The Autobiographical story “Coming to an Awareness of Language” by Malcolm X portrays the vivid experiences of his own personal development. It also furthers the benefit of education, by referencing his own. Malcom X’s education is not a conventional one, with typical schooling. It is rather an education of racism both on the streets, and out in the world – but Malcolm is consistently learning from his experiences, building his education.

Throughout your life, you will encounter those who haven’t been educated, these people are imprisoning themselves from the world around them. They are faced, on a daily basis with innumerable struggles and issues due to their illiteracy and lack of knowledge. They are forcing themselves from bettering themselves as they no not how.

Malcom X introduces his essay with “I’ve never been one for inaction.”, automatically alerting the reader of the tone which will continue throughout. By doing so he challenges the reader to subconsciously prove that they are also an ‘active’ person by continuing reading. The line acts as a hook, demonstrating the powerful message Malcolm X is trying to portray.

The main theme conveyed in this essay was the freedom which education provides you. “Anyone who has read a great deal can imagine the new world that opened.” Towards the end of his life Malcolm’s main mission was to explain and convince people to learn how to read and write. He tried to share the freedom which he felt once he had mastered the English language, this was what he was primarily trying to share.