Character Analysis Of Alex Haley's Autobiography Of Malcolm X

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Alex Haley’s, Autobiography of Malcolm X, continues to teach us of the prominent African American leader in the Nation of Islam. He starts off before Malcolm Little was even born, talking of his father and mother and how white members of the KKK drove his family out of their home and into Lansing, Michigan. In Lansing, their family was harassed once again by a white racist group, the Black Legion. Malcolm’s father died when he was six, and his mother was placed in a mental hospital seven years after this incident.
After this Malcolm was placed in different foster homes separate from his siblings. He excelled in junior high but was distraught to know when his own school teacher told him to be realistic when choosing life goals simply because …show more content…

Here he met his best friend Shorty, and the man who taught him all his street smart, Sammy, both of with played an important role in shaping Malcolm X at this state in his life. Shorty introduced Malcolm to all the new trends that were in Harlem such as wearing zoots, straightening hair and hustling. Sammy brought him into what was the Harlem underworld, and to where Malcolm would spend most of his time and profit from. Malcolm learned a valuable skill set in this place, it may have been what made him. Both of these two were involved in this life of crime with Malcolm, it’s what brought them close. It’s what they had in common since making money legally was not an option for either three of them. Breaking the law is what they had to result to, to put food on the table for themselves as well as others. When it’s between dying of starvation or breaking a law, any human being would naturally result to the …show more content…

Malcolm gained permission from Muhammad to search for more recruits out in Detroit, and this is where Malcolm earned the legendary “X”, to represent the unknown African name he would have had if his ancestors not been kidnapped and enslaved. Islam gave Malcolm X a chance to forgive others, but to first forgive himself. Short after Malcolm is appointed as a leading spokesperson for the Black Muslims. Malcolm continues to gain recognition as well as loyalty from his fellow muslim brothers, he travels from city to city, to aid in the foundings of new temple’s for Elijah Muhammad. After Muhammad becomes ill, Malcolm faintly takes the lead while calling shots without asking Muhammad. The Nation of Islam becomes more and more furious with his actions although his comment on J.F.K’s assassination “the chickens coming home to roost”, is what exiled him from the Nation and every muslim brother was told to never speak to him

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