Playwright James Baldwin once said, “You were born into a society which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways as possible, that you were a worthless human being. You were not expected to aspire to excellence: you were expected to make peace with mediocrity”. Such an environment is reflected in X: A Novel, which discusses the mistreatment of African Americans during the period of the 1930-40’s. Ilyasah Shabazz’s and Kekla Magoon’s extensive use of literary elements and effective point of view assert that the systemic oppression of African Americans can be attributed to individual intolerance. Additionally, they contend that this can cause young African Americans to fall on the wrong side of the law.
Shabazz’s and Magoon’s use …show more content…
After being conned on the streets of Boston, Malcolm reminisces about how he was swindled by a friend named Richie and recalls this interaction, “Hey, niggers, Richie’d say. Hey, we’d answer. Like it was no big deal. Just what they called us. A nickname” (99). Shabazz's utilization of a first person point of view allows us to see the rampant bigotry in the 1930’s from the perspective of an African American. We learn how Malcolm naively believed that Richie had no ill intent when he called him a “nigger” and that it was a part of everyday life rather than a derogatory term meant to oppress him. However, living in Harlem and Boston has made Malcolm realize what he often took for friendliness by the white kids and teachers was thinly veiled racism. This incident causes Malcolm to leave the integrated town of Sugar Hill for Roxbury, which is a predominantly black community. We know through Malcolm's thoughts that he makes this decision because he believes that white people will always discriminate against him, and chooses the life of a hustler in hopes of making it
Shabazz’s and Magoon’s use …show more content…
After being conned on the streets of Boston, Malcolm reminisces about how he was swindled by a friend named Richie and recalls this interaction, “Hey, niggers, Richie’d say. Hey, we’d answer. Like it was no big deal. Just what they called us. A nickname” (99). Shabazz's utilization of a first person point of view allows us to see the rampant bigotry in the 1930’s from the perspective of an African American. We learn how Malcolm naively believed that Richie had no ill intent when he called him a “nigger” and that it was a part of everyday life rather than a derogatory term meant to oppress him. However, living in Harlem and Boston has made Malcolm realize what he often took for friendliness by the white kids and teachers was thinly veiled racism. This incident causes Malcolm to leave the integrated town of Sugar Hill for Roxbury, which is a predominantly black community. We know through Malcolm's thoughts that he makes this decision because he believes that white people will always discriminate against him, and chooses the life of a hustler in hopes of making it