Shaina Brown

Mr. Rodberg

ChavezNotes

Malcolm X, though a very good speaker, makes some flawed arguments.  Not only will these notes be helping with the good arguments, the will point out the poor ones.  The Autobiography of Malcolm X speaks on real life events of Malcolm X from early to mid 1900’s.  It shows all of the things that he had to go through and overcome to help create the more newly found world we live in today.  These ChavezNotes talk about types of arguments, implicit and stated assumptions, and much, much more.

There are several types of argument; Malcolm X uses two of them.  “He never will completely get over the memory of the bars.” (p.155). Those are the words and thoughts of Malcolm X.  He believes that behind bars, man can never reform, and that it is inhumane to keep man caged behind bars.  This is a strong example of argument by emotion: he almost makes the reader feel sorry for prisoners even though they have done something wrong.  The second one is an example of argument by causation: “I was physically miserable and as evil tempered as a snake, being suddenly without drug” (p. 155).  He talks about how he is feeling in reaction to no longer having drugs.  It is a strong argument because having something that is a part of everyday life is drastic, and can make weak; it would be like losing sleep      for a normal person.

                        In the book, Malcolm X also used stated an implicit assumptions.  One of the assumptions implied that he needed drugs to function.  He says “I was physically miserable and as evil-tempered as a snake, being suddenly without drugs.”(pg. 155).  Malcolm X does not necessarily say that he is incapable of functioning when he is sober, but it is implied because of the way that he explains his feelings with out drugs.  This statement would be classified as an implicit assumption.  A stated assumption that he makes is that prison guards do their dirt too.  He says: “Smuggling to prisoners was the guards’ sideline; every prison’s inmates know that’s how guards make most of their living.” (pg.156).  Those are just two of many examples in the book that have been used.

            There are also several fallacies that Malcolm X uses in this section.  One type of fallacy that is used is false dichotomy.  He is trying to say that someone is either against sending one to jail or they are a horrible person.  His words are “Any person who claims to have deep feeling for other human beings should think a long, long, time before he votes to have other men kept behind bars—caged.” (pg. 155).  That is not fail because sending some one to jail does not make someone a bad person…people who go to jail go there because they did something bad; they are the bad person.  Another type of fallacy that was used by Malcolm X is called appeal to popularity.  That means that because everyone else has said and agreed on it, it must be true.  “I’ve talked to numerous former convicts…But in every case, he will tell you that he can’t forget those bars.” (pg.155) says Malcolm.  Malcolm X, although he makes some good points, has his flaw in his writing as well. 

            “He would prove o to us, dipping into the science of human behavior, that the only difference between us and outside people was that we had been caught.” (pg. 157).  Though that statement is partially flawed, it is still labeled credible.  Many people have done very bad things; and some not so bad things, but have never been caught.  There are plenty of drug dealers, thieves, and murderers wandering about in the world; they have simply not been caught.    An example of something incredible that Malcolm X says would be “—I was Satan.”(pg. 157).  Because antireligious and evil as he may have been…he was still not the devil.  One reason is because is not a man, nor does he live on the earth.  That statement is definitely incredible.

            These events in the show not only the great things Malcolm X said, but, also, the flawed things.  He is a very talented writer; perhaps one of the best in the world, but that does not mean that he is perfect.  He speaks on real life events and shares his views and philosophies with the reader.  That is good because some readers may actually share similar views.  This is why Malcolm X is a powerful writer.