What is your personal response to this excerpt from Malcom Xās autobiography? Please write with Ā enough length and detail to develop your thoughts, and refer to specific details and parts of his writing. In your response, or after it, consider this question: What does Malcom X mean when he writes that while still imprisoned, āIn fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life.ā Though it was written close to 60 years ago, how does this reading relate to 2022, or does it?
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Having personally read the autobiography of Malcolm X previously and knowing what he does with his knowledge in the future and his past, this excerpt makes me realize the passion for learning is a ever-growing flame. What truly speaks to me is the insane amount of words he wrote repeatedly and on top of that, continued to read and expand his mind with literature right after teaching himself. The absolute desire and need to read had him on the floor using the small amount of light he had at night to his advantage while others might have just waited till the morning. He states he wasn’t seeking a degree, and to me it makes me think about how “education” isn’t going to school and claiming you are accomplished, it is actually applying what you learn in life and using that to expand what you already know. Fortunately, knowing how successful he was as a civil rights leader, you can say this dedication to reading obviously was one of the main factors in his intelligence and achievements which is a example on why it is so important. By saying, āIn fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life.ā, what I believe he meant was education is the key to freedom and reading can be the start of new views and opinions. Before going to prison Malcolm was known to be intelligent as a child but was lead to a life of crime later in his life, with the experiences he’s had as a young man, reading was as if he was seeing the world in a new set of eyes. Time has nothing to do with the value of enlightenment, literacy is a never-ending gift and this relates to now because situations of older adults not knowing how to read or write still exist, maybe not as often, but the importance of learning still remains.
Good response, Christopher. So, as we discussed in class, what is education? What is it’s value and how could we measure it in any meaningful way? Is its value based on how we use it? In whatever forms it takes, do we each have a responsibility to educate ourselves (given the ability)? Why or why not?
Education is the ability to gain knowledge and skills that are essential for developing ourselves and society. Measuring its value can be applying this knowledge in real-world situations. Applying this knowledge to certain topics in my opinion does not change the value of it, if you are able to use it you still have it no matter the circumstance which is valuable in of itself, and people should take responsibility for self-education to better themselves and contribute to society.
This little excerpt from Malcolm X made me think of how well-educated he was and how much knowledge he kept. Malcolm X was a walking encyclopedia like the other inmates he described (9). Malcolm was a person thirsty for knowledge; he was willing to learn and learn. The guards shouting “Light out” wouldn’t stop him from reading. He would find ways around it, like reading on the floor in complete isolation, in his room where the only lights that would glow into his room came from the corridor (12). This excerpt also shows Malcolm’s dedication, fascination, and consistency when reading books and acquiring new knowledge led to well-prepared thoughts about the world and society. Malcolm wouldn’t hold back a word about the civil rights movement.
What does Malcom X mean when he writes that while still imprisoned, āIn fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life.ā
What I think is that even though he was in prison. He was free to acquire all this new knowledge and read as many books as possible while imprisoned. He gives the idea that everyone can receive infinite amounts of knowledge through reading.
Ok, good comments, Josue. So what is freedom in the sense he used it? If we have the chance to learn but choose not to, is that freedom, too? Would he say he was free before prison? Why or why not?
Malcolm describes how in prison he was able to open a book, read it, and understand what the book was saying. He entered a world that would distracte him from what was going on around him. āFrom then until I left that prison, in every free I had, if I was not reading in the library, I was reading on my bunk.ā(8). Malcolm would take advantage of every little free time he had to read books that would boost his education. Maybe that is freedom to him, being able to have an education superior to others and to use it to have an impact. Something he couldnāt have done before, because maybe he didnāt have the knowledge to be āfreeā.
If we have the chance to learn but choose not to, is that freedom, too?
I think that’s freedom but to a certain extend. I feel like the more knowledge a person can have the more successful they can become; they can have more power and money like the many billionaires nowadays. The more power/money you have nowadays the more freedom you can have. That’s my opinion.
Freedom is the liberty we have to do what is best for us
Your last point is great. My question is how do we know what’s best for us, but that can be answered another time.
My response to this excerpt from Malcolm X’s autobiography is speechless. The amount of work and dedication he put into his desire to read and write or just simply understand the meaning of a book is inspiring. He gave an example of if you want to achieve something you won’t waste any time or wait until tomorrow. He truly used his prison time wisely. He didn’t let the other inmates distract him or even the guards when they turned off the lights., He was using the little amount of “light-glow” from the room to read on the floor until 3-4 a.m. every morning. This shows that he didn’t let his ignorance be an excuse. Others might have said or felt that prison is a waste of time or even harmful to someone’s mental health but that wasn’t the case for Malcolm X. āIn fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life”, he was mentally freeing himself by seeking knowledge every day without realizing he’s in prison. He educated himself well enough to be able to express his opinions with more than the lack of words he used to not know. This shows that literacy gives power and identity to those who seek it regardless of the time and year. Igornnace nowadays or back then is what holds back the power within everyone. No matter how long it takes someone to realize that lack of knowledge shouldn’t be an excuse, literacy will also be an open opportunity for everyone.
Good comments, Kawthar. I couldn’t agree more with your writing, “if you want to achieve something you wonāt waste any time or wait until tomorrow.” Also, “Igornnace nowadays or back then is what holds back the power within everyone. ” I’m curious about the relationship between ignorance, freedom, learning and action. Are we free if we think we are, or is that enough? (What would Malcom X say, and what do you say?) Please look at my previous comments in this thread for more to respond to.
The relationship between ignorance, freedom, learning, and action is empowerment when educating yourself. When you educate yourself you allow yourself some freedom in the knowledge you gained. Learning and taking action are steps toward allowing yourself not to be ignorant.
Are we free if we think we are, or is that enough?
I think we are free enough if we think we are. If we know we are not limited from things then that’s a good sign.
Malcom X is a perfect example of how when we want something, no matter how difficult it gets, we can achieve it. Each of us has at least one dream to achieve but it is not possible for all of us to do so. In life we are going to encounter many obstacles that will try to prevent us from achieving something we set out to do. Malcom X was even able to break the prison rules just to be able to read. It is important to know that when many people, perhaps 90%, when they go to prison they do not take advantage of the time (just as Kawtar said in his comment) but it is incredible how he spent the time he was in prison but he came out of there very, very educated and managed in becoming what he was throughout his life until the day he died and to this day we can remember him.
This small excerpt left me wanting to know more. I feel like a lot of the time people are defined by their mistakes and I think itās because we let ourselves be. To be viewed differently you actually have to show change. You can make mistakes but the important thing is learning from them. Malcom X is a great example of this. He saw prison as an opportunity to learn and become the very best version of himself. When he writes āthe ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally aliveā¦ my homemade education gave me, with every additional book that I read, a little bit more sensitivity to the deafness, dumbness, and blindness that was afflicting the black race in Americaā It goes to show how vital education is for our development. Malcom realized how poorly prioritized education was. I think what Malcom meant when he wrote āin fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my lifeā was that reading broke him free from the ties of ignorance and incompetence. Getting an education gave him a new life. It give him purpose.
In the modern era knowledge is present everywhere, to attain it one only needs to reach out. But thatās the thing not everyone reaches and not all with the same enthusiasm. Malcom X did not have the opportunity to learn and when he finally had the chance and the time, he dedicated his being into attaining knowledge, and with that knowledge he bettered not only himself but others. With knowledge comes liberation and burden. You are freed of ignorance, but you can no longer ignore the problems of the world and even if you somehow do it is at the back of your mind eating away at your consciousness. It is ironic how when he was incarcerated, when his physical freedom was taken away, his mind was liberated. He dedicated most of his time in prison to learning, to broadening his horizons and building a road to a better future.
My response to this excerpt from Malcolm X’s autobiography is that it has many lessons, one being that we can achieve anything as long as we put the effort and stay committed. Malcolm X’s life story also proves to me that education could be endless. In prison he had the opportunity to reflect on his life, beliefs, and choices without the constant distractions and pressures of society. He was able to put all his focus into education even when the guards yelled “lights out” he still found a way to continue his learning. When Malcolm X writes, “In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life”, He is showing a profound and transformative realization about the nature of freedom as he experienced it during his time in prison. He refers to being ‘”truly free” not as in physical freedom rather he is describing a deeper sense of liberation. He is free from physical threats and violence. He is free to explore and expand his intellectual horizons and he is free to redefine himself and his purpose. Though it was written close to 60 years ago, this reading relates to 2022 because many people during the COVID-19 pandemic, found themselves in situations where they had the opportunity to reflect on their lives and seek personal growth. Malcolm X story proves that people can undergo transformation even in adverse conditions.
I agree with the first part you mentioned. This excerpt has many lessons one being of how we can achieve anything in life as long as were committed. Malcom X proved that by doing what looked like was impossible. Being educated without a degree or schooling in a place where its very limited really shows us that the sky is the limit.
I agree with the first part you mentioned. This excerpt has many lessons one being of how we can achieve anything in life as long as were dedicated. Malcom X proved that by doing what looked like was impossible. Being educated without a degree or schooling in a place where it’s dangerous really shows us that the sky is the limit.
Malcom Xās autobiography captures the crucial moments in his life when he was incarcerated and underwent a transformation both intellectually and spiritually. In connection to Frederick Douglass, the opportunity to learn was limited for black individuals, as a slave Frederick Douglass was prohibited to learn and MalcomX dropped out due to racial discrimination he faced from teachers. In their own circumstances they had to go and get their own education, with their own personal motivations. Being incarcerated was his turning point in life. Already having a motivation to learn more and broaden his vocabulary, he was envious of Bimbiās intelligence, and he wasnāt able to express himself how he wanted in his writing. Being in prison secludes you to a lifestyle with the same schedule every day and Malcom made sure every day was a learning day. He mentions how college would be a greater distraction and I agree, the knowledge he wanted to gain was hand tailored to his interests and I doubt colleges in the 50s were teaching its students of the real atrocities committed by the white man. You had to go and get it yourself.
āIn fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life.ā Confined to his prison cell Malcom X was removed from external pressures and distractions of the outside world, because of this solitude he had the time and space to read extensively. He educated himself day after day and through reading many books in the prison library and Mr. Muhammadās teachings, became aware of the systemic racism that shaped his life. He doesnāt refer to just physical freedom but intellectual and spiritual liberation as well. This freedom allowed him to envision a new path for himself and his community, and later became a crucial figure during the civil rights movement.
This excerpt from Malcolm X’s autobiography surprised me with how dedicated he was to gaining knowledge. Although Malcom was imprisoned he worked extremely hard in educating himself not because it was a necessity, but because he had a strong passion for gaining knowledge through literacy. I was surprised reading how dedicated he was by reading and writing down pages from the dictionaries, filling up his tablet with pages of his writing to where he states āDuring the rest of my time in prison I would guess I wrote a million words.ā He dangerously read in his cell even when the guards turned off the lights, he would sit right by the door that had a little bit of light and would read for hours. He read for hours regardless if he needed to sleep or had to struggle with the guards because of how motivated he was to advance his mentality. His desire for literacy is what made him intelligent when he left prison. I never knew much about Malcolm X and it surprised me how he was able to use his time in prison to become the best version of himself. Normally, prison isn’t a place where many people are happy and change their lives for the better but for Malcolm X, it was the most important time of his life for him. This excerpt made me realize a lot of things. I learned that you can achieve anything in life if you are truly dedicated and willing to put in the hard work. I also realized how much we take knowledge for granted and the reason why we may not feel ourselves to be āsmartā or āknowledgeableā is because we’re not trying hard enough. At a place where your right to knowledge and education is extremely limited, Malcolm X was able to become extremley inteligent. As stated by Malcolm X āAs I see it today, the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive. I certainly wasn’t seeking any degree, the way a college confers a status symbol upon its students.ā This made me think about how education is not only available at school, it’s everywhere, especially in today’s age. If you want to be educated and knowledgeable then you have to strive for it and deeply want it. When Malcolm X writes āIn fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life.ā I think he means that education and literacy was his stepping stone to freedom. It gave him power that changed his mentality and became a better version of himself. This reading relates to today’s age because it shows us no matter how hard something may be, you can achieve it if you’re truly dedicated. This shows us that there should be no excuse for chasing knowledge with the amount of resources we have today.