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Malcolm X Study Guide

Malcolm X's autobiography had a profound impact on Spike Lee. It changed his way of thinking and acting by giving him courage he did not know he had. The book also had some impact on how the student now views the world, making them more curious about current race relations. What changed the student most was how open-minded Malcolm X became to changing his views based on new experiences, like his trip to Mecca. The student wants to emulate Malcolm X's openness to learning from experiences.

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Dexter M
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
386 views

Malcolm X Study Guide

Malcolm X's autobiography had a profound impact on Spike Lee. It changed his way of thinking and acting by giving him courage he did not know he had. The book also had some impact on how the student now views the world, making them more curious about current race relations. What changed the student most was how open-minded Malcolm X became to changing his views based on new experiences, like his trip to Mecca. The student wants to emulate Malcolm X's openness to learning from experiences.

Uploaded by

Dexter M
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Name:

DexterMueller

Group:
Red

ByJimMogge

TheAutobiographyofMalcolmX
,astoldtoAlexHaley.

Foreachofthefollowingquestions,provideajournalentry.
Intheresponseanswerallpartsofthequestion.
Eachanswermustbeatleastonecompleteparagraph.
Youmayeitherrecordyouranswersinacompositionbookorcompletethe
assignmentusingawordprocessor.

BeforeYouRead

1.
InabriefwrittenstatementsharewhatyoualreadyknowaboutMalcolmX.
Whatareyourmajorsourcesofinformation?Regardlessofhowmuchyou
know,whatdoyouthinkherepresentedtotheAmericanpeople?
a. HewastheoppositeofMLK,insteadofadvocatingequalityhewanteda
separation,evenareversalofpowerholdinginwhiteoverblack.Iknow
fromreferencestohimtoday.Herepresentedblackempowerment.

Iwasbornbytheriver.(ch.19)

2.
PleasedescribethebackgroundandexperiencesoftheReverendEarlLittle.
WhowasheandhowdoyouthinkhislifeanddeathinfluencedMalcolm?
a. HewasthefatherofMalcolmX,asupporterofMarcusGarveyandthe
backtoAfricacampaign.HegaveMalcolmearlyexposuretoaseparatist
blackpridemovement.Hisdeathisaacatalysttorevealingtheunfairness
oftheworldMalcolmlivedin.ThisisbecauseitthrustsMalcolmintoa
punishingandharshworld
3.
HowdidMr.OstrowskisinteractionwithMalcolminfluenceMalcolms
thinking?TowhatextentwasthisinteractionatragiceventinMalcolms
life?
a. Itrevealedhowwhitesdidnotexpectblackstoperformwellinlife.It
changedthewayMalcolmviewedthewaywhitestreatedhim.Itdidthis
byshowingOstrowskisdifferentresponsestodifferentstudentswhen
informedofstudentambitions.Thiseventrevealedtheextenttowhich
blackswerentexpectedtoperformwellinlife.
4.
HowisMalcolmsdescriptionofhishairandconkarepresentationofthe
physicalandculturalexperienceofAfricanAmericans.?Howmightphysical
appearanceshapepersonalandsocietalconsciousness?
a. ItshowshowMalcolmbelievedAfricanAmericansweretryingtobe
morewhitelooking.TheculturalidentityofAfricanAmericanswas

beingerasedbytheirinequality.Peoplewouldjudgebasedon
appearance,andhavingawhiterappearancewouldleadtopeople
assumingonehadahighersocialstatus.

5.

DidMalcolmsparticipationinthejazzscenehaveapositiveornegative
impactonhislife?
a. Ithadabitofboth.Itleadtothecatalystthatopenedhiseyestotheevils
ofhisworld,andgavehimabackgroundwhichallowedhimtomakehis
teachingsmuchmoredowntoearth.However,hewhollyregretshaving
beeninvolvedinthejazzscene,andfeelsimmenseguiltoverthe
perversionofLaura.

6.

WhichofthemanycolorfulcharactersinMalcolmslifehadthegreatest
impactonMalcolm?

CadillacDrake
AlabamaPeach
Jumpsteady
CreoleBill
SammythePimp
WestIndianArchie

7.

WhateventsledtoMalcolmsincarcerationandwasprisoninevitable?
a. Hisdesperationandeventualburglaryringleadtohisincarceration.I
believeprisonwasinevitableforMalcolm,ashehadtoresorttomore
riskyhustlestosurvive.

Iwentdowntown
.(Ch.1019)

8.
WasMalcolmsprisonexperiencemostlyeducational,spiritualor
rehabilitative?Wasitanequalcombinationofallthree?
a. Itwasmostlyeducational.Iteducatedhiminspirituality,andheusedthe
educationtorehabilitatehimself,butheusedhistimeinprisontogive
himselfsomethingresemblinganeducation.
9.
ElijahMuhmmadclaimedthathistoryhasbeenwhitened.Whatdidhe
meanbythisandisthisstillthecasetoday?
a. Noonefocusedonwhatblackhistoryconsistedof,shovingittotheside
infavorofteachingwhitehistory.Ignoringtheculturalsignificancethat
AfricanhistoryhastoAfricanAmericansandalmosthidingitfromthem.
Itstillhappenstoday,somewhat.ThereisntasmuchafocusonAfrican
historyasthereisblackhistoryinAmerica.

Heloveshimselfsomuchthatheisstartledifhediscoversthathis
victimsdontsharehisvaingloriousselfopinion.

10.WhatisMalcolmsayingaboutwhitepeopleinthisquote?Isthisan
accuratestatementtoday?
a. Theyaretooselfabsorbedtocareaboutothers.Theyarenarcissists.No,
allpeople,includingwhites,areveryconsciousaboutoffendingothers
basedonrace.
11. MalcolmdescribestheUncleThomasandtheProfessionalNegro.Whatishe
talkingaboutinthatsectionofthebook?
a. TheAfricanAmericansthatparticipateintheracistsysteminordertolive
aslightlybetterlifeandreceivemorehandoutsfromthoseinpowerwhile
pretendingthemselvestobeadvancedintermsofcivilrights
12.WhatfactorscausedMalcolmtomoveawayfromtheNationofIslam?
a. Jealousyamonghispeers,therevelationthatElijahMuhammaddidnt
followNoIsvalues,andtheostracizingfortryingtojustifyElijah
Muhammadsactions.
13.HowdidMalcolmstravelabroadtoMeccachangehisworldview?
a. Itshowedhimthatwhitescouldbealright,butthattheculturalclimatein
Americawascreatingandurgingracisminthewhiteman.Itshowedthat
whenpeopleofallracescanliveinatrulyintegratedandequalsociety,its
notallthatbad.
14.Readthequoteonpage377aboutthecrimesofexploitingandenslaving

theworldsnonwhitepeoples.Isthisthoughtstillrelevantinourcentury?
a. Yes,imperialismstillhaslastingeffectsamongcountriesthathave
nonwhitepopulations.Manypreviouscoloniesarestillstrugglingto
recreatetheirownnationalidentitythathadbeendestroyedand
overwhelmedbythewhiteimperialists
15.AccordingtoMalcolm,whathasbeenhisgreatestlack?Howmighthisideas
andactionsbeendifferent?
a. Hisgreatestlackwasalackofformalhighereducation,accordingto
himself.Ifhehadreceivedahighereducation,hewouldhavehadthe
opportunitytousehisstatusasaneducatedmantogaingreater
influenceinmorerespectablecirclestoexertagreatersocialforceofhis
ideology

Achangeisgonnacome
(epilogue)

16.
ShouldMalcolmhavetakenmoreprecautionsintheend?Whydidhechoose
toliverelativelyunprotected?
a. Malcolmshouldhavetakenmoreprecautions,becauseIwanttoseewhat
wouldhewouldhavedoneandhowhewouldseetheworldcloserto
presentday.Thefactthathediddie,however,madehimamartyrto
many,andinspiredmanyotherstofightagainsttheiroppressors.He
chosetoliveunprotectedsoastoprovetohimselfthatheissafeamong
hisownkind,andasamessagethathebelievesthatunityisthewaytogo.

Itsnotverynicetopreachunityandgoodwillamongfellows,andthen
turnaroundandshowthatyoudonttrustthosefellows.
Nowthatyouhavereadthebook,gobacktotheoriginalquestion.Whowas
MalcolmXandwhatdidherepresent?
a. MalcolmXwasaspeakerwhopreachedAfricanAmericanunityand
pride.Hespokewhathefeltwastheobjectivetruth,andwasalways
searchingforwaystochangehistruth.Herepresentedcenturiesofpent
upfrustrationwiththeunfairandcruelwaysAmericatreatednonwhites.

17.

ThedirectorSpikeLeesaidthisabout
TheAutobiographyofMalcomX
.

ThemostimportantbookIlleverread.ItchangedthewayIthoughtit
changedthewayIacted.IthasgivenmecouragethatIdidntknowIhad
insideme.Imoneofthehundredsofthousandswhoselifewaschanged
forthebetter.

18.

WhydoyouthinkthisbookwassoimportanttoSpikeLee?Didthebook
haveanyimpactonthewayyouviewtheworld?Explain.
a. ThebookhadalittleimpactonhowIviewedtheworld.Ibecamemore
curiousinhowIviewedracerelationstoday.MalcolmXsstrugglesare
powerful,butwhatchangedmemostwasthewayMalcolmXthoughtand
perceivedtheworld.AfterhistriptoMecca,hebecameopenandwilling
toallowhisviewstochangebasedonhisexperiences.Hedidhisbestto
explainhisviewsinawaythatwasthoroughandproductive.Iwanttotry
toemulatethewayMalcolmXwaseventuallywillingtolearn,becauseI
feelthisopennesstolearningiswhatmadeMalcolmXsuchapowerful
inividual.

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