Quote 1:
“Between Mr. Muhammad’s teachings, my correspondence, my visitors–usually Ella and Reginald–and my reading of books, months passed without even thinking about being imprisioned. In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life.” (Paragraph 9)
Malcolm is trying to empahize that ever since he has entered jail he has never been more free in the entirety of his life. Many people think of jail as the consequences of your mischevous actions and that your freedom has been stolen away from you for a period of time. However, prison was an opportunity for Malcolm. Before coming into prision he was illeriate and he was poor but once he was arrested those obstacles dissapperared infront of him. Malcolm had nothing to lose he moved foward and enjoyed the days he spent studying the dictionary and reading multiple books learning various things. Time flew by and he didn’t care that he was imprisoned. The ability to read and write gave him freedom that he never had when he was roaming around the streets.
Quote 2:
“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.” (Paragraph 15)
Malcolm is describing the relationship between becoming literate and freedom. Every book Malcolm read he slowly learned about what was currently going on in the real world. Most African Americans were mistreated and they didnt recieve proper education. Malcolm learned more in jail then he did while attending school they were blinded and kept away from the dark truth. With the knowledge he obtained from reading it allowed him to rebel and fight back for the freedom of his people. Its not that white and black people werent equal the whites didn’t want them to become equal they didn’t want them to fight back. Knowledge is power and with that he was able to achieve what he wanted in the end.
(Im sorry if its a bit blurry and my handwriting isnt that great either)
Very good work!