Malcolm X IWA

Summary
        In the excerpt "Learning to Read" from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X describes his literacy history that he developed while in prison. He acquired literacy first through writing- copying the dictionary and writing letters. As he began to read his own handwriting, Malcolm X then began to simply read more, and he focused on the historical injustices dealt to people of color around the world. According to Malcolm X, his time spent in prison developing his own literacies--specifically the history of injustice--this "homemade education"--was better than anything a university could have offered him.

Synthesis
   Both Malcolm X's and bell hooks's pieces describe the relationship between literacy(ies)--writing and/or reading--and personal identity. X's piece also exemplifies some of the "sponsors of literacy" that Brandt talks about in her article of the same name. We can see how his race and class affected his literacy: not having a formal education beyond the 8th grade and driving him to criminal activity.

QD
3. Sponsors of Literacy:
-Elijah Muhammad- the Nation of Islam
-"The streets" (354)
-Bimbi from Charlestown Prison
-Norfolk Prison Library- Parkhurst
-The history books (often written by white men)

   I think the sponsors who were most influential to Malcolm X were of course the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad as well as the Norfolk Prison Library left by Parkhurst. The prison library was intended to "rehabilitate" the prisoners. This is an example of Brandt's misappropriation: Malcolm X took the history books and saw their biases and historical prejudices.
6. "I imagine that one of the biggest troubles with colleges is there are too many distractions, too much panty-raiding, fraternities, and boola-boola and all of that" (360). I think X definitely has a point with this. He is differentiating between his own motivation to to acquire literacy and the motivation of young students in college. I think he is right that a college education is seen as a "status symbol" rather than an opportunity to find what interests you and drives what will become your livelihood. Most students are not voracious readers and will read only what they are assigned. I'm not sure if they lack the curiosity, but certainly they lack the personal motivation that Malcolm X had. I consider myself a feminist and my own interest in women's issues (which consequently also leads me to care deeply about all issues of injustice) motivates what I read and spend my free time doing. My motivation is not necessarily to understand my own experience but it's to understand others'.

MM
It's hard to pick only one idea as the most important from this piece. I suppose with the unit we're discussing, the most important part would be the various sponsors Malcolm X encountered. But I also thing another salient point is literacy(ies) as a sort of process. This excerpt describes X's literacy leading him to hatred for the white man. But if you know more about Malcolm X than what is provided here, you know that he does not remain as hostile as he is here (though he does turn around rather late in his shortened life). I think this fact emphasizes the fluidity of literacy(ies) and how they are always changing and growing.

Thoughts
   I enjoyed this piece and I know it will spark an interesting discussion. Of course I am worried about discussing race in a room full of white students. I wonder how much they know about Malcolm X if anything at all. I also like the point from the framing the reading about this piece making the reader think about the "worlds in which you would be considered illiterate" (353). I guess if they object to what Malcolm X says, my response would be if they would consider themselves "literate" in history, particularly the history of injustices.