Malcolm X Chapter Summary

498 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women oppression in literature

Malcolm shares his dream job with the class and his teacher, Mr. Ostrowski. Mr. Ostrowski told him “Malcolm, one of life’s first needs is for us to be realistic. Don’t misunderstand me, now. We all here like you, you know that. But you’ve got to be realistic about being a nigger.”(Page 38) and this makes Malcolm realize that Mr. Ostrowski has supported and encouraged his peers but not him. The teacher heartened the other students not because they were performing better than Malcolm but because they were white. This event develops the idea of of systemic oppression and racial tensions. Malcolm isn’t allowed to say what he wants to be because of the color of his complexion and because of this event, he comes to adapt the ideal of integration vs separation later in his life. After being caught on an unsuccessful heist, Malcolm and Shorty were sentenced to jail for 8 to 10 years. When in jail, Malcolm was heavily consuming nutmeg and cigarettes to get him through the days until he hears of Elijah Muhammad. After being influenced to expand his wordhoard and re-educate himself, Malcolm becomes attracted to the …show more content…

He realized his own ignorance during his pilgrimage with his brothers, he wasn’t able to recite the prayers in Arabic nor was he able to communicate with those around him. Malcolm found Hajj to be challenging as the journey was physically demanding on his knees and back as well as spiritually demanding, having to pray throughout the pilgrimage on a daily basis. Malcolm experienced a multitude of new people in Mecca, he met people of different colors and unexpectedly experienced hospitality from a white man. This event leads to the ideal of integration vs separation, Malcolm drew to the conclusion that complete separation is not the solution he is seeking but to cure the white man of his racist ignorance so that all races may live and interact with each other

Show More
Related

  • The Ever-Changing Malcolm X - AKA The Infamous Detroit Red

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    During his stay in prison, Malcolm continually lashed out at the guards and fellow inmates. After realizing that this would never get him anywhere, he began to study the teachings of Islam. With the aid of a fellow convict he cam to the mindset that it was his new mission in life to convert fellow blacks in order to unify them as a people. He felt that there was no real way that blacks and whites could come to a mutual agreement in America, and the only solution would be a great Diaspora back to his "homeland" of Africa.

    Read More

  • Malcolm X Influence On Religion

    504 Words  | 2 Pages

    This was due to the fact that Malcolm felt his hero and mentor, Elijah Muhammad, had betrayed him. Muhammad had violated his own teachings of marital affairs when he had fathered several children out of wedlock. After this fallout with Muhammad, Malcolm went on a journey to Africa where he did the Hajj, which was the traditional Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. After his pilgrimage to Mecca Malcolm X converted to traditional Islam and again changed his name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

    Read More

  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. At the time of his birth, Malcolm's father was a Baptist Minister. His mom was a writer of Marcus Garvey. Before he was born, his father had 3 children with his previous marriage and 3 before him with his mom.

    Read More

  • The Autobiography Of Malcom X's Autobiography Of Malcolm X

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    Malcolm X’s encounter with his English teacher became a major turning point of his life (Cone 45) , not only, Malcolm X did not have a clear sense of his identity, Cone suggested that he was not even in a supportive environment where he could search for it and fight openly against others who denied him that right. It represented the end of his attempt to become integrated into a white society. Malcolm X believed that no matter what he did he would

    Read More

  • Howard Zinn Chapter 17 Analysis

    1507 Words  | 4 Pages

    Through every single obstacle a person went through no one gave up. Colored people did not lose hope in becoming equal to white people because they knew they were capable. What the author was trying to prove was exactly that. Although blacks were slaves and were always belittled by white they proved to be more than what the whites thought they were capable of. They stood up for themselves and they did it in several events that occurred in the book. For example, in the chapter a black teenager, James Crawford, was not slightly intimidated by a deputy registrar that attempted to sound intimidating. In the conversation the registrar made some menacing remarks to this young African American teenager saying he would put a bullet through the teenagers head. Not afraid at all, Crawford valiantly told him if it happened he would be dead, but people would come from all over the world. This young man was not afraid to stand up for himself and was not going to tolerate it in any way. Malcolm X was another inspiration to African Americans for the way he stood up for them. He had a strong connection with the people who were influenced by him. In late 1964, Malcolm X told a group of black students from Mississippi, “You’ll get freedom by letting your enemy know that you’ll do anything to get your freedom; then you’ll get it” (Zinn 461). This quote connected to how

    Read More

  • The Life and Legacy of Malcolm X

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    Malcolm X should be everyone’s hero, someone people like myself should look up to as a human being. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either a racist or is extremely ignorant. Malcolm X wore his heart on his sleeve and whether right or wrong he was never afraid to say what was on his mind to anyone who cared to listen. I personally believe Malcolm X’s beliefs give me strength to do what's right and carry myself with dignity. I remember, as a kid, my parents had tons of books about Black History books. The first book I read was a Malcolm X biography. I realized Malcolm X was truly a powerful, significant, and essential work for all time.

    Read More

  • A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE BOOK AND MOVIE: MALCOLM X

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    When comparing and contrasting movies and books, the majority of the time the book presents more of a detailed atmosphere and illustration of events. However, in this case I think the book, "Autobiography of Malcolm X” and the movie, “Malcolm X” quoin side with one another.

    Read More

  • Development Of Malcolm X Essay

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ica. Anna Hartwell states, “Christianity occupies a central place in Malcolm’s account of white supremacy, in both its global and domestic incarnations” (Hartwell). She also states, “Against this Christian tainted legacy, Malcolm X counterpoises Islam as “the true religion of the black man”. Islamic universalism proffered for him an alternative to U.S. citizenship, which had constantly failed to live up to its promises for African Americans” (Hartwell). Malcolm X had an understandable dislike of the system of white supremacy because it is a system that thrives from people being on the bottom who have higher percentages of taxes taken out paychecks even though they make far less than everyone else. The thing about white supremacy is that it affects in a negative way poor people of all colors, but black people suffer the most for obvious reasons. This was the message

    Read More

  • Malcolm X, the Movie

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shorty and Malcolm are sent to jail for 10 years at Charlestown State Prison for sleeping with a white women and for robbery. In prison, Malcolm got beaten for not knowing his prison number. He met a man named Banes. Banes talked to Malcolm about God. Banes was trying to get Malcolm out of prison. Malcolm finally reads and realizes what he has to do to get out of prison. Malcolm reads the Bible, other books, and he wrote letters to fellow Muslims. Banes teaches Malcolm about Islam religion and Elijah Muhammed. Finally after ten long years Malcolm finally gets out of prison.

    Read More

  • Ethos, Pathos, And Logos In Alex Haley's The Autobiography Of Malcolm X

    1119 Words  | 3 Pages

    The author is clear with the content and has no fear of telling the truth just as Malcolm X expressed himself. Malcolm 's character is strong and full of expression good and bad, Malcolm uses every inch of his time to become the exact person he wishes to be and strives to have the knowledge of whatever may be unknown. Malcolm had a love for his heritage history and what is also expressed is that African Americans are not always seen as the problem. There are many points in the book where it speaks of a white man being the “devil” which is a strong word used for the people who are generally always saying that African Americans are the problem and the ones to blame. The authors purpose is to educate the readers is many different ways and does it through every chapter in various amounts of writing, which describes the beauty and content incredibly

    Read More

  • Three Events In Malcolm X

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    Three events in Malcolm X’s life were very significant in Malcolm’s development and influenced his ideas. His interaction with Mr. Ostrowski opened his eyes to a new, more aware, point of view that marked his transition from childhood. His time in prison turned him against white people and led him to completely accept the ideas of Elijah Muhammad and transition away from hustling and crime. Malcolm’s pilgrimage to Mecca transitioned him from the hate-driven society of the Nation of Islam and towards a more accepting society of traditional Islam. All these events progress or completely change Malcolm’s ideas about systemic oppression, racial identity, and separation verses integration and push him to a new period of life and the next event.

    Read More

  • Mahatma Gandhi And Malcolm X: The Qualities Of A Leader

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Stephanie L. McKinney, “Malcolm was transferred to the Norfolk, Massachusetts, Prison Colony. It was while Malcolm was in Norfolk that his brother, Reginald, introduced him to the Nation of Islam.” This piece of historical information show that Malcolm had got jailed yet he was confident to show that he is capable of staying strong and he still was confident in himself and joined the NOI which was a discriminated islamic society. Stephanie L. McKinney had also stated that, “After leaving the NOI in 1964, Malcolm decided to found his own religious organization, Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI), which catered to former NOI members.” This piece also shows self confidence because after being forced to leave his previous societ he wanted to influence his leaders to be self confident and dependant so he rebelled and made his own society for his true love, the religion of

    Read More

  • Malcolm X Movie Analysis

    352 Words  | 1 Pages

    I read quite a few posts about the chnage in Malcolm X after he peformed Hajj. I also thought the change was drastic and rapid. I noticed in some of the blogs that people were skeptical of the chnages Macolm X went through. This might just be my insider perspective, but performing Hajj is supposed to be a very powerful expereince. I have not performed Hajj myself yet, so I cannot say this is an experience that every single person will go through. Of my family and friends who have completed Hajj, they say it is a life chnaging expereince. I am assuming the movie does not show any scences of Malcolm having any doubts about his change in attitude towards whites because it is possible he did not have any. Being to close to white muslims at Hajj

    Read More

  • The Angry Black White Boy Analysis

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    In prison he read books that talked about history, philosophy and religion. When his brother visited him in jail he informed MalcolmX about Islam and gave him he Quran that’s the Islam’s wholly book. He learnt a lot from the Quran like not to discriminate and how everyone should be treated the same this triggered MalcomX a lot especially with what he has been through due to his skin color. Additionally, a Muslim is not required to smoke, drink, and eat pork it was a huge deal for him but helped him to stay away from the streets and start a new life. While in prison, he started developing skills of public speaking by writing down words that would help him improve on his vocabulary. When he was released in 1952 he ultimately converted to Islam this decision had a huge impact in MalcomX’s life in so many ways.

    Read More

  • Essay On Malcolm X

    2154 Words  | 5 Pages

    Malcolm X or Malcolm Little and also known as “El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz”, was an African-American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. He had a hard child a young adult life. His admirers he was a courageous speaking for the rights of blacks, a man who accuses white America in the meanest terms for their crimes against black Americans; critics accused him of preaching racism and violence. “He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history along with martin luther king jr.” based on some of the things malcolm has done, Martin luther king jr. definitely had a different way of approaching issues. with both of their totally different way of getting their point across, discussion could be made on who was more effective in the civil rights movement as a whole. If Malcolm x wasn't around and fighting for civil right around the same time as MLK was doing it here he probably would of had much of a chance and would have just been killed, he in a way motivated the whole world into fighting for civil rights in their country, without his “black power” philosophy. he was easily in the top five people that got the civil right movement to follows it course and end up get equality for black and white.

    Read More

More about Malcolm X Chapter Summary

Open Document