Compare And Contrast Malcolm X And Douglass

In addition to intellectual curiosity, being well read is a quality that helped Douglass and Malcolm X become truly educated. Being well read helped both of them to learn vocabulary, spelling, and how to write. When Douglass knew how to read he came upon the word abolition. He didn’t know the meaning of the word so he read the dictionary, and a newspaper until he finally understood the meaning. He writes, “Every little while, I could hear something about abolitionists. It was some time before I found what the word meant. I set about learning what it meant” (pg. 919). Douglass’ ability to read helped him to learn how to write. He learned how to write by copying letters from books. Douglass’ master Thomas was in school and learned how to write …show more content…
Self-awareness was the final quality that helped Douglass and Malcolm X become truly educated. To be self-aware is to have conscious knowledge of your character, feelings, desires, and being aware of your surroundings. Being self-aware helped lead to their freedom. Douglass was aware that being a slave for life was not the life that he wanted to live. After learning to read Douglass wanted to learn how to write because he was planning on escaping in the future, but wanted to be able to live on his own. He felt that if he learned how to write then one day it would help him become free. Douglass says, “I wished to learn how to write, as I might have occasion to write my own pass” (pg. 920). Reading books helped Malcolm X feel free while he was in jail because through reading he learned about history, which helped him become self-aware about what was going on around him. Malcolm X talks about how he feels free when he says, “and my reading of books, months passed without my even thinking about being imprisoned. In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life” (pg. 964). Reading books helped change Malcolm X view on the world, and his way of