Malcolm X Learning To Read Summary

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Malcolm X is a prominent civil rights activist who believed in fighting violence with civil disobedience. Malcolm X also used his religious beliefs as a foundation for his social activism. His objective was to end discriminate and hate crimes against African Americans. Essentially, he was a separatist that fought violence with violence. In “Learning to Read” excerpt from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm discusses the significance of harnessing the art of reading and the impact learning how to read had on the profession he chose to pursue later on in life.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X is still regarded as one of the best books for learning how to read. In the book Malcolm X remembers a conversation with his seventh grade teacher. When he told his seventh grade teacher that he wanted to be a lawyer, the teacher discouraged him to further his education. On top of dealing with school, his childhood was very unpleasant. It was rough for …show more content…

Those steps are self-realization, want, and need. One, Malcolm had to realize the importance of learning how to read by himself before he took the necessary steps to do so. As Malcolm said “I became increasingly frustrated at not being able to express what I wanted to convey in letters I wrote…” Reading broaden your vocabulary and imagination. Malcolm experiences difficulties expressing himself in words, provided that writing a letter was his only means of communication. Two, Malcolm developed a want that cause him to find a source that can help him attain his goal. The best thing for him to do in his situation was to grab a dictionary to study words and improve his vocabulary. Three, Malcolm had to establish a need for learning how to read. He needed to communicate to family relatives, friends, and Elijah Muhammad- leader of The Nation of Islam- outside the prison walls. Through self-realization, want, and need he learned to appreciate the value of

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