By contrasting his view of one thing from before the Nation of Islam to after Malcolm shows his change mentally since joining the Nation. In Chapter 3 Malcolm gets his first conk and vows to never be without one again (X 56). This is a sharp contrast to Chapter 14 where he says that, "It grieves me … [to] see this symbol of ignorance and self-hate on so many Negros' heads" (X 264). By showing his drastic change of thinking since joining the Nation Malcolm shows how much he has changed because of this religion. It shows how he began to better understand the brainwashing that white people are superior and self-hate that comes with that that black people have had to deal …show more content…
Malcolm's view on conks throughout the book showed his mental changes by using symbolism the readers can more clearly pick up on that. The use of illustrations through metaphors allowed for a deeper understanding of the complex concepts that Malcolm relates in his book. Malcolm was able to be a world renowned speaker and helped create this book even though he never went to college or even finished high school. Secular education is not as important as having a will and drive to learn and the materials available to do