Malcolm X Questions and Essay

May 13

“Homemade Education” Response Questions

1.      Who or what motivated Malcolm X to begin his studies?

Bimbi and Mr. Muhammad and his teachings motivated Malcolm X.  He wanted to be able to write and learn words and their meanings so he could write and become knowledgeable.

2.      What did Malcolm X do to increase his vocabulary?

Malcolm X started studying the dictionary.  He would start with the beginning of the alphabet and write down the words and the meaning and continued on down the alphabet, until he started understanding and putting sentences together.

3.      This piece is sometimes printed under the title “Prison Studies”; what’s the difference between the initial responses a reader might have for an essay called “Homemade Education” vs. one entitled “Prison Studies”?

        I believe they wouldn’t take the prison study as serious as homemade education, simply because somepeople don’t see prisoners as being smart compared to someone that is educated through schooling and doesn’t have a prison background.  When even they are in prison they make bad choices doesn’t mean they can’t be smart or aren’t smart and are still willing to learn and teach themselves.

4. What are the different ways someone might react to the term “homemade”? What does the word mean to you, in terms of the way you were raised? (think food, clothes, or family

projects…both positive and negative)

Homemade to me is the way you were brought up, how your family raised you and the morals you grew up around.  I believe the people around you impact the way you live your life and the choices you make.  When I was younger we always sat down at the dinner table ate as a family with no TV on.  Times are changing and generations are changing and you don’t see this is much people tend to eat out more, or in a rush and don’t have time to do a family dinner. 

5.      At the end of the essay, Malcolm X states that even though he was in prison, he “had never been so truly free.” What do you think he means by this…how is this possible?

I think what he meant is he taught himself how to write in English and learn how the words are spelled and what the meanings of them are.  He taught himself to put sentences together and read and write.  This is huge for someone that never had those expectations for them self.  Although he is in prison, he still feels accomplished and didn’t give up and strived for learning and teaching himself, I believe in that way he feels free and relieved and knows he did something good for himself that no one can ever take from him.

Malcolm X essay

Achieving goals for one self is something that you have to strive and excel for.  Striving for your goals can become challenging and almost to the point where you think you can’t meet your goal.  There are steps that each person has to take to reach their goal and it can be a bumpy ride, but sticking with what you are striving for will be worth it all in the long run.  Going to college it took me an extra year, because I lived on my own and paid my own bills and had to work, so I went the minimum full time which is twelve hours each semester, it did set me back but now that I look back it I don’t have housing loans and extra loans to pay off, I paid my rent and other bills along the way and so when I get my job I can start saving money and put it towards a house, new car and so on. 

A goal I was reaching for is getting a degree under my belt.  I managed to accomplish and make my goal, but it was a rough ride along the way.  Even though I don’t have those extra loans to pay off, I had to work hard and manage my money throughout college.  My parents would help me out and offered when I needed help.  Dealing with work and going to school, which almost everyone does that can become stressful and hard at times.  One of my jobs during school was working at Alcoa.  It was a summer program for college students if one of your parents worked there.  It was Monday through Friday 6:30 to 2:30 every day and weekends off.  It was a great scheduled and they paid excellent, it was the most money I have ever made and it was a lot compared to what I was making.  At times I thought about what if I could just keep working here and building my way up and making a career at Alcoa.  Then after working there over the summer you learn that it is a lot of routine and hard work.  It’s hot in the summer and freezing in the winter, there are ups and downs working in a factory.  After seeing the downs it made me want to strive for more and be able to have a degree so I can have options and travel and move if I wanted to.  I believe it was good experience because it paid well, but even though it paid well it kept me motivated to keep going to school, because it was hard labor that not only for three to four months but could be a life time.  School isn’t for everyone neither is working in a factory, but everyone has different goals and challenges in life and that’s their decision on what one wants to do in their life.  Make your goals and life experiences count, you only live once and live life to the fullest!