Analysis of Malcolm X: A Homemade Education
In "A Homemade Education," Malcolm X uses personal anecdotes and language to describe the wrong-doing of the "white man" and situational irony to establish credibility and effectively enlighten the audience of the importance of gaining an education and to rise above illiteracy to fight against the "white man."
1. "Where else but in a prison could I have attacked my ignorance ...?"(223).
He uses situational irony to illustrate how dedicated he was in educating himself that even though he was at a prison he was able to learn about the issues that occurred around him. It is ironic that he achieved his education at a prison because people who go to prison are people that have done something wrong and might not be interesting in improving themselves. This quote causes the reader to understand that no matter where you are, if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.
2. "I perceived, as I read, how the collective white man had been actually nothing but a practical opportunist who used Faustian machinations to make his own Christianity..."(231).
He uses an informative diction by using words like "opportunist" or "Faustian" to describe the atrocities that "white man" had done to every "non-white". Malcolm X's use of very powerful words leads him to establish his credibility with the audience because he puts into action what he has learned. He is able to formulate his own opinion based on the facts he read in his books.
3. "And I read the histories of various nations, which opened my eyes gradually,....to how the whole world's white men had indeed acted like devils, pillaging and...draining the whole world's non-white people" (230).
In this quote, Malcolm X uses an informative language that creates credibility and also has some logic behind it. This quote shows how Malcolm X became conscious of the
1. "Where else but in a prison could I have attacked my ignorance ...?"(223).
He uses situational irony to illustrate how dedicated he was in educating himself that even though he was at a prison he was able to learn about the issues that occurred around him. It is ironic that he achieved his education at a prison because people who go to prison are people that have done something wrong and might not be interesting in improving themselves. This quote causes the reader to understand that no matter where you are, if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.
2. "I perceived, as I read, how the collective white man had been actually nothing but a practical opportunist who used Faustian machinations to make his own Christianity..."(231).
He uses an informative diction by using words like "opportunist" or "Faustian" to describe the atrocities that "white man" had done to every "non-white". Malcolm X's use of very powerful words leads him to establish his credibility with the audience because he puts into action what he has learned. He is able to formulate his own opinion based on the facts he read in his books.
3. "And I read the histories of various nations, which opened my eyes gradually,....to how the whole world's white men had indeed acted like devils, pillaging and...draining the whole world's non-white people" (230).
In this quote, Malcolm X uses an informative language that creates credibility and also has some logic behind it. This quote shows how Malcolm X became conscious of the