Malcolm X
In The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley Malcolm is introduced to the religion of Islam, through his brother Reginald, but has been greatly supported with the religion through Sophia, who is Malcolm’s white girlfriend and Ella Little, who is Malcolm’s half-sister on his father’s side. Malcolm dated Sophia, during his hustling times. Malcolm is already sentenced to go to prison because he is caught hustling; albeit he has to spend more time there because he is a black man having an affair with a white woman. During the time, societies highly looked down upon people of African descent and were therefore punished for any involvement with a white woman. Sophia’s involvement and the punishment for being involved with her, influences Malcolm to accept Islam is prison. The religion of Islam, which according to Malcolm, “completely transformed [his] life” (Haley 153). If Malcolm was not sent to jail, he would not have been able to read all the books that help him gain knowledge about Islam and make the decision to become a Muslim. Sophia’s impact on Malcolm is so great that her existence in his life leads to Malcolm’s introduction to Islam. Although Sofia’s influence on Malcolm was indirect, Ella Little is able to help him with a direct impact. Ella Little has affected Malcolm because she aids Malcolm; Malcolm is ready to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, but is in need of money that he does not have. He tells Ella about wanting to go and she offers to finance him. Malcolm leans a lot while on his pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, things that he did not realize while he was in America . Because of Ella’s aid, Malcolm learns that the white man is not the devil, when he sees men of all races eating out of the same plate and praying together. Ella’s affect on Malcolm helps him become a better person. Had Malcolm not made the trip, his views on the white man may still be that, “the white man is the devil” (Haley 186). When Malcolm is first introduced to Islam, he...
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