The Autobiography of Malcolm X: Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis

After many drafts and attempts to express himself, Malcolm manages to write a short letter to Elijah Muhammad. He receives a very gracious typed response in which Elijah tells him to have courage—and also gives him five dollars. Elijah also tells Malcolm that black prisoners symbolize the oppression white men enact on all black people in America.

The hardest thing Malcolm ever has to do in his life is to repent and submit himself to Allah, or in other words, to pray. He has to continuously try to force himself down to his knees, and continuously force himself to try and reckon with his past sins. Finally he manages to kneel, but then has no idea what to say.

Almost instantly, Malcolm’s old life falls away, and he dives head first into his new faith. He writes two letters a day, one to Elijah and one to one of his siblings. Meanwhile, he also writes letters to all the people he once knew in New York and Boston, like Sammy the Pimp, letters which he’s sure gained him a reputation as insane. He writes further letters to politicians, but receives no replies.

Malcolm grows increasingly frustrated that he cannot express himself more articulately and can only construct his thoughts in slang. And while he “reads,” he often skips the words he doesn’t know, and so acquires no knowledge. Finally, he resolves to remedy this by studying and copying out the entire dictionary. He starts by copying the entire first page, and marvels that he remembers those words the next day. He continues like that every day until he completes the entire dictionary.

Armed with his new vocabulary, a whole new world of knowledge opens to him in the books he reads. From then on, Malcolm spends nearly all of his time reading or else writing his letters and dictionary entries, either in the library or in his bunk. He prefers the solitude of his room, however, where he can truly focus. The only thing that holds him back is the 10 PM lights out, but then he reads by the light coming from the crack under his door.

Elijah Muhammad’s teachings about the “whitening” of history really struck a chord with Malcolm and thousands of other black people who could remember there being no mention of black people in their history books as children, other than as racist caricatures. Therefore, Malcolm resolves to focus particular attention on history books that explore the history of black people in Africa and in America. These include Carter G. Woodson’s Negro History, The Outline of History by H. G. Wells, and The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois. Malcolm is also drawn to genetics, and reads Gregor Mendel’s Findings in Genetics, which reinforce Malcolm’s belief in Elijah Muhammad’s teachings.

Malcolm is particularly horrified by the history of slavery and the atrocities done to black people. He reads about these in books like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and in pamphlets distributed by abolitionists before the Civil War. He also reads about Nat Turner’s rebellion, in which Turner led slaves to rebel against and kill their masters, before he was finally captured and hung.

Other authors such as Herodotus, Will Durant, and Mahatma Gandhi teach Malcolm about the horrors of colonialism and empire that have been perpetrated for millennia by white Europeans against people around the world. While always coming masked as Christian missionaries, these European conquerors plundered Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Two examples Malcolm gives are: the British control of India and the carnage that followed the 1857 Rebellion against colonial rule; and the First Opium War in China, in which the Chinese objected to the British distributing opium in the country.

In assessing the damage done by white men throughout the world, Malcolm concludes that now (in the early 1960s) the ex-colonial nations are joining in alliances together against Europe and America. While some complain that this kind of alliance is a “skin game,” Malcolm sees that as hypocritical, given that Western imperialism has always involved racism.

Malcolm’s studying is always aimed at helping him to better understand the oppression of black men and how to defend the teachings of Elijah Muhammad. Rather than seeking a degree or some kind of recognition, his studying is meant to serve others and to satisfy his own lifelong “craving to be mentally alive.” Even today, he says, whenever he has even fifteen minutes to himself he will constantly be reading and learning whatever he can.

In at least one way, Malcolm appreciates the time he spent in prison. Where else, he asks, would he have the opportunity to study with so few distractions and with such intensity? He would never have learned as much in a university, he asserts.

Malcolm’s philosophical readings include Kant, Nietzsche, and Schopenhauer, whom he sees as mostly debating useless issues, rather than ones that can actually make the world a better place. In fact, he holds most of Western philosophy in contempt as being too entangled with Western history and racism.

Meanwhile, Malcolm points to the discoveries that are being made in modern-day archeological digs in Africa, discovering priceless artifacts and pieces of art. These pieces attest to the great civilizations which were destroyed by conquerors or intentionally erased by white historians. Even many black scholars don’t know about this history. One example is the discovery of ancient human remains in Africa, which proves that Africa is the birthplace of humanity.

After having spent so much time studying and learning about how ignorant he had been made of black history, Malcolm sets about teaching his fellow prisoners this history. He tries to go slowly, as people cannot easily have their entire worldview turned upside down.

If one of his pupils seems to be wavering and about to report Malcolm to the guards, he tells them, “The white man is the devil,” which shocks them and gets them thinking about it until they come back around. Malcolm says that criminals, since they have been forced to do terrible things to survive, are the most ready to believe that the system has been rigged against them from the start. They have received the worst treatment from society their whole lives, and now sit behind bars, caged up. How could they not believe their captors/masters to be evil?

Malcolm also begins to debate with the other well-read prisoners in weekly public debates. Once he gets a taste of it, he falls in love with the intellectual rigor of debating. And always, if he can, he includes what he’s learned about history and the oppression of black people. These debates cover many topics, including the need for compulsory military service, the existence of Homer, and the identity of Shakespeare (Malcolm’s theory is that King James used “William Shakespeare” as his pen name).

When Reginald comes to visit Malcolm, Malcolm tries to share some of his studying and learning with his brother. But Reginald is uninterested, and in fact begins to speak poorly of Elijah Muhammad. Then Malcolm learns that Reginald has been expelled from the Nation of Islam for maintaining an improper sexual relationship. Malcolm writes a letter to Elijah, pleading on his brother’s behalf.

The night after he mails the letter, while praying vigorously, Malcolm receives a vision of a man sitting in his cell with him, a brown-skinned man in a dark suit. Malcolm can’t place his ethnicity, other than to say he is non-white. Then, just as suddenly, the mysterious man disappears. Later, Malcolm believes this to be Master W. D. Fard.

Elijah responds to Malcolm’s letter, asking why he does not trust in the truth. He knows his brother’s conduct was in the wrong; so why question that? At the time, Malcolm cannot know that Elijah will one day be accused of the same sins. But at the time, his letter sways Malcolm, and Malcolm no longer lets Reginald influence him in any way.

Reginald continues to visit him, but Malcolm pays little heed to his conversation. Reginald’s appearance grows shabbier, and he goes back to Detroit. Then Ella comes to visit, and tells Malcolm that Reginald showed up at her door in Boston, saying he walked from Detroit. At the time, Malcolm firmly believed that this was Allah working his revenge upon Reginald’s senses for having attacked his Prophet and teachings.

Reginald later begins to hallucinate and then say strange things, like how he is the Prophet, or how he is greater than Allah. Eventually he is institutionalized. In later years, Malcolm no longer sees this as divine retribution, but the result of his entire family turning their backs on him in favor of Elijah’s teachings.

Malcolm then returns to the subject of his mysterious visitor. He believes that he had a pre-vision (a vision of someone one has never met) of Master W. D. Fard, the original founder of the Nation of Islam.

After Malcolm has spent so much time spreading the word of Islam, the authorities at Norfolk grow concerned and have him transferred to Charlestown prison. Here he has much less mobility, but decides to attend the Bible class, where he can perhaps spread his own beliefs.

Malcolm acknowledges that the young seminary student from Harvard leading the class really knows his Bible. Nevertheless, Malcolm finds a way to upset him and provoke discussion. Malcolm asks if it’s true that Paul was black, and the seminarian says yes. Malcolm then asks what color Jesus was. The seminarian says brown, and Malcolm lets the issue rest there. Malcolm’s fame in the prison spreads, giving him leverage to start spreading Elijah Muhammad’s teachings.