Blog #3
This narrative is suggesting that literature is connected with freedom. With literature, Malcolm X gained knowledge. When he gained knowledge, he felt a sense of freedom. Malcolm X felt free in prison because he was able to spend all his time learning. While he was in prison, he used his time to educate himself. He wanted to learn how to read and understand what he was reading. In prison, he gained a better understanding of the things that were occurring around him. Malcolm X states, “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.” This shows that reading books helped him become more aware of how the black race was being treated. Jealously is a reason why Malcolm X started teaching himself how to read and write. While Malcolm X was in Charlestown prison, he was jealous of a guy named Bimbi, who was full with knowledge. Malcolm X also wanted to be full of knowledge. Malcolm X states, “Immensely proud to realize that not only had I written so much at one time, but I’d written words that I never knew in the world.” This shows that Malcolm X enjoyed learning. He was very dedicated to teach himself how to read and write. Once he taught himself how to read, he was always reading. He only slept three to four hours every night because he would stay up reading. During his time in prison, he spent fifteen hours studying every day. Reading helped him distract his mind from the fact that he was in prison. Being in prison helped Malcolm X open his eyes to a new world, a world where he was able to educate himself and gain more knowledge.
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