Simoné McGauthaThe Autobiography of Malcolm XAuthor: Malcolm X Alex HaleyWhat is the book trying to do?The book is trying to show you the many different “Malcolm” Malcolm had to become during phases of his life. The book paints a picture for the reader to eitheragree with or not.Malcolm is the only major character in the autobiography. Though many characters play a role in the development of Malcolm’s beliefs and career, the autobiography does not explore these characters in depth. The various names by which he goes—Malcolm Little, Detroit Red, Satan, Malcolm X, and El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz—correspond to the various phases of his life.Does the book accomplish this?Yes, the book accomplishes what it sets out to do. For example:Malcolm Little passively endures the experiences that motivate his later obsession with racial politics in America.He encounters open racism when whites murder his father and subtle racism when white welfare agents institutionalize his mother. Though Malcolm endures this racism quietly, it leads to his later development of anti–white views.The lifestyle of Detroit Red, the name Malcolm adopts as a hustler, illuminates the moral decay plaguing the ghetto.Detroit Red has few ethical restraints but many social insights. His philosophy requires that he trust no one, know his enemy well, andcarefully defend his public image. Detroit Red represents the fact that many black people struggle just to survive.In prison, after earning the nickname “Satan” for his foul temper and preference for solitary confinement, Malcolm starts educating himself and turns his outlook around.This episode demonstrates the ideal of submission to moral authority, which Malcolm later embraces in a Muslim context to justify his willing subordination to Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam.After a trip to Africa, Malcolm X counsels blacks to align themselves withthe nonwhite majority internationally, illustrating his general tendency to let the wisdom he gains from his experiences influence his attitudes.Whereas Malcolm’s earlier political activism, such as his militant advocacy of black separatism, is marked by hostility, his later activism seeks to create racial harmony.Was it worth doing?To Malcolm, it was worth doing. I felt that this was his way of setting the record straight. He knew that his time was coming to an end so by writing this book, it was a way to leave behind his story… almost putting to rest any rumors orbad blood people had with him. Giving his reasons for the things he did and the way he acted was a way to clean up the legacy he has left behind.Was it the right person?Yes, what better person to tell a story than the person who lived it? I don’t think he cared whether or not people would believe him or understand for that matter. All he was concerned about was making sure he told his story. That’s how Malcolm was, he wanted to be heard even in his
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