“Where else but in prison could I have attacked my ignorance by being able to study intensely sometimes as much as fifteen hours a day” Paragraph 16
Malcolm X spent all of his time in prison trying to better himself and educate himself on the things he did not know. He says attacked my ignorance, it intrigues me because he knew that he was not literate, and he wanted to do something about it. He tried his best to learn to read and write and understand, soon after he could fully read, and it sparked his love for books and learning. He says where else could’ve been better to learn for 15 hours a day, and I agree with him because in prison what is better than trying to learn the things you don’t understand than in isolation from the world. He really challenged himself to create a voice for his mind and feelings and it made him one of the most important people in history.
“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 really like this quote because Malcolm spent his whole time in prison learning and learning. This path that he chose of enlightenment made him a leader, someone who changed history. He says the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive, he is saying that finally knowing his feelings and emotions and what they are, made him mentally and physically aware of the world and what is has to offer. In his time, black people weren’t able to do as much as white people, for him to spend his time improving himself and leave prison a changed and enlightened man changed history for the better and gave generations of POC’s hope and faith that speaking your truth and thoughts is important. Malcolm had these feeling and ideas that were practically stuck inside his mind unable to be spoken into existence and learning to read and write granted him freedom of a mental prison.
Good job!