“I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading opened to
me. I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the
course of my life. As 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. 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 America. Not long ago, an
English writer telephoned me from London, asking questions. One was,
“What’s your alma mater?” I told him, “Books.” You will never catch me
with a free fifteen minutes in which I’m not studying something I feel
might be able to help the black man.” (paragraph 15).
I picked this quote because I found it very important to Malcolm’s life. Malcolm reflects upon the new view he has of life thanks to reading. Since he started reading more in prison he realized that reading had changed his life. Learning to read helped his mental health. Malcolm wasn’t looking for a college degree. Malcolm becoming educated and learning to read has made him open and be able to see what was afflicting the black race in America. Then a writer from London called Malcolm and asked him a few questions. Malcolm said that he would usually be studying during his free time so he can help the black man. So reading has helped Malcolm life a lot and changed his life, now he wasn’t to help black people and make life better for them thanks to reading.
“I spent two days just riffling uncertainly through the dictionary’s
pages. I’d never realized so many words existed! I didn’t know which
words I needed to learn. Finally, just to start some kind of action, I began
copying.”(paragraph 4)
Malcolm spent two days going through pages in the dictionary, to find new words. Malcolm never knew so many words existed and he didn’t know which ones he needed to learn. Then just to start doing something productive, he started coping words down. When Malcolm started going through this dictionary to learn new words it helped him in his writing. Reading through the dictionary also helped hi become a better writer.
Hey Karem , I liked reading the way you chose to perceive the quote and explain in your own words. And I find it very interesting how Malcolm was able to make such a change in his life by just picking up a book and reading.
Good JOB!