Malcolm X

           When I first started this novel, I was under the impression that I would be completely disinterested. Of course, I had heard of Malcolm X, but I didn't understand what his goal was through the speeches he made. The only thing I really knew of Malcolm X was that he made some bold statements and he wasnt't as peaceful as some of the other activists. As I started reading the novel, I realized how everything in people's lives really do connect, and it's usually towards the end of one's life that they can connect the dots for themselves. Everything from Malcolm's childhood to his early adult life truly had an impact on the person that he is today. Naturally, with me being on the outside of his life looking in, it's easy for me to say how one event connected to the next. Although I don't personally agree with some of the statements made by Malcolm X, it's definitely easy to see how he formulated these ideas he believed to be true. I also found the power of believing in yourself interesting. We've all heard that once you believe what you are saying, others will too, but Malcolm X is a huge example of this. He oozed knowledge and confidence in his speeches and it made people want to believe him, to want to follow him. He started off not being so confident in himself, partly because he wasn't educated. However, once he educated himself and found something that he believed in, it became much more natural for him to give the message to others that he had found light in.