In the beginning of Alex Haley’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm is portrayed as a young man barely surviving on the streets of New York with no goals or direction in life.
By the end of the book, Malcolm is well-read, religious, and a goal-oriented, proud black man. The reader can easily observe Malcolm’s transformation in lifestyle and attitude throughout the book. Haley starts the book with Malcolm Little before he discovers the Nation of Islam, and then moves the reader into Malcolm X, the minister, when he discovers the Nation of Islam.The last part of the autobiography is represented in Malcolm’s life after he leaves the Nation of Islam and converts into a mainstream Sunni Muslim. The events that occurred in each period of Malcolm’s life had a strong influence on him. While there are many details in Malcolm’s early life that are crucial, the most life-changing events in Malcolm’s life before the Nation of Islam are the death of his father, moving to Boston, and Malcolm’s criminal lifestyle.
Earl Little, Malcolm’s father, was tragically killed in1931 when Malcolm was only six years old.Earl Little was said to of died in a streetcar accident, but Malcolm attributed his father’s death to a local white supremacist group, the Black Legion. The events that followed Earl Little’s death were probably what shaped Malcolm’s life and his bitterness and resentment towards white people in the future. After his father’s death, the Welfare workers, who were white, treated Malcolm’s family, especially his mother with no respect, and a young Malcolm, seeing how his family was treated, became resentful towards white people.The second event in Malcolm’s early life that had the most significant impact was Malcolm’s move to Boston. Malcolm states, “no physical move in my life has been more pivotal or profound in its repercussions” (25).
When Malcolm moved to Boston to live with his half- sister Ella, his love for adventure and curiosity became apparent. Boston is the city where Malcolm’s eyes opened up to a whole new world. He became exposed to bars, poolrooms, gambling, drugs, young black children acting like adults, and prostitution (51). Sophia was a white girl Malcolm met at Roseland during a dance.She would remain a friend to Malcolm for some years to come.
Malcolm’s life changed forever as he knew it when he moved to Boston because it was his exposures in Boston that led to Malcolm’s criminal life. Malcolm’s life as a criminal had a significant impact on his life before the Nation of Islam for different reasons. Malcolm hit rock bottom when he lived in Harlem. The life of a hustler, burglar, and drug addict started to take its toll on Malcolm. If Malcolm did not become a criminal, then he never would have been able to reach out and relate to the individuals who lived that type of lifestyle.A huge part of Malcolm’s success in persuading people to join the Nation of Islam was his ability to relate to people that were hustlers.
Malcolm knew that being able to understand the hustler lifestyle gave him an advantage over the other black leaders at the time. Malcolm states, “and because I had been a hustler… I knew better than nearly all of the black “leaders” knew, that actually the most dangerous black man in American was the ghetto hustler” (358). I think black people looked up to Malcolm as a leader because he was a hustler in Harlem and turned his life around.Malcolm’s religious beliefs in the first part of his life were not closely related to his actions.
He grew up Baptist because his father was a Baptist minister. In talking about religion during his early life, Malcolm honestly explains, “I had very little respect for most people who represented religion” (7). Malcolm’s religious values were absent in his early life, and most of his actions were based on selfishness. If Malcolm would have had religious values then he would not have gone down the path of destruction.Malcolm even admits that during his time in prison, he was nicknamed “Satan” Racism directed towards Malcolm played the largest role in Malcolm’s life before the Nation of Islam.
Unfortunately, Malcolm learned at an early age what it was like to live as a black person in a white person’s world. An occurrence of racism directed at Malcolm that changed the way he thought was when Malcolm lived in the detention home with Mr. and Mrs. Swerlin.
Both of the Swerlin’s freely used the word “nigger” in Malcolm’s presence.While living at the detention home, Malcolm was exposed to local politicians that enjoyed talking about “niggers”. I think while living at the detention center, Malcolm’s hatred towards the white race increased because of the disrespect Malcolm received. Malcolm makes clear that while living at the detention home “they [the Swerlin’s] never really did see me” (33). In the book, Malcolm recalls a life changing conversation he had with his white English teacher, Mr.
Ostrowski. At the age of fifteen, Malcolm’s perception of the white race changed profoundly.When Malcolm told Mr. Ostrowski that he wanted to become a lawyer, Mr. Ostrowski replied, “Malcolm, one of life’s first needs is for us to be realistic…you’ve got to be realistic about being a nigger… think about something you can be.
” (43). Connecting to the conversation with his English teacher, Malcolm states “it was then that I began to change-inside” (44). Another crucial example of racial discrimination towards Malcolm was his ten year sentence to jail. Malcolm and Shorty both received the maximum sentences of eight to ten years in prison.Malcolm knew that because he was black, he would be receiving more then the normal two years of jail time.
Both Malcolm and Shorty also had a much higher bail than the two white girls that accompanied Malcolm and Shorty in the robbery. During the second part of Malcolm’s life, the events that I believe most impacted Malcolm was his introduction to the Nation of Islam, Malcolm’s friendship with Elijah Muhammad, and Malcolm’s realization that Mr. Muhammad was not the man Malcolm though he was. “The natural religion for the black man”, is what Malcolm described as the Nation of Islam (179).The Nation of Islam taught Malcolm to be a racist, in my opinion. The Nation made Malcolm’s hatred towards white people worse because Malcolm was told by Reginald that the white man is the devil, and that black men were brainwashed.
I still do not understand how any religion could represent and preach such hatred. I feel that Malcolm used his new religion as an excuse to hate white people. The only good that the Nation did for Malcolm was it gave Malcolm motivation to live a better life. Otherwise, the Nation, along with Elijah Muhammad, was ultimately the death of Malcolm.Not only did Malcolm literally eat, sleep, and breathe the Nation, but he also greatly admired and respected “the messenger”, Elijah Muhammad.
In Malcolm’s eyes, Elijah Muhammad could do no wrong. Malcolm’s friendship and adoration for Mr. Muhammad was a huge event in Malcolm’s life because Mr. Muhammad taught Malcolm everything he needed to know about the Nation, and he had the greatest influence on Malcolm.
Mr. Muhammad’s encouragement and brotherly love assisted in Malcolm’s success as a minister for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm worked tirelessly for Elijah Muhammad, and helped the Nation increase tremendously in population.Malcolm’s devotion to Elijah Muhammad and the Nation was very obvious to many people.
In Malcolm’s own words, “…I worshiped him… he was the first man whom I had ever feared …” (230, 244). The break up between any friendship is upsetting to anyone, but I can not imagine how Malcolm might have felt after he learned of Mr. Muhammad‘s adultery and jealousy. After all of the time, energy, patience, trust, and love that Malcolm spent on Mr. Muhammad, I can not believe Malcolm did not go insane! Malcolm worked extremely hard to help the Nation flourish.
I consider the break up of Malcolm and Mr. Muhammad, and Malcolm leaving the Nation of Islam as one of the best and worst events that happened to Malcolm during the second part of his life. Malcolm literally was brainwashed by Elijah Muhammad. Malcolm even turned down his own brother, Reginald, in the Mosque Seven Restaurant because Reginald was in isolation from all Muslims (341). As Malcolm proclaims, “… I totally and absolutely rejected my own intelligence” (340).
The religious beliefs in Malcolm’s second part of his life were the beliefs that the Nation of Islam taught him.He believed that Elijah Muhammad was the messenger of Allah and that Negroes in America have been brainwashed by the devil white man for the past four hundred years. Malcolm’s new-found religion did not believe in lying, gambling, smoking, cheating, adultery, and eating pork. Malcolm’s beliefs influenced everything in his life.
Malcolm stopped smoking cigarettes, and stopped eating pork when he was in jail. He turned his life around completely because of the high standards and religious beliefs that the Nation of Islam emphasizes. The role of racism on Malcolm’s part was tremendous.I think Malcolm became very racist against the white race because of the Nation and Mr. Muhammad’s teachings. He turned all of his anger and aggression towards white people.
Not everyone respected Malcolm’s opinions. Especially a white college girl that was deeply upset by what Malcolm previously spoke about at her college. When the girl asked Malcolm if he thought there were any good white people, Malcolm said he did not trust their words but he trusted their actions (330). The girl wondered what she could do and Malcolm simply stated “nothing” (330).
Malcolm’s short life after the Nation of Islam is one that I respect much more then his life as a member in the Nation of Islam because he stopped thinking that white people were the devil. Three significant events in Malcolm’s life after the Nation of Islam include his pilgrimage to Mecca, his conversion from the Nation to mainstream Sunni Muslim, and Malcolm’s life when he returned to the United States. The Hajj for Malcolm was no doubt a huge event in his life. The Hajj was an eye-opening experience for Malcolm and changed the way he thought about white people and his own religion.The once racist Malcolm began to have a new insight that white people were not the devil.
Malcolm could not comprehend the hospitality that was presented to him the whole time he was on his Hajj. From the start, Dr. Omar Azzam welcomed Malcolm and continued to show him respect, even though Dr. Omar Azzam was a white man. Malcolm admits “I was speechless at the man’s attitude, and at my own physical feeling of no difference between us as human beings” (381).
In Malcolm’s conversion from the Nation, Malcolm began to realize many things.Malcolm writes in his hotel room: “The color-blindness of the Muslim world’s religious society and the color-blindness of the Muslim world’s human society: these two influences had each day been making a greater impact, and an increasing persuasion against my previous ways of thinking” (389). Perhaps Malcolm’s realization that not all white people are evil was Malcolm’s greatest personal accomplishment. I commend Malcolm for conveying new insights into the American black man’s mind when he returned to the United States and even before Malcolm returned home.Malcolm’s new insights, in my opinion, helped the once Minister to gain more respect with American citizens.
Malcolm returned to the United States a new person with new beliefs. His religious beliefs were much like they were before he left the Nation of Islam. Malcolm’s religious beliefs were that of a mainstream Sunni Muslim, and I believe his conversion influenced many decisions, for example: the letters written to Dr. Shawarbi, Ella, Wallace Muhammad, and some of his assistants while he was still in Mecca.
I think racism in Malcolm’s Post-Nation of Islam life does a huge turn around from the beginning. I noticed that Malcolm has a few regrets about how he used to feel about the white race. Maybe he does not come out and fully admit to his former racist propagandas, but I think he regrets putting so much effort into Elijah Muhammad’s teachings. Going back to the story about the white college student, Malcolm apologizes and deeply regrets what he said to the girl. Even though Malcolm’s beliefs that the white individual is not the devil, I still think that Malcolm had very strong opinions on the white race.
Overall, I think Malcolm was just as racist towards white people as some white people discriminated against black people at that time. In comparison of The Autobiography of Malcolm x to media representation, I think that the media represented Malcolm fairly. After reading the book and viewing some media representations on Malcolm, I feel that the book portrays Malcolm most fairly because the book came directly from him. The media portrays Malcolm more as a white-race hater, where the book does not.
The book explains to the reader that Malcolm’s views and opinions changed through out his life, and I think the media lacks that representation.The Autobiography of Malcolm X really opened my eyes up to the racial problems we still face in the United States today. I realized that I was ignorant to how African-American’s were really treated. After reading the book I feel more educated on what life was like being an African-American individual in the United States during the middle century. It never occurred to me how poorly black people were treated, and how much discrimination there was in the United States.
In addition, I am now knowledgeable about the religion of Islam.I never understood why Malcolm X was a Muslim, but now I understand completely. Every religious belief, occurrence of racism, and every moment that occurred in Malcolm’s life had a great influence on what happened to Malcolm in the future. One event led to another. For one to pick out a particular significant event in Malcolm’s life is nearly impossible.
As Malcolm X states early on in his autobiography, “all of our experiences fuse into our personality. Everything that ever happened to us is an ingredient” (173). I could not agree more.
