The language perspectives of Malcolm X "Homemade Education" and Jimmy Santiago Baca "Coming into Language" give their accounts on the experiences they had in developing and accomplishing their vocabulary and language skills through self- exploration and determination. Malcolm X was an African American male, his perspective of language came from the streets of Harlem, his life as a hustler made him street smart. Before his incarceration he felt and expressed in his essay that he was one of “the most articulate hustlers out there” in the streets he could persuade people to listen and he felt he could be heard. (Pg.143:8). In his essay “Homemade education” during his earlier years of imprisonment he had an experience that gradually helped him
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When he was seven years old, because he couldn’t understand his lesson in class he was punished by his teacher. He recalls the embarrassment of that experience and his fear of being put on the spot in class. Not long after he dropped out of school in the ninth grade. (Pg. 152:3). Jimmy’s experience into enlightenment started while in jail. His language skills were limited and shallow. He stated in his essay “coming into language” that, “there was nothing so humiliating as being unable to express myself” he also stated that, “and my inarticulateness increased my sense of jeopardy, of being endangered.”(Pg. …show more content…
Both men in the beginning: lacked formal education, were self-taught, they were men of color, they dropped out of school at an early age, they wanted to be able to articulate and express stories, messages, and culture through words and writing, they both began language exploration and improvement while in prison, both identified with racial inequality in their lives and the historical fights for freedom and justice in their cultures, and lastly, they both became accomplished men.
The only difference in these journeys was the purpose. Malcolm X wanted to become a public speaker and express the injustices of African American people and try to reshape the thinking of the nation, while Jimmy Santiago wanted to become a writer and a poet to express freedom in writing so he could share his feelings, thoughts, and imaginations to whoever wanted to listen.
As I read these stories, the similarities in their passions to evolve and develop their language skills resonated with my own personal experience and journey with my perspective on language. Working at a school and being surrounded by educators, and the wealth of knowledge they have to offer made my reality come alive. My experience working closely with these individuals made it real clear that I was totally lacking in my ability to articulate and collaborate on a scholastic level. That’s when I knew I needed to explore learning
When he was seven years old, because he couldn’t understand his lesson in class he was punished by his teacher. He recalls the embarrassment of that experience and his fear of being put on the spot in class. Not long after he dropped out of school in the ninth grade. (Pg. 152:3). Jimmy’s experience into enlightenment started while in jail. His language skills were limited and shallow. He stated in his essay “coming into language” that, “there was nothing so humiliating as being unable to express myself” he also stated that, “and my inarticulateness increased my sense of jeopardy, of being endangered.”(Pg. …show more content…
Both men in the beginning: lacked formal education, were self-taught, they were men of color, they dropped out of school at an early age, they wanted to be able to articulate and express stories, messages, and culture through words and writing, they both began language exploration and improvement while in prison, both identified with racial inequality in their lives and the historical fights for freedom and justice in their cultures, and lastly, they both became accomplished men.
The only difference in these journeys was the purpose. Malcolm X wanted to become a public speaker and express the injustices of African American people and try to reshape the thinking of the nation, while Jimmy Santiago wanted to become a writer and a poet to express freedom in writing so he could share his feelings, thoughts, and imaginations to whoever wanted to listen.
As I read these stories, the similarities in their passions to evolve and develop their language skills resonated with my own personal experience and journey with my perspective on language. Working at a school and being surrounded by educators, and the wealth of knowledge they have to offer made my reality come alive. My experience working closely with these individuals made it real clear that I was totally lacking in my ability to articulate and collaborate on a scholastic level. That’s when I knew I needed to explore learning