Darryl Motley

English III

Pd 4

10/24/06

 

 

           

            Malcolm used several different terms to describe 37-40. He used types of arguments, stated assumption, and anecdotal evidence and double speaks. Malcolm’s theme and purpose was to show racism occurred around him. The theme is the racism in his school. He had two purposes for this passage. They were to show the effects of racism and to show how he grew as a person. That day in school changed his whole perspective of white people.

          Malcolm used one type of argument to explain the effects of racism. The argument he used was argument by causation. The argument was a weak argument because the teacher that being black person means you can’t be a lawyer. The quote that he used to show this is “Malcolm one of life’s first needs is for us to be realistic. Don’t misunderstand me, now. A lawyer- that’s no realistic goal for a nigger”.

          Malcolm’s teacher used one assumption. The type of assumption that he used was stated assumption. The teacher was saying that he could not be a lawyer. The quote that stated this assumption was “A lawyer – that’s no realistic goal for a nigger”. It is an assumption because blacks can be lawyers.

The evidence Malcolm’s teacher used is logical evidence. The evidence is weak because one of the premises is wrong. The premise that was wrong is that blacks can’t be lawyers. The quote that was wrong was “A lawyer that’s no realistic goal for a nigger”.

Malcolm’s teacher used one fallacy when he gave Malcolm advice on what he should be. The fallacy he used was false dichotomy but he gave him one choice instead of two. He told him he should be a carpenter because of his hand work. The teacher was telling him that he should to something he is good at.

Malcolm’s teacher advice was incredible. It was incredible because there is no reason why he can’t be a lawyer. Who is he to tell people that they can’t be when they grow up? The only thing that might be credible about that he is going by what he knows at that time.

The teacher opened Malcolm’s eyes and showed him that whites were the devil. That day in school changed Malcolm’s whole perspective of whites. The conclusion is that you can be lead the wrong way just because of your skin color. Everything does not have to have to have a strong evidence behind it. The conclusion is that now Malcolm now does not like the word nigger. Everyone knows this because the looks he give when someone says it.