and different standpoints with each other to decipher the text and learn the author 's true message. Before I was stubborn to use my table mates for help because I considered myself a fairly independent person, however I

Making sure there is minimal grammar errors is important, because it will make it easier for the readers to understand the essay, just like the sentence and thesis errors. When I would review my drafts for each essay, I started to look harder for these errors with each essay as the class progressed. I started to find more and more errors that I know I would not have found in the beginning of this class. There is an article that helped me learn to truly revise my essays, the title is, “Revision Strategies of Student Writers”, it is by Nancy Sommers. It is about different strategies students can use to revise their paper.

In English III we have had to read some old time stories and I wasn 't excited about it but, I feel like reading “The Crucible” and Billy Budd have helped my reading skills. Before I had this class I would look at old english and freak out and run but now I can understand it. Reading “The Crucible” has taught how powerful lies and manipulation is.

The three major problems in my writing were my inability to cite my sources correctly, my poor use of vocabulary, and my constant use of run-on sentences. These three problems showed up repeatedly in my papers. With the help of my teacher, I have been able to learn from my mistakes. I can now take my new skills into future papers to prepare for college.

The ability to read and write is both creative and destructive. This ability opens your eyes to the world and how beautiful it can be. It also has the potential to destroy your entire grip on reality and expose you to the actual world you live in. It imprisons you yet, releases you from your mental confinement. Some people never escape from this confinement, some do; and those who escape sometimes go on to do great things in life.