Analysis Of The Autobiography Of Malcolm X

Unlike most books, The Autobiography of Malcolm X discusses a problem in the first chapter. This problem of racial segregation was a reoccurring theme before Malcolm Little was even born. The author sets up an issue when Malcolm X was in his mother’s womb to set the tone of the book. Malcolm X developed as a character from significant incidents in his life that changed him into the man that would be historically idolized. The book uses three central ideas, systemic oppression, racial identity, and separation vs. integration to graphically reveal the prevailing schism in American race relations. In the first few chapters of the book, the way Malcolm X viewed whites had a lot to do with his father’s influence. His father, Reverend Earl Little,
He wanted to live with Ella because he felt he would have a better opportunity there. People in Lansing, where Malcolm was from, always idolized living in big cities such as Boston and New York. When Malcolm X first arrived in Boston, he realized how different the black culture was there compared to Lansing. Black people from Lansing dressed completely differently compared to the ones in Boston. In Boston, they would wear business suits and they all dressed professionally. Whereas X didn’t, Malcolm X says, “…wearing my green suit. If someone had hung a sign, “HICK”, around my neck, I couldn’t have looked much more obvious…” (Page 35). This scenario shows racial identity between the two groups of black people. The author uses style and imagery to help the reader visualize Malcolm’s experience in Boston and how oblivious he was to the world outside of Lansing. Malcolm X met a man named Shorty inside a poolroom. Shorty later becomes one of Malcolm X’s closet friends. Shorty has a different talking style than X; he spoke using a lot more slang. Shorty says things such as “stud”, “cat”, “cool” and “hip.” X describes how these terms were so new to him that even children were throwing them around in everyday sentences.. The style and structure of this style of communication is really choppy and uses a lot of slang. The culture of Boston starts to influence Malcolm X to start speaking slang and dressing
He hangs out with a man named Sammy the Pimp who shows X the ropes to selling drugs and hanging out with other hustlers. He notices the difference between black druggies and white druggies. He calls the black druggies “Reefer Smokers” because they cannot afford nice drugs and have to buy the cheap kind. He also meets a man named West Indian Ariche. West Indian Ariche is a very smart guy, he can do math easily in his head and X describes him being capable of having a successful job, but he is a hustler along with Malcolm X. As the chapters move along, Malcolm X notices how different blacks and whites are really treated. When X gets drafted into World War II, he notices a black woman working as a receptionist. He calls her a “ Negro First,” meaning she was one of the first people to actually have a decent job during the time period. The systemic oppression and racial identity of this chapter shows how different colored races do not have the same opportunities as the whites. The only way they can make decent money is by gambling, selling drugs and or in rare cases, maybe finding a slim chance of an opportunity to have a decent