“Homemade Education” Response Questions
1. Who or what motivated Malcolm X to begin his studies?
- · Letters that Malcolm X wrote to Mr. Elijah Muhammad motivated him to begin his studies. He wanted to be able to express himself in his letters the way he was able on the street.
2. What did Malcolm X do to increase his vocabulary?
- · Malcolm began to read and copy the dictionary.
3. This piece is sometimes printed under the title “Prison Studies”; what’s the difference between
the initial responses a reader might have for an essay called “Homemade Education” vs. one
entitled “Prison Studies”?
- · Readers would judge the piece before they even read it if it was entitled “Prison Studies.” They would feel that the person writing the piece was a criminal that did not deserve their respect.
4. What are the different ways someone might react to the term “homemade”? What does the
word mean to you, in terms of the way you were raised? (think food, clothes, or family
projects…both positive and negative)
- · People react to the word “homemade” differently. Some individuals hold these such items as more valuable than something they bought in a store. Other individuals would never consider using an object that was homemade.
- · To me this word means many things. Growing up on a farm we had a lot of homemade items. To me most of these items hold more value. A quilt made by my great-grandmother, homemade jelly, and homemade Halloween costumes are all more unique to me than something you buy off the rack at a store.
5. At the end of the essay, Malcolm X states that even though he was in prison, he “had never
been so truly free.” What do you think he means by this…how is this possible?
- · Malcolm probably felt freer because reading can move you. If you have a good imagination you don’t just read the words you submit yourself into the story. This can take you on adventures throughout other worlds and times.
No comments:
Post a Comment