What Are Malcom X Struggles Beyond Race
Justin Paulus
Professor Hardy
16 January 2014
Malcom X: Struggles beyond Race Malcom X was nothing short of a prominent figure during the times of racial barrier between blacks and whites in this country. Despite his being so widely renowned, he was undoubtedly just a man, and thought of himself the same as he thought of other “everyday people.” This idea is made clear in a letter he wrote during a time he spent in prison. He tells of his shortfalls in not being able to read or write, and how it hinders his effectiveness as a leading figure in the particular movement he was involved in. Malcom X through excellent detail reveals the frustrating struggle that was his journey learning to become fluent with pen, and conveys a riveting description of his feelings of personal failure not being able to communicate on a level higher than that of street slang. …show more content…
However, he feels disappointed in himself—in that he cannot convey his thoughts and his words in a written form. His story is about his own endeavor to teach himself the art of penmanship, and the lengths at which he found ways to do so. Even as described by himself, the image he gives the reader is nothing other than that of a madman—one who at least has an obsession, an infatuation with something. His devotion to learning is similar to that of the Olympian committed to winning a gold medal. They will strive for nothing less than that one ultimate goal, and they will not settle for anything other than achieving what they have put so much time and effort into
Professor Hardy
16 January 2014
Malcom X: Struggles beyond Race Malcom X was nothing short of a prominent figure during the times of racial barrier between blacks and whites in this country. Despite his being so widely renowned, he was undoubtedly just a man, and thought of himself the same as he thought of other “everyday people.” This idea is made clear in a letter he wrote during a time he spent in prison. He tells of his shortfalls in not being able to read or write, and how it hinders his effectiveness as a leading figure in the particular movement he was involved in. Malcom X through excellent detail reveals the frustrating struggle that was his journey learning to become fluent with pen, and conveys a riveting description of his feelings of personal failure not being able to communicate on a level higher than that of street slang. …show more content…
However, he feels disappointed in himself—in that he cannot convey his thoughts and his words in a written form. His story is about his own endeavor to teach himself the art of penmanship, and the lengths at which he found ways to do so. Even as described by himself, the image he gives the reader is nothing other than that of a madman—one who at least has an obsession, an infatuation with something. His devotion to learning is similar to that of the Olympian committed to winning a gold medal. They will strive for nothing less than that one ultimate goal, and they will not settle for anything other than achieving what they have put so much time and effort into