Blog Post #5 - Malcolm X Chapter 3: Homeboy
Part 1: Record a 75-125 word response addressing the following prompt:
As documented through the numerous reflections that appear throughout Chapter 3, Malcolm’s time in Boston influenced him tremendously. Choose an experience that you feel had a major impact on Malcolm X’s later life. Use textual evidence from Chapter 3 to share the story, and then explain why and how this would have shaped the life of Malcolm X.
Part 2: Read through the comments made by other students and choose two comments to REPLY to.
An experience that impacted Malcolm's later life is meeting Shorty. Before meeting Shorty, Malcolm was independent and lurking around the new town he had arrived in, waiting for his time to find a job and go to work. When Shorty came along, Malcolm went into a snowball effect until he was a shoe shiner in a nightclub, getting drunk and smoking while gambling his nickles away as a young teen. This is proven when Malcolm says; “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I specifically can’t remember...as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (53). These events early in his life acted as a gateway to more bad decisions in life that started with an innocent boy meeting the right man.
ReplyDeleteI agree that meeting Shorty lead Malcolm to snowball down a rough path. Another example is when he conked his hair. Shorty helped encouraged him to do it and he gave into peer pressure. At first he liked it a lot but he revealed that it later lead to him degrading himself. Although Shorty was just suggesting a new hairstyle and didn’t mean any harm by it, it still impacted Malcolm a great deal.
DeleteI agree that meeting Shorty had the biggest impact on Malcolm X’s life. Malcolm was young and innocent when he went to Boston. He didn't care about drinking or smoking because he had other things that were more important to him. He had big dreams of becoming a lawyer and finishing school but once he met Shorty and Freddie he changed his priorities. I also think if he wouldn't have met Shorty he would've never discovered his passion for dancing.
DeleteI agree on how he was an independent kid who was not making those bad decisions. I also feel that Shorty is the root of all these decisions. We tend to be like the people we hang around with so if he hangs out with a person who makes bad decisions such as drinking, smoking, and gambling, he has a high chance to end up making those bad decisions often or even making worse decisions.
DeleteI agree with you Shorty majorly impacted Malcolm's life because if Shorty never approached Malcolm he never would have gotten the job at the club and wouldn't have started drinking and doing drugs at such a young age. Also if Malcolm never met Shorty he might have gone back to school and finished high school and gotten a better job and would have gone down a very different path.
DeleteI agree that Shorty had a big impact on Malcolm's life, because after meeting Shorty his life started a slow spiral downhill. When in Mason, Malcolm was a stellar student and then when he moved to Boston he started drinking and smoking and didn't even enroll in school. If he hadn't met Shorty I think his life would have went down a completely different path.
DeleteI agree that Shorty was the gateway to the life that Malcolm did choose, because beforehand he was being responsible and just waiting for a job so he could legally make money. However, meeting Shorty made him throw all of his plans into the trash.
DeleteMalcolm was definitely influenced in Boston by many experiences. I do not think he was influenced by the things he did, but more with people he met. He met Ella, Shorty, and Freddie in the new part of Boston. Although he was introduced to Shorty first and gained a connection with him, I feel Freddie is the one that lead Malcolm into more negative things, but at the same time, lead and showed him how to make a living around the area. For example, Malcolm says “Freddie got on the stand and went to work on his own shoes. Brush, liquid polish, brush, paste wax, shine rag, lacquer sole dressing . . . step by step, Freddie showed me what to do.” (Page 50). Along with teaching him how to shine shoes, he showed him very essential tips on where to shoe shine, when to, what else to sell and give out on the side, and how to get more customers. But by gaining this money and getting a pattern on what to do, he’s stuck in the night club half the time. Filled with pimps, alcohol, and gambling, which probably isn’t the best stuff to be around, especially as a teenager. As you get around this negative stuff, it will affect you in the future, later on in life.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting to hear that you think Freddie had more of an impact on Malcolm than Shorty. I can see where you are coming from as to how Freddie did more of the hands on work of showing Malcolm how to do things rather than Shorty just setting the example. Do you think if Freddie wouldn’t have shown Malcolm how to ‘hustle’ so much, he would have still stayed in the club to work?
DeleteI like your line of reasoning, but I feel Shorty was the more important guy in Malcolm's life as without Shorty, there would likely be no interaction with Freddie, and Shorty was very much involved in the partying culture himself too, so even without Freddie, Malcolm still would have been hanging out at the dances and using illicit substances.
Deletei also feel that Malcolm was influenced by being in boston because all he has ever known was michigan, and now he is is a big town and he is forced to figure what is good for him and what isn’t. I feel that shorty is making it harder for Malcolm to figure what is good and what is bad.
DeleteI agree that Shorty had an impact on Malcolm's life maybe just as much as Freddie did, but I was looking more at Freddie because he was more like a "father figure". He may not have shown the love a father would, but he taught him a lot of essential tasks to get money. I feel Shorty just showed Malcolm around and that's it.
DeleteI find this interesting because I didn't really see him as a "father figure" at first, I saw Freddie as more like a teacher because like you said he was teaching Malcolm how to do things, However I liked how you said he was like a father figure because Even though Freddie didn't show the love a father would give his son, He did teach him a lot of valuable things so he could take care of Malcolm as if he was like his son.
DeleteI agree that it was the people who influenced him more than the things he did, meeting Shorty being number one, Shorty showed him some of the stuff he continues to like, for example, dancing/Lindy-hopping. It helped show him a new way of life compared to the small country town he used to live in with his mom.
DeleteI think it's interesting how you view Freddie as a father figure, considering he had just met with Malcolm for one night to teach him his trade; shining shoes. I would have to disagree that Freddie had as big as an impact on Shorty just because Shorty is the one whom even introduced him to the job and the party scene, Freddie was just there to teach him how to shine shoes.
DeleteI like your reasoning as to why Freddie was a bigger influence to Malcolm than Shorty was, but I believe Shorty had a bigger effect because Malcolm would have never met Freddie if it weren't for Shorty.
DeleteAn experience that influenced Malcolm was when he met Shorty. Shorty took Malcolm under his wing and hooked him up with a job where he would have to shine shoes at a nightclub. At this job he experienced many things a teenager shouldnt have experienced at this age. An example of this is when he states, “The first liquor, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can’t specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (pg. 53). In this quote we see that he learned how to gamble, learned to smoke, learned how to hustle, drank his first drank, and even took his first drugs all with Shorty. As a result of this meeting Shorty opened a window that would lead him towards a rough future.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it was Shorty who lead Malcolm to the things that could have impacted his later life. It also leads me to ask, what if Malcolm never met Shorty? Would he still be the man he is today? What do you think would be of Malcolm if he found a basic job around town right away instead of meeting Shorty and finding work at the club with Freddie?
DeleteI agree because Shorty was an adult and Malcolm never specified he was a teenager. Shorty just assumed he was an adult as well because he looked like he would've been around the same age as Shorty. Regardless, Shorty was a bad influence on him and introduced him to the "real world", a world he wasn't ready for. He went from this really smart kid who wanted to be a lawyer, to someone who wants to spend his time at clubs and with people who are no good for him and who ended up really hurting his future.
DeleteI feel the event that had a major impact on Malcolm X’s life was meeting shorty, “As I stared through the window this particular afternoon, something made me decide to venture inside and talk to a dark, stubby, conk-headed fellow who racked up balls for the pool-players, who I’d heard called “Shorty”(45). If Malcolm would have never walked past the place Shorty worked, or had the instinct to go in and talk to him, they would have never met. If Shorty and Malcolm had never met, Malcolm would have never got the job at the Roseland State Ballroom and possibly would have never been exposed to dancing, drugs, alcohol and all the other things he experienced at such a young age. This is a big impact on Malcolm X’s life because these are the things he did when he got to Boston, if he had never done any of these things, he may have become a different person.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Shorty was impactful towards Malcolm's life. He needed a job and Shorty got him one, Shorty gave him some extra cash, even offered some advice on the women that would pop up at the clubs and ballrooms. “Ain't no different nowhere- There’s nothing they love better than a black stud.” (47)
DeleteI agree that this may have had the biggest impact on Malcolms life. Although Shorty gave Malcolm a friend group, I don't think a lot of positives came out of it. Malcolm was exposed to drugs and alcohol at a very young age. This led him to believe that it was ok and he should partake. Overall, Malcolm did turn out to be an amazing person, but I'm left wondering how different his life would've been without the ghettos influence.
DeleteThe event that had a major impact on Malcolm X’s life is meeting Shorty and Freddie. If he would have never met them he wouldn't have been exposed to so many things so young. Shorty found him a job at a nightclub as a shoe shiner where he met a new group of friends that smoked, hung out with multiple women, gambled, and drank alcohol. This impacted his life because he probably would've gone in a different life direction if he were to just work somewhere else. A quote that shows this is when Malcolm says “The first liquor, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can't specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (page 53) Another reason meeting Shorty and Freddie impacted him is because Malcolm might have never been as proud of his skin color as he is now if he would have never been in an environment with people who were so proud of their skin color.
ReplyDeleteI agree that meeting Shorty and Freddie impacted his life substantially. He did what the crowd did. He gambled, drank, and smoked. All of that makes me wonder what you think his life would have been like if he didn’t meet Shorty and Freddie? What job would he have got? Would he have his first drink, first cigarette, or first drug at 13? How would his later life be impacted by not meeting them?
DeleteI agree that Freddie was an impact on Malcolm's life. He gave him advice on good shoeshining and how easy it is to get some extra cash in his pockets. “Get here early...your shoeshine rags and brushes by this footstand...your polish bottles, paste wax, suede brushes over here...everything in place, you get rushed, you never need to waste motion…” (49)
DeleteI agree that Shorty and his friends had an impact on Malcolm's life because they told him to get some extra money shoe shining and so he did, and then he went on to work at a drugstore and make more money and this all leads back to when he moved to Boston from Lansing.
DeleteI agree that meeting Freddie had an impact/influenced Malcolm because he helped Malcolm get some money by shoe shining and gave him tips on it. This helped Malcolm get on his feet and make some money.
DeleteAn experience that influenced Malcolm later in his life is when he got used to being in the club working for shorty because he went from being 13 and a teenager to acting like he’s 21 drinking, smoking and looking at prostitutes. A quote I found that influenced this is, “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can’t specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shootings craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends” (Haley 53). This quote explains how Malcolm grew up from making $2 shoe shining.
ReplyDeleteI used this same quote and agree that the shoe shining job was what led to the big changes in Malcolm's life. It is amazing how grown-up he started acting in such little time, and how little people seemed to care or notice; nobody has ever carded him or asked for an ID (which is likely explained by the historical context of it being circa 1940).
DeleteI think that Malcolm looking older than he was also helped him to do these things and with all the things he now discovered he also discovered dancing witch i think will help him out later
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DeleteI agree that Shorty changed his life, but he was not the owner of the club that Malcolm worked at. Shorty did his own thing as a Rack boy at a pool room and Malcolm worked at a club with Freddie shinning shoes.
DeleteI agree that Shorty impacted Malcolm, he never knew how old Malcolm was and lead him on a rough path for someone that young. Malcolm at that age should've been in school.
DeleteIn my opinion when Malcolm met shorty is when his life changed. Shorty introduced Malcolm to strip clubs, hookers, drugs, and alcohol but he also got Malcolm his first job as a shoe shiner. Although shorty might think that Malcolm is older because of how he looks.If Malcolm listened to his sister he wouldn’t have ever been exposed to those things and he might be back in school learning and trying to become a lawyer. “ The first liquor, my first cigarettes, even my first refers, I cant specifically remember. But i know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as i started hanging out at night with shorty and his friends.” ( page 53) This quote shows how negatively these people have influenced Malcolm and how if he had listen to Ella he wouldn’t have experienced these things for a while.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Malcolm might've had a better life if he listened to Ella and stayed away from the ghetto part of the city. He life could've been drastically different then what it was. I also agree with you that Malcolm was too young to be doing the things he was doing with Shorty and his friends.
DeleteI agree with you. If he didn’t walk past that club that one night he would not have looked in the window and met Shorty. Yes, there were a couple times when Shorty was a good influence and role model for Malcolm. But he was more bad than good for Malcolm.
DeleteI agree, Malcolm would have had a much better future if he didn't meet Shorty and act as if he were an adult when its clear he wasn't. He wasn't ready for what Shorty showed him. But it was as if he were trying to prove that he was an adult by acting like Shorty and doing the thing shorty does. Once Malcolm meet Shorty its as if his entire future went up in flames.
DeleteI feel that Shorty has made a large impact on Malcolm X’s life because before he met Shorty, he never smoked, drank or did any of that stuff and now he has. Malcolm X says, “The first liquor, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can't specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (Page 53). His friendship with shorty already started influencing him to drink and smoke. So what’s stopping him from doing more than that? They could all eventually start doing a bunch of different drugs or even trafficking them.
ReplyDeletei agree with you Brandon its a good thing Malcolm has a job but with them not knowing Malcolm's age it could turn out bad for Malcolm
DeleteI agree, Shorty did indeed make an impact on Malcolm's life. It did indeed start with him with the quote you provided as evidence shows that Malcolm himself even proclaims it all started when "I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends." Including Malcolm probably wanted more a thrill when he was asides himself from academics. Which Shorty did provided him with the added bonus of help finding Malcolm an job.
DeleteIn Malcolm X’ autobiography on major life experience I think is malcolm getting a job as a shoe shiner because he learns more about what goes on in the city he finds a new passion for dancing but he also gets exposed to bad things like smoking and drinking “some hustles you’re too new for. Cats will ask you for liquor some will want reefers. But you don’t need to have nothing except rubbers “.(51)
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a good job for him because he can make money and gain work experience but he is in fact exposed to those negative and harmful lifestyles. I think he should get a new job so he is not exposed to any of those activities.
DeleteI agree with you because Malcolm could see how life in the city was like and how people in the big cities acted compared to people living out in the country. Malcolm jumped right into the big city life by working at a place where huge dances were always being thrown, so he got a feel for how people acted real quick by being around so many at his job.
DeleteI agree with you as to Malcolm getting a job at the club impacting his life negatively, because that only exposed Malcolm even more to all of the drinking, drugs and prostitution. The dancing also added to Malcolm going out more because he wanted to meet all the girls and dance with them and, because there was smoking and drugs and drinking at the club Malcolm was exposed to it even more. Also with Malcolm doing these things while he was at the club and dancing which was something he loved he associates drinking and drugs with dancing so, when he goes to the dances he would end wanted to them more because to him its just apart of the dances.
DeleteI understand your point, but I think the shoe shining job was more good than bad for Malcolm to have because he learned a new trade and made money. I do agree that he was exposed to bad things that may impact his future negatively because of what goes on in the city though, and I’m curious to know, do you think he would have been exposed to these things if he had gotten a different job? It seems to me that being exposed to gambling, smoking, drinking, and reefers was bound to happen because of the area he was in and the friends he chose, rather than being a shoe shiner.
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ReplyDeleteI think meeting Shorty was the most impactful event in his life. Shorty introduced Malcolm to alcohol, cigarettes, and a hairstyle called a ‘conk’. “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes… I can’t specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day” (3-53-4). Shorty introduced him to a lot of things at such a young age that he’ll be influenced by Shorty
I absolutely agree with you that meeting Shorty was the greatest impact on Malcolm X’s life. Shorty was the cause of Malcolm’s first job in Boston and his first time trying alcohol and drugs. Without meeting Shorty Malcolm’s whole life could have turned out differently. Even though Shorty was not a good influence on Malcolm because he was exposing him to these bad things at such a young age, he was a big person in Malcolm’s life first heading into Boston.
Deletei do agree with meating shorty changed his life and he did let him take advantige of malcom
DeleteI agree with your statement about Shorty having a big impact on Malcolm's life. Seeing as Shorty introduced Malcolm to Freddie who changed his life a lot showing him the ropes of how to truly make money in Boston.
DeleteI disagree with you that meeting shorty had the most impact on Malcolm's life. Because I feel that their where events that had a greater impact than the meeting with shorty. Shorty had some impact i believe but not a big impact.
DeleteI strongly agree with you that Malcolm changed so much once he met and started to hangout more with Shorty. Malcolm was so different before he went to Boston. Like when he got to Boston he was looking a museums and other school related things but as soon as he met Shorty, he forgot all about school and started to work, think about girls, party, drink, smoke, and even changed his appearance!
DeleteOne experience that had a major impact on Malcolm X's life is when he met Shorty. Shorty showed Malcolm what life was like in the black ghetto of the city and he showed Malcolm how things worked. He helped him get a job and start making money, help him buy his first zoot suit, and gave Malcolm his first conk. But hanging around Shorty and his friends would get Malcolm into trouble latter on because he said, "The first liquor I drank... as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends." (Haley 53). At this point in the story, Malcolm was still only a teenager, so he was doing illegal things with Shorty and his friends. Shorty seemed like a good person to Malcolm, but the things he would end up doing with them would get him into a lot of trouble and eventually, Malcolm would end up in jail because of it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. If he didn’t walk past that club that one night he would not have looked in the window and met Shorty. Yes, there were a couple times when Shorty was a good influence and role model for Malcolm. But he was more bad than good for Malcolm.
DeleteI like to believe that the thing that impacted Malcolm is the people he met. They all had an influence on him and impacted him somehow. :For example, Shorty. He was helping Malcolm. He was being like a male role model which Malcolm needed at the time. Shorty was showing him the ropes. Telling him how he can get a job that pays legally. Ella was like the mother Malcolm needed. She was there for him. Made him food, clothed him, and took care of him like he was her own. The Gohanneses. They also raised and took care of him. They were a white family yet they did not see Malcolm as an African-American. They saw him as another little boy in need of a family.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that all of these people made significant impacts on Malcolm's life, but do you think you could single out one particular person as most significant?
DeleteThroughout the time in Boston, Freddie and Shorty impacted Malcolm the most because through Freddie, he got a job with Shorty, to which they both showed Malcolm the ropes around shoe shinning and how to hustle, along with drinking, smoking and gambling. Q1 - "You can make ten, twelve dollars a dance if you work everything right, the main thing you got to remember is that everything in the word is a hustle," (51). Q2- "The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes... I can't specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting scraps.. as I started hanging out at night with Shorty as his friends," (53). Malcolm would've not learned anything like that if he didn't meet Shorty or Freddie and this will be a negative impact on his life later on because this will all become a bigger problem as stuff like this usually does.
ReplyDeleteOne experience that changed Malcolm X’s life, was when he met Shorty. Malcolm looked like and adult and Shorty just assumed that he was when he was barely a teenager. He was introduced to things no kid his age should ever have to see. Here is an example of the things that Shorty introduced to Malcolm X, “He pointed out some gamblers and some pimps. Some of them had white whores, he whispered. ‘I ain’t going to lie, I dig them two-dollar white chicks,’ Shorty said. ‘There’s a lot of that action around here, nights: you’ll see it.’ I said I already had seen some. ‘You ever had one?’ he asked. My embarrassment at my inexperience showed.”(47) These experiences are part of the things that led Malcolm down the wrong path later on in life.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Shorty had a lot of impact on Malcolm and his decisions because Shorty was able to connect very well with Malcolm. It would have been weird if they just started talking and had nothing in common or talked about not so exciting things: "I could sense Shorty's genuine gladness, and I don't have to say how lucky I felt to find a friend as hip as he obviously" (Haley 46). Reading this quote it really shows you how if he did go up to someone different he wouldn't have had the same good vibes as Shorty.
DeleteThe most impact later on in Malcolm X’s life had to be when he moved to Boston. In the autobiography of Malcolm X says, “Ella began to grow concerned, because even when I had finally had enough sight-seeing, I didn’t stick around very much on the hill… I didn’t want to disappoint or upset Ella, but despite her advice, I began going down into the town ghetto section. That world of grocery stores, walk-up flats, cheap restaurants, poolrooms, bars, storefront churches, and pawnshops seemed to hold a natural lure for me”(44 and 45). Why i choose this quote was because it shows that for some reason he felt a “Natural lure” to the ghetto side of town in Boston.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you because when he moved to Boston he began to realize how differently blacks acted, particularly the "Hill Negros". As he didn't want to become that kind of person, he felt more drawn to the ghetto parts of Boston where he felt blacks were being more true to themselves.
DeleteYou make a great point that another major impact on Malcolm X’s life was moving to Boston. If Malcolm X hadn’t become distant after his teacher told him to look for a more realistic career, he may have never moved to Boston and stayed with Ella. Boston and all the people he met impacted his life in big ways and small ways, but if he had never moved to Boston, he would have never had any of these people in his life beside Ella.
DeleteMeeting Frankie and learning how to hustle I think has changed his later life based on learning how to be an adult as a teenager and getting those experiences can really help. There were both good and bad things that he could take from those experiences like he met some really inspiring people that gave him some insight on some things, but he also had some not so good experiences like learning how to hustle people out of there money, also learn who is and is not a cop so you can make some extra cash by selling some liquor or reefer. “Some hustles you’re too new for, Cats will ask you for liquor, some will want reefers. But you don’t need to have nothing but rubbers--until you can dig who’s a cop.” (Halsey 51)
ReplyDeleteThese comments are from Blayne
DeleteI still think a child shouldn't have to grow up that fast granted the situations he was put in really didn't give him a choice, but for him being so smart you would think he would know when to stop.
DeleteMalcolm X’s time in Boston made a huge impact on his life in general, though one experience I feel in particular led to the most change in who he was is when Shorty got him the job shining shoes. While it itself may not seem like much, this proved to be a catalyst for much change in his life; he ended up shining the shoes of many notable musicians and became fully integrated in black life and culture in Boston: “The first liquor I drink, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can’t specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (53) It was this experience of working as a shoe shiner that truly unlocked for him what black culture had to offer and got him involved in the stuff he shouldn’t have been doing (alcohol, drugs, gambling), which would cause him to complete the descent into criminal activity a little later in his life and the transformation from country boy from Michigan to Harlemite with a “rap sheet”, and eventually civil rights leader.
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing that with all the exposure to drugs,alcohol, and gambling, Malcolm was still mentally strong enough to pull himself together. Becoming someone who at the time was a household name, Malcolm defeated the odds. Its quite impressive that he didn't fall into the same hole in which Laura ended up in. I do think it was important for Malcolm to experience the less up-tight and fabricated lifestyles of the people on the hill. Without it, I wonder if he would've been less motivated to empower the belief in young black people that they really can become a banker or lawyer.
DeleteI agree with the fact that Malcolm has come a long way. From being a nobody in Lansing all the way to becoming a civil rights leader. Although, there were many points in his life that inspired him to keep moving forward like meeting Ella, Shorty and his friends. I'm surprised that all of the exposure to drugs and alcohol, he didn't get addicted to any of it which surprised me.
DeleteI agree with this, Not only did Shorty impact Malcolm's life in a good way by helping him get a job but he also impacted his life in a bad way, because like you said he was introduced to so many bad things like Drugs, alcohol and even gambling.
DeleteI believe an experience that impacted Malcolm’s later life the most was seeing how the Hill Negros acted versus how the “ghetto” Negros acted. He observed that the Hill Negros always acted like they were more prestigious than others and were more accustomed to the white lifestyle. “The only difference was that the ones in Boston had been brainwashed even more thoroughly. They prided themselves on being incomparably more “cultured,” “cultivated,” “dignified,”” (42). Seeing black people act so unnatural of themselves made Malcolm realize that he didn’t want to become that way, he wanted to continue to be true to who he was and not become “brainwashed” by whites which in the long run has pushed him to fight for what is right.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that this could be another impact on Malcolm's life because it shows how he went back and forth from the Hill Negros to the ghetto Negros.
DeleteIn his later life he was very cool or known as a cool cat and this all started when he got to Boston, in Boston he got a new look like the conk and a zoot suit, he started hanging around with some shady people like shorty. In a part of the text he is getting and explaining the conk. “ I don't know which kind of self-defacing conk is greater shame-the one you’ll see on the heads of the black so-called”middle class “ and “ upper class,” who ought to know better, or the one you’ll see on the poorest, most down-trodden, ignorant black man.”
ReplyDeleteI think that because he was so well known it was easier for him to slip up or do some things that would create some bad habits down the road. It's the ones who know people who tend to get mixed up in the wrong crowd.
DeleteThe reflection that had the most impact would have to be Malcolm meeting Shorty. Without Shorty, Malcolm may have continued his focus on school and his proudness towards his skin. Unfortunately, Malcolm starts to lose his dignity when he gets his first conk. Later saying “I don't know which kind of self-defacing conk is the greater shame”(Haley57). The conk idea was of course pressured onto Malcolm, who was once proud of his darker skin and even “Hated every ounce of that white rapist blood in me”(Haley3). Malcolm, changing his hair to look more white (because of Shorty) is a complete change in his beliefs. Meeting Shorty had a huge impact because the Malcolm we knew back in Lansing was proud and motivated, The Malcolm we know now is starting to slip off track.
ReplyDeleteAlthough i do feel that shorty could be at fault for some major things, lets not forget Malcolm was also his own person and if Malcolm really wanted to stop then he could have looked for it maybe threw Ella or even maybe just gone home and talked to his siblings because he wrights to them anyway.
DeleteI agree, he was likely 13 years old and very influential, shorty took advantage of that and took risks through him. Its hard to believe that shorty had no impact on him.
DeleteA time that impacted Malcolm X’s life was the time that he met Shorty. When he first went to Boston he acted the way he was taught on how to act when he lived in Michigan. When he got to Boston and realized how he was surrounded by African American. When Ella told him to go and explore Boston, he went to a museum and was looking at places as if he was an adult. As he was walking he compared himself to the other African Americans there. He compared himself to them on how he was dressed, his hairstyle, how he walked, and how he would talk. When he met Shorty, his life changed. Malcolm started using slang, he changed his look, he would go to clubs, he met girls, started gambling and etc. “He pointed out some gamblers and some pimps…’There’s a lot of that action around here: you'll see it.’” (47) This is when Shorty started telling Malcolm about what goes on around the neighborhood. This leads to when Malcolm goes to the club and gambles which is when Malcolm starts to change throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. I didn't think of this point of view of how Shorty changed Malcolm's physical appearance, more than Malcolm's experience in the city. As you said, he changed his hair with conk, learned to dance, had zoot suits, and how he talked. Nice job on this elaboration!
DeleteI believe that when Malcolm first went to the other side of Boston where people acted more themselves instead of putting on airs is the greatest moment that has an impact on his later life. Having more interest to the other side I think will have the most impact later on because if they didn't have the other side than he wouldn't have become the person he is. The only reason he likes dancing, smoking, and gambling is because he hit off really good with Shorty. Imagine if he went to someone different that wasn't so welcoming like Shorty or if there was just the side with everyone he knows trying to get approval from the rest of society: “Not only was this part of Roxbury much more exciting, but I felt more relaxed among n-- who were being their natural selves and not putting on airs” (Author 45). So if the other side wasn't there I don't think he would've ever felt relaxed or he would have never experienced the smoking, drinking, and clubbing. Since the people in the ghetto were opposite of the preppy side Malcolm was able to find Shorty who actually came from the same city he did so they already had so much in common despite their age difference.
ReplyDeleteI agree i feel it wasn't just about the people that changed Malcolm but also the experience of the things hes done but i also feel Ella had something to do with it as well.
DeleteThe experience that changed Malcolm the most was when he started going into nightclubs which was introduced by Shorty. He also claimed that it was sort of going to happen anyway “like hundreds of thousands of country bred Negroes who had come since, I’d also acquired all the other fashionable ghetto adornments” (Page 59). Then it changed him so drastically to the point he felt he was like a wind up toy whenever the music started “You know those “dancing Jibagoo” toys that you wind up? Well, I was like one” (Page 60). But when he starts to fall in love with Laura he reflects on himself how he used to love books and academics like Laura. “I felt let down, thinking how I had turned away from the books I used to like when I was back in Michigan” (Page 64)
ReplyDeleteI agree because Malcolm meeting Shorty changed Malcolm's life of being a educated person with good grades and academics to being a person who goes out into night clubs, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes.
DeleteI don't disagree but Meeting shorty was probably the biggest impact so far on his life, he was extremely influenced by the actions shorty took and how he phrased them. If he would have pursued his life without meeting shorty then maybe he could have been something bigger, whether he would become more famous or more impactful His whole life changed due to shorty.
DeleteI agree, Shorty had a big impact on Malcolm since Malcolm looked up to Shorty as sort of a brother, yes, Shorty introduced him to some negative things like drugs, prostitutes and alcohol but he also helped Malcolm find his passion for dancing, "Lindy-Hopping".
DeleteI find it interesting that most others, including me, blamed his poor choices on meeting Shorty entirely but you found that what impacted his life was going to the night clubs in general. Malcolm, as his own person, chose to conform to his new surroundings. I didn’t think about it this way at first but now I see that Shorty was only a stepping stone to Malcolms own ultimate decision to go to the night clubs regularly, creating bad habits that could effect his future negatively. I completely agree with your thinking!
DeleteIn chapter three Malcolm starts to hangout with shorty more and more and this will have a major negative impact on Malcolm because shorty is all about the prostitutes, drugs and drinking which means Malcolm will start drinking and doing drugs “Shorty talked to me out of the corner of his mouth: which hustlers- standing around, or playing at this or that table- sold “reefers,” or had just come out of prison… He pointed out some gamblers and some pimps.”(pg 47) By Malcolm being exposed to all of these things at such a young age it will only lead to bad things happening to him.
ReplyDeleteIt is agreed that Shorty did influenced Malcolm's negative part of life. But Shorty also did give Malcolm an job and a band of friends. Shorty provided Malcolm with an thrill which Malcolm took at admitting an high dosage, causing him to want to party every night for the excitement. Also he was introduced to more people at the nightclubs some that will probably impact his later life.
DeleteI agree with you because when you are still young you don't know what is right or wrong. And if someone does not tell what is right or wrong you'll just continue to either drink, smoke, drugs, and etc....
Deletei agree with you because shorty was the one that got him into all the drugs and drinking
DeleteThe experience that had a major impact on Malcolm’s later life was when he went to explore the ghetto area of Roxbury and met new people such as Shorty. Story starts with Malcolm going sight-seeing around Boston to feel what it’s like to live in the town when he was told by Ella. After sight-seeing Ella told Malcolm he should go hang out with people his age because he was so entranced by the music playing on jukeboxes, reading the plaques, seeing historic buildings, markers, and statues as if he was a curious old man. A piece from text to show this is, “Ella began to grow concerned, because even when I had finally had enough sight-seeing, I didn’t stick around very much on the Hill. She kept dropping hints that I ought to mingle with the ‘nice young people my age’ who were to be seen in the Townsend Drugstore two blocks from her house, and a couple of other places” (Malcolm X 44). After receiving those advice tips from Ella, Malcolm decides to explore the ghetto section he calls it in Roxbury. After a while he soon saw a bar from outside the window, peeking into the bar, and later he gets invited in by a person named Shorty. Shorty assumes that Malcolm is the same age as him, so they started talking about their life and where they lived. Shorty also showed Malcolm how things worked around in this area of the town. The things involved pimps using females to do business for them, gambling such as betting, prostitution, drinking alcohol, and use of drugs. This affected Malcolm because he was only a teen, fourteen years old, had great academics and grades, and was in good health.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Shorty is having a major impact on Malcolm because he is the main reason Malcolm is on the path that hes on. If Malcolm would he most likely would have continued with an interest to learn and instead of finding a job he might have returned to school. An example of this is when Shorty introduces Malcolm to clubs,drugs and prostitutes.for example "shorty introduced me to players and lounger" (Haley,47) and "shorty had told him to hold the job for me" (Haley,48) meaning Shorty introduced the club to Malcolm were he started to use drugs and see prostitutes.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Malcolm was impacted by Shorty and that Shorty lead him down a bad road and got him into drugs,clubs and prostitutes. And if he wouldn't have met Shorty and been finding a job he could have continued with school with how smart he was.
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ReplyDeleteI truly feel that the time that impacted Malcolm's life more then ever was actually Ella and when he moved in. I feel Ella is a bigger impact then shorty just for the fact that while shorty is running around and causing trouble, Ella gave Malcolm a roof and time to explore with kids his own age. Ella also kind of stands out as a mother figure to Malcolm because he lost his dad at such a young age but then his mother went crazy and on top of that he adores her because she loves who and what she is. "Ella had fixed up a nice little upstairs room for me. And she was truly a Georgia Negro women when she got into the kitchen with her pots and pans." pg 41 I feel Malcolm was able to learn things better from Ella because of how protective she is but also the experiences she had/has gone threw.
ReplyDeleteI disagree because he doesn't hang out with kids his own age, but adults that are in their twenties since he looks much older than teens and acts more mature which would make people think he is a adult.
DeleteI would agree with you because Malcolm talked about how different his old life style was compared to him in Boston he noticed how differently people think and dress and im guessing because of his young age his brain is like a sponge meaning he can easily change the way he thinks from studying to making bad decisions.
ReplyDeleteAn experience that influenced Malcolm X later in his life would be his “lindy-hopping” at Rosedale Club, this experience showed him what it is like to have a life outside of academics and to be social. There was some negative things going on like drinking, smoking and gambling but he gained a passion for a style of dancing called “Lindy-hopping” which is an intense and fast style of dancing. This helped Malcolm become more social and follow his dream.
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ReplyDeleteI believe Malcolm was influenced a lot throughout in Boston by many experiences. One experience that In my opinion had the biggest impact on Malcolm's life was him meeting Shorty because not only was he nice to Malcolm but Shorty helped him a ton for example getting a job. From the start, Shorty was treating him like someone really close to him. He was also introduced to many things because of that job he got for example liquor and alcohol he starts telling the readers his experiences from it by saying “The first liquor I drink, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can’t specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together” (53) he also talks about how he was also introduced to more things like gambling ”my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (53) Malcolm met a lot more people throughout his adventure with him however Shorty had the biggest impact in his life.
ReplyDeleteThe most impactful event that affected him later on in life was meeting shorty, more specifically this moment in his life, “I told him that I’d washed restaurant dishes in Mason, Michigan. He nearly dropped the powder can. ‘My homeboy! Man, gimme some skin! I’m from Lansing’” Haley46. When he explained he was from Lansing, that kicked off their friendship. The way Malcolm was heavily influenced by Shorty Is not only building up to maybe a betrayal. And later in the story shorty starts to become less of the subject and more of a side character but still has a bad influence.
ReplyDeleteI agree that impacted Malcolm's later life is meeting Shorty. Before meeting Shorty, Malcolm was independent and lurking around the next town. Do you think if Freddie wouldn't have shown Malcolm how to "hustle" so much, he would have still stayed in the club to work?Also if Malcolm never met shorty he might have gone back to school and finished high school and gotten a better job and would have gone down a very different path.As you get around this negative stuff, it will affect you in the future, later on in life.
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ReplyDeleteThe biggest event that happened in his life was meeting Freddie the one that showed him how to clean shoes because he was the only one that showed him how to “Hustle” and was more hands on then anyone else in his life for example “ Freddie got on the stand and went to work on his own shoes. Brush,Liquid polish, brush paste was shine rag, lacquer sole dressing. Step by step Freddie showed me what to do (page 50). But showing him this help him with his adult life because he wouldn't have been able to do the things he can now have confidence and multitask doing bad things in the club.
An experience that impacted Malcolm X’s future was meeting Shorty. Before he had even moved, life for him was completely different, being around racism everyday. Then when he moved, Shorty came along and helped Malcolm, but not in the best way. Shorty, being so much older, introduced Malcolm to a lot of things he shouldn’t have. This lead to him doing drugs, drinking and gambling all for the first time. Malcolm said, “The first liquor, my first cigarette,” (Haley 53). Malcolm experienced these at such a young age because of the freedom he had. His sister let him go and do whatever he felt on his own unlike back at home.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Shorty has impacted Malcolm's life because he was the first person he really got to know and he made him the guy that he was. Shorty was like his older brother and he was the one that showed him all the things he didn't know and he learned how to to be more open and he impacted him because he was around drugs and he wasn't used to that but he adjusted it the new environment.
DeleteAlthough there are countless influences in Malcolm's life, considering his environment, people, and other circumstances, including his own choices. Malcolm's adolescence life seems to be governed by one person in particular who is his "homeboy" shorty. Shorty takes Malcolm under his wing and shows him the ropes of Boston, and how to hustle, but not everything he shows Malcolm is a positive influence ”my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends” (53). Shorty creates a hustler's persona for Malcolm by teaching him how to hustle, and gamble, which seems nice, but the question is, will this "hustler's persona" lead to Malcolm taking bigger risk for a bigger reward? I believe so.
ReplyDeleteAn experience that affected Malcolm’s later life tremendously was meeting Shorty. When Malcolm got to Boston, he was delighted to see others of his race acting as their authentic selves. Before this, Malcolm felt very out of place in his hometown, and Shorty was going to help him figure out what this new lifestyle in Boston was all about: ““You’re my homeboy--Im going to school you to the happenings”” (46). This is when Malcolm started making choices that weren't good for him, especially as a teenager: “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, … and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hangingout at night with shorty and his friends” (53). Meeting Shorty changed Malcolm‘s way of life, turning him to more carefree and risky choices, which could lead him down the wrong path in the future.
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ReplyDeleteBeing in boston influenced Malcolm in many ways. Many of them being bad, despite him having good intentions. One thing that really influenced Malcolm in his later life would had to have been shorty as he was a bad example of what to look up too.“first liquor, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I can't specifically remember. But I know they were all mixed together with my first shooting craps, playing cards, and betting my dollar a day on the numbers, as I started hanging out at night with Shorty.” (53) Malcolm got into some pretty bad situations whether he realized it or not, this had created some bad habits for him as he continued to do so in Boston. Another bad habit for him, was hustling as shorty explained to him "You can make ten, twelve dollars a dance if you work everything right, the main thing you got to remember is that everything in the word is a hustle," (51). All in all shorty was more of a negative person to come across Malcolm's life that had a huge impact on how he would perceive people who he would later surround himself with and how he would act upon certain situations.
Yes I agree with you because just like how the last chapter was called "Mascot," it was about how Malcolm talked about him comparing himself to the others and not fitting it. Later on he sees all these African Americans but sees them differently. He talked about how they dressed, how they talked, how they walked, and their lifestyle. He compared himself to them and saw how he should be more like them because they have the same race. Once again it made him feel left out which later leads to him making changes on himself.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Shorty had the most impact on Malcolm's life. I believe this because his life was heading down a completely different route before they met, Malcolm was a stellar student whom had never had a sip of alcohol or even a cigarette, but that all changed after he moved to Boston and met Shorty. Shorty introduced Malcolm to the party scene, by being thrown in he started taking after the people he was surrounded by. Before long he was drinking and smoking with this party crowd. This is proven when Malcolm says; “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I specifically can’t remember...as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (53). Shorty had a huge impact on Malcolm, since he was so young and impressionable, I think his life would be completely different if they hadn't met.
ReplyDeleteAn experience that impacted Malcolm’s life is meeting shorty. Before meeting shorty, Malcolm was independent and just checking out the new town he had now been staying at, waiting for his time to get a job and go to work. When Shorty came along, Malcolm went into a snowball effect until he was a shoe shiner in a nightclub, getting drunk and smoking while gambling his nickles away as a young teen. This is proven when Malcolm Says; “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I specifically can’t remember… as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.”(53). The events in his life lead to making more bad decisions started with a innocent boy meeting the right guy.
ReplyDeleteI believe the experience that had the greatest impact on Malcolm X’s later life would be his first time in a club, as this would lead to him visiting more often, leading to a decline in his life. “I spent the first month in town with my mouth hanging open. The sharp-dressed young “cats” who hung on the corners and in the poolrooms, bars and restaurants, and who obviously didn’t work anywhere, completely entranced me.” (page 45) This would shape Malcolm’s life because he would then hang out with these people, who probably gave him a bad influence.
ReplyDeleteI believe the person that had the most impact on Malcolm was Shorty. I think he had the most impact because he was the one person that Malcolm trusted and everything Shorty would do or say Malcolm would agree with. Malcolm said “The first liquor I drank, my first cigarettes, even my first reefers, I specifically can’t remember...as I started hanging out at night with Shorty and his friends.” (53). He was saying that he basically started drinking and smoking with Shorty and his friends when he would go out to the night clubs. If he never started hanging out with shorty he wouldn't have started to go out to nightclubs and doing all drinking and smoking.
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