My First Conk Malcom X and his article titled “My First Conk” say that black men conked their hairs to unify their existence in the society of white people. This was never done to truly satisfy a personal desire. Conking was a popular procedure done in black males to straighten their hair in 1940’s. The author explains that getting his hair conked was definitely not a delightful experience. Going through the pain of the hot lye burning in his scalp was part of the conking procedure. This was to
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"My First Conk" "My First Conk" is a story about part of Malcolm X’s life written by Malcolm X. The story was about when Malcolm had his first conk. A conk straightened a black man’s hair‚ so he could look more like a white man. It went through a process on how he and his friend conked his hair. At the end of the story‚ Malcolm talks about how he embarrassed himself and his race by trying to make himself look like a white man. This story about Malcolm X’s first conk is a process analysis
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Malcolm X writes about his experience as a young boy‚ wanting to be like the people around him. During the time period this short story‚ My First Conk was written‚ racism was very much alive. There is a short paragraph written about the author before the actual short story. This section reveals some of the background of Malcolm X. His entire family was targeted for the color of their skin. Back then‚ the ‘normal’ people were people with white skin. People with white skin had straight and smooth hair
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While reading “My First Conk”‚ written by Malcolm X‚ many thoughts came to mind. It is truly astonishing how a human being will withhold an immense amount of pain just to create a new personal appearance. In this case‚ pain really is beauty! Malcolm wished for a different look to represent him in a positive way. The hairstyle known as a “conk” was very popular on white males‚ however they were predominantly worn on upper class African American men‚ specifically entertainers. The conk would represent
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Racial defacing In Malcolm X’s excerpt My First Conk‚ He describes the process to get a conk. He talks about how his friend will do it for free instead of paying for it. He then goes on to list the items they need to buy to make the “congolene” to make the conk. They need “Red Devil lye‚ two eggs‚ and two medium- sized white potatoes… and a large jar of Vaseline‚ a large bar of soap.” Then the drugstore clerk comments about the Malcolm X getting a conk and Malcolm proudly says “Right!” He later
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Precis Type: Process “My First Conk” In “My First Conk” (1964)‚ Malcolm X reflects back upon receiving a conk and elaborates on how degrading it was to him and many other African-Americans to lose their identity. He reinforces his point that African-Americans lost their individuality by getting a conk by providing an anecdote from his life (“This was my first really big step toward self degradation.”) and then by giving examples of the other African-Americans who received conks (“…the one you’ll
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us in his piece titled “My first Conk” how his first conking went. For those unfamiliar with the term conking is a procedure in which black males concoct a gel‚ using mainly household ingredients‚ then apply it to the hair in order to straighten it. The incorporation of lye in the gel is what causes the bearer to feel as though the scalp burns. Malcom was at first a devoted conker but through the years has come to regret his old habit. At first he explains how good the conk made him feel‚ later in
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October 14‚ 2011 The Inside Counts In Malcolm X’s personal essay‚ “My First Conk”‚ Malcolm X describes a moment in his life where he changed his hairstyle. He altered his hair because he thought that the looks on the outside were more acceptable in society. Malcolm X was a young child when he got his first conk. He was looking up to the older black gentlemen in his town‚ and the majority of these men had conks. Conks gave the people of the town self-confidence and a sense of importance.
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Ronald E. Satterfield Jr. ENG 101 Rhetorical Analysis of Malcolm X’s “My First Conk” Malcolm X was an activist‚ a devout Muslim‚ as well as a reformed criminal. The audiences Malcolm attempted to reach were his fellow civil rights leaders‚ other Muslims‚ and those who were still living a criminal lifestyle. Malcolm X addressed the feeling of oppression felt by those engaged in criminal activity‚ the struggle for respect and equality felt by other civil rights
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My First Conk The Summary Malcom Little‚ he born during the year of no privilege present for colored skin citizen in the United States. Grow up unsupervised and luck of parental guidance‚ Malcolm Little finds it way on the streets to survive. Life’s difficulties brought him several conflicts with the law and landed him in prison. However‚ he met the man whom will change his personal life perspective from troublemaker in the streets‚ into the man with the sense of self-worth‚ acceptance‚ and knowledge
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