This essay is a rhetorical analysis of Malcolm X. I read to learn to breaking down a piece of reading and analyze it for Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. This essay challenged my skills as a writer being able to present an argument in a strong fashion and as a thinker being able to pull out key parts of the reading.
Introduction
During the era of slavery and the civil rights movement education was a very hard thing to come by, but not that does not make it impossible to learn. Malcolm X, a human rights activist, wrote an autobiography including the famous excerpt “Learning to Read,” published in 1965. In the excerpt, Malcolm X spoke about his education that he provided to himself despite his unusual circumstance of being in prison. Malcolm began the writing by reflecting on his homemade education and why he decided to start teaching himself. Throughout his many years of reading the dictionary and reading history books, Malcolm X became one of the most influential people in the world. His efforts to inspire all people more than just African Americans, in prison, or anyone letting society tell them what they are worth made him very well know. He became a historical icon simply through his own determination and will power. He shared writings that moved him hoping they will do the same for others.
Thesis
Malcolm X uses his own personal experiences as he was in prison to signify his credibility as a self-educator and draw followers into his civil rights movement. All the books he talks about pertain only to racial injustices even though he read many other books. This shows the strong use of Pathos, connecting with the reader making them understand the pain of slavery. He talks about how in the streets he demanded respect, but when it was not as simple to establish Ethos on paper. He put countless hours into teaching himself how to write so that he could effectively share his story.
Summary
Malcolm X’s writings were his approach to educating fellow African Americans and convince them to stand alongside him. Every word he wrote was filled with Pathos hoping everyone would connect with his movement. He believes that the majority of the African American community does not understand the rights they deserve and/or how to go about getting them. His ideas on equality start at a much broader angle before progressing to civil rights.
“how is the Black man going to get civil rights before he gets his human rights? If the American black man will start thinking about his human rights, and then start thinking of himself as one of world’s great peoples, he will see he has a case for the United Nations.” p.114 (Malcolm X)
He speaks deeply about horror and inhumane treatment the American black man was put through in times of slavery.
History
Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska, May nineteenth, 1925. Growing up as an orphan he was sent from foster home to foster home eventually getting caught up in a life of crime. With his life of crime and teachers telling him that his dreams will never come true because of his skin color he had reached his final straw. The segregation that was present in this time had the same effect on many African Americans which is why they felt hopeless. During Malcolm’s eighth grade year, he decided to drop out of school and give up on becoming a lawyer. Eventually, in 1945, Malcolm Little was sentenced to prison. Being in prison gave him more than enough time to sit and think where he eventually tried to turn his life around. Being prison led him to learn of the teachings of Muhammad.
“The teachings ring true – to every Negro. You can hardly show me a black adult in American – or a white one, for that matter – who knows from the history books anything like the truth about the black man’s role.” p.110 (Malcolm X)
Muhammad’s teachings encouraged African American prisoners all over, Malcom took that encouragement and ran turned it into greatness. Malcolm started signing his name Malcolm X during the time he was teaching himself how to read and write. He came to truly enjoy reading but some of books he read lead him to knowledge what he was outraged about. He discovered slavery through African American points of view only so he heard the worst of it right off the bat. Reading pushed Malcolm to take up an interest in Civil Rights. After Malcolm X got out of prison, he began ministry. From there he began his autobiography which was written over a two-year span from 1963 to 1965 with help from his coauthor, Alex Haley. The autobiography was published the year of Malcolm’s death in 1965 by Ballantine Books. The book’s beginning writing processes because in efforts to outline Malcolm’s philosophies as a civil rights leader and religious leader. Parts of his autobiography came from different interviews he was questioned in and different stories he told throughout his years alive.
development of thesis
When Malcolm X discovers the history of slavery he wants the African American community to feel the same disgust. The only way to do that is to establish the same emotions he had in the reader. His choice of word and examples provide a kind of validity to his point of view. Malcolm X sees a simple solution to problems, “an eye for an eye”, he believes slaves have every right to fight back violently.
“I read descriptions of atrocities, saw those illustrations of black slave women tied up and flogged with whips; of black mothers watching their babies being dragged off, never to be seen by their mothers again; of dogs after slaves, and of the fugitive slave catchers, evil white men with whips and clubs and chains and guns.” p.111(Malcolm X)
He chose these parts of the books to share with the reader because they vividly describe the hell African Americans faced. He wants everyone to feel the disgust he felt toward white people that found slavery to be okay.
He established effective Ethos with his life story of using prison for good and teaching himself but his over the top interest in violence was not every African American wanted. Rather than follow the typical life of an inmate serving time waiting to get out and back to their lives of crime he chose to change.
“At one-hour intervals the night guards paced past every room. Each time I heard the approaching footsteps, I jumped into bed and feigned sleep. And as soon as the guard passed, I got back out of bed onto the floor area of that light-glow, where I would read for another fifty-eight minutes.” p.109(Malcolm X)
He was intrigued by learning to read that he would give up sleeping just to be able to finish another a chapter. He would read nothing but books about history or other activists, all he wanted to do was educate himself so he could lead others. All this time he spent reading was dedicated to books that most readers would pass off as boring. The details of him going dedicating his life to learning day and night push the reader to establish respect because no ordinary would ever have what it takes to take his odds and come out on top.
Conclusion
Malcolm X is proof that in life all adversity can be overcome depending on how much you want it. There is a lot be learned from a man with that kind of dedication and he does a great job of showing it. During this time frame many African Americans desperately wanted equality but felt the odds were stacked against and it would never be reached. Malcolm X put hope into the minds of those who were lost in hopelessness. He did a great job of capturing the attention of his audience but could have been more effective getting them to buy into his point of view. Everyone wanted equality but not everyone the violent out breaks that he described in his readings. He includes a quote of the Chinese war cry, “Kill the foreign white devils!”, he wants to show that it is okay to take a stand but he should have known that not everyone would connect these violent outbreaks. Had he just focused on the horror and describing how inhumanely African Americans were treated we have been able to bring a wider range of supporters.
The Uprising of Malcolm X
ERH 101, Section 1
Date due: 14 July 2017
Date Sub.: 14 July 2017
Paper No.1
Help received: Peer response
With Joe Krockmalny, The Every-writer,
LTC Ticen, Chris Ferrill, Thomas Branch.
Works Cited
Warlde, Elizabeth and Doug Downs. “Framing the Reading.” Writing About Writing: A College Reader. 3rd edition. Edited by Wardle, Elizabeth, and Doug Downs. Bedford/ St. martin’s 2011. 305-314. Print.
X, Malcolm. “Learning to read” Writing about Writing: A college Reader, 3rd Edition. Edited by Wardle, Elizabeth, and Doug downs. Bedford/ St. martin’s 2011. 305-314. Print.