• “ ‘Well yes sir, I’ve been thinking I’d like to be a lawyer.’” –P. 38
• “All I knew for certain was that a lawyer didn’t wash dishes, as I was doing.” -P. 38
• “I was smarter than nearly all those white kids. But apparently I was still not intelligent enough, in their eyes, to become whatever I wanted.” –P. 38 -Detroit Red: In this period of his life, Malcolm was a smooth-talking hustler, who did all types of drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine. He made a lot of money by …show more content…
However, perhaps the characteristic of his that created such an amazing leader was his determination. Such great determination began to show when Malcolm was just a little kid. While his other siblings could never convince their mother to give them what they wanted, Malcolm always knew the way to go: noise. He claimed that so early in his life, he had learned, “If you want something, you had better make some noise.” (P. 8)This shows that Malcolm was determined to be heard, even as a young boy, and willing to do whatever it took to get his way. The determination he showed as a child continued to blossom while he was an adult, specifically while he was in prison. It was when Malcolm was in jail that he learned the way of Islam, and from this came a whole new type of determination: a type that stemmed from Allah, and religion. Malcolm X claimed while he was in prison he learned that “For evil to bend its knees admitting its guilt, to implore the forgiveness of God, is the hardest thing in the world.” (Page 173) This is referring to how he struggled to bend his knees to the ground and pray. However, through his determination, he was able to do it. Finally, Malcolm showed adept determination as a motivational speaker, while addressing the severity of multiple societal issues of that time period. He was determined to change the way people saw humanity. In a letter, he said, “I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” (P. 373)This showed his determination to bring together all of humanity, despite racial differences. Malcolm X’s determination as a whole contributed to him being a pivotal influence during his time