Malcolm X Chapters 1 & 2

So far I see very clearly how difficult Malcolm's early life was. The first traumatic incident that he had to live through happened when he was very young, only six years old I believe. His father died in a very horrible way, being nearly cut in half. "Negroes in Lansing have always whispered that he was attacked, and then laid across some tracks for a streetcar to run over him" (Haley 10). His family then suffered greatly, his mother never being able to recover from the loss of her husband. They were offered monthly Welfare checks, which his mom reluctantly accepted only because if she hadn't her children would have starved for sure. The whole family had to deal with a lot from the state Welfare people. "They acted as if they owned us, as if we were their private property" (Haley 13). They unnecessarily talked to all of the children separately trying to get them to talk down about their siblings, trying to turn them all against each other. This line meant a lot to me because it just invoked pathos so easily. With no other choice, the family was forced to endure years of this horrible way of life. Malcolm's mother hated that her children had to grow up this way, but there was nothing left that she could do. She had no provider, no protector, and she was unable to hold a job because of her background. It was against her beliefs to have her family eat pork, so when she was offered a whole pig by a neighbor, that was the final straw for the state Welfare people in declaring her insanity.