Assignment 3
In the narrative “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X, Malcolm X details how he
educated himself in prison through reading. However, Malcolm X’s point goes much
deeper than that. Malcolm X shows the importance of self-education and its difference
from academic education. Self-education allows one to focus only on one’s specific
interests and through this, one can really discover who one truly is as a person.This
narrative was written for those in the author’s position and someone who really craved
change in their life for the better. While the narrative is about Malcolm X learning to
read in prison, he is really appealing to the reader’s intellect and desire for selfimprovement by creating depth and an emphasis on self- education.
Malcolm X created depth in his writing by appealing to the reader’s intellect and
making the reader reflect upon his education. Throughout the narrative, Malcolm X
writes about himself and how he educated himself in prison through reading. He shares
analogies of his time in prison and what he learned during his time there. Depth is created
through the author’s analogies and how they are applied. Most lessons in the narrative
cannot only be applied to Malcolm X’s life, but also to the readers. Depth allows the
reader to be able to apply lessons learned to their own life and to reflect on their past
actions. A purpose much deeper than the surface meaning is conveyed through his
writing. Malcolm X stresses the importance of self-education and how one can really
benefit from it. One analogy that Malcolm X uses to help create the substance of his
narrative was how he really learned about himself. Reading made Malcolm X very
curious about many things, but one item in which he learned to take a special interest,
was the teachings of Elijah Muhammad. Elijah Muhammad often wrote about the Muslim
religion, and this made Malcolm X very curious. Through reading, Malcolm X learned
about the Muslim religion, and eventually, he found meaning for himself. This is one of
the most important points of Malcolm X’s narrative. Through self-education, one can
learn about oneself and who you truly are. Malcolm X found an entire new set of beliefs
and values through reading. I felt that this story was one of the most important analogies
that Malcolm X used in his writing. The manner in which Malcolm X employs depth
allows him to speak of not only an incident that happened to him, but also demonstrates
how the reader can apply the lesson in his own life. The relevance leads the reader to
create connections from Malcolm X’s analogies to their own life. Malcolm X effectively
uses depth to make the reader think more intensely and analyze more than just what is on
the page, and apply those principles to the reader’s own life.
Malcolm X’s narrative shows the reader the difference between self-education
and academic education. Both are forms of education and will lead to bettering oneself,
but both also have different outcomes. Malcolm X states,“Prison enabled me to study
more inexpensively than I would have if my life had gone differently and I had attended
some college.” (Malcolm X, Rereading America, P. 218). Malcolm X effectively shows
how his form of self-education differs from a traditional academic education. In selfeducation, reading is used much more effectively and more intellectual thought is
involved when compared to an academic education. However, reading is not the only
component of self-education. In his narrative, Malcolm X continues to state that both
forms of education can lead to increased intellect. “Many who today hear me… will think
I went to school far beyond the eighth grade” (Malcolm X, Rereading America, P. 211).
This shows how one does not need an academic education to appear bright or successful;
it is the intellect and curiosity for knowledge that is important. Both forms of education
can lead to the same result and Malcolm X teaches that it is up to the reader to create his
or her own education. Education is what you make of it, and if someone does not
effectively use information, it will be a waste of effort. Malcolm X shares the importance
of self-education to the reader by putting an emphasis on it to guide the reader’s quest for
self –improvement.
Malcolm X created depth in his narrative “Learning to Read” by engaging the
reader’s curiosity for intellect and knowledge. Malcolm X details his time in prison and
how he used self-education and reading to help better himself and to discover who he
really was as a person. Malcolm X also emphasizes that education is what how one
utilizes it. It someone does not want to learn, then they will just be wasting their time.
When one has the curiosity and thirst for knowledge, doors will open up and one can
really expand the mind and learn much about oneself. Malcolm X conveys his purpose by
creating depth that causes self-reflection as well as emphasizing self-education to the
reader.