J.P | October 5th, 2020
Everyone loves a good story. Whether told through spoken word or shared from the pages of a book, there’s nothing quite like the emotional appeal of a good narrative. Of course, as taught to us in our younger years, there are generally two categories for writing: fiction and nonfiction. It seems fiction allows for almost anything. That’s why people love it. Fictional stories can be filled with dragons, wizards, ghosts, monsters, and often depict human beings too. However, unlike you and me, in fictional contexts, humans may be notably different. They may have superhuman abilities like the power to move super-fast (e.g., The Flash) or, when angered, the power to transform into a super-strong creature (e.g., The Hulk).
Nonfiction, on the other hand, does not offer such flights into fantasy. Nonfiction is about facts. It’s about what really happened. But, that doesn’t mean nonfiction writing always lacks the character of a story. In fact, the most transparent stories told in nonfiction are autobiographies. In essence, this mode of storytelling gives someone the freedom to tell his or her own story in their own words. But what makes for a good autobiography?
What Makes for an Engaging Life Story?
Oftentimes, we are drawn to a person’s story for the same reasons we are drawn to fictional tales. There could be something unreal about this person’s life. When reading the esteemed autobiographies, we find ourselves asking, “how did he do all of that?” or “did she really survive that tragedy?” or “how did they keep that a secret for all this time?” For one reason or another, there is an element of the superhuman in these real stories. Slave narratives such as Frederick Douglass’s My Bondage and My Freedom document the real superhuman acts of men and women who risked all to achieve their physical, psychological, and spiritual freedom.
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And then there are the stories telling of real self-discovery. Here we learn of the lost wayward soul. Perhaps they were born on the wrong side of town, perhaps they were destitute and forlorn, perhaps they were abandoned by family and friends, or perhaps they were rejected by society altogether. Whatever the conflict, these stories usually feature a person who hasn’t just hit rock bottom but, it seems, has lived their entire life at rock bottom (or, in extreme cases, at the bottom under a rock). But isn’t this what makes the great autobiographies truly great? They display an ability to overcome tremendous obstacles. The authentic trials and tribulations faced by the subject are exactly what make these stories real to the reader. And, when it’s truly real, we see ourselves in the story.
Compelled by Malcolm’s Conviction
This is the central reason why, for many readers, especially throughout the African diaspora, The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley is one of the greatest autobiographies of all time. Originally published in 1964, the book remains a best-seller. In fact, according to Amazon’s bestseller numbers, the work ranks #2 in books about Islam, #3 in books regarding religious leader biographies, and #5 in political leader biographies. It’s abundantly clear that Malcolm X’s story still captivates people worldwide.
I have spoken with several people who tell me, sometimes with tears in their eyes, that The Autobiography of Malcolm X changed their lives. A handful of these people focus on Malcolm’s militancy, the fact that he spoke his mind, unapologetically. Of course, an example of Malcolm’s untamed rhetoric is his infamous “the chickens coming home to roost” comment made after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. However, that is not the only time Malcolm spoke his mind. In a 1965 interview with The New York Times, Malcolm shed light on his break with the Nation of Islam, stating that, though at one time he devoted his mind, soul, and voice to the organization and its leader, he was now thinking and saying things for himself. As he matured, he became more convinced that he was not going to let anything or anyone control his mind or his mouth.
Drawing Inspiration from Transformation
For other people, it is this life change that draws them to Malcolm. For these admirers, Malcolm’s truth-talk is not as important as the way he turned his life around. The Autobiography of Malcolm X chronicles Malcolm’s journey from a street hustler and violent criminal (Detroit Red) to a civil rights leader and cultural icon (Brother Malcolm). It is worth noting that there is much debate regarding the degree to which Malcolm was involved with crime. Manning Marable’s controversial biography, Malcom X: A Life of Reinvention, suggests that Malcolm’s criminal background was embellished to make the story of his conversion more alluring. But even if that is the case, the story of his turnaround—his religious conversion—is still extraordinary.
Think about it. When first incarcerated Malcolm was so antireligious that his cellblock called him “Satan.” And yet, over the course of serving his sentence, he committed himself to complete reinvention. By the time he left prison, he was a self-educated man! Malcolm read classic philosophers, such as Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Kant. He studied American history. He investigated the theologies and religious histories of the major world religions, not just Islam. And not only did he read all of this, but he could debate these topics as well. That’s a great story!
Malcolm X’s Underrated Characteristic
“You will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I’m not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man.”
Malcolm X
The significance of Malcolm X’s fearless oratory and his exceptional conversion cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, there is an often neglected theme in The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Maybe it’s not as sensational as some of the aforementioned details, but, in my humble opinion, the most impressive and inspiring part of Malcolm X’s story is this: he found his purpose and his purpose was his people. There’s a line from the autobiography that sums up his purpose. Malcolm declares, “you will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I’m not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man.” Everything Malcolm X did was for his people. That was evident in the way he studied not only books but anything that impacted the lived experience of black people. And nothing—absolutely nothing—diverted him from this purpose.
At one point, Malcolm believed the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, a man who had saved him, would not become politically involved to make the lives of black people in American better. How did Malcolm respond? He sought out a religion that would help him accomplish his purpose. This purpose always left him open and ready for what he called “change and action” for his people.
With all issues of our present-day, Malcolm X’s story is just as important now as it was decades ago. Most of us will never have a life-changing religious experience, at least not like Malcolm’s. Most of us will not become self-taught savants (who has time to read Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason anyway). However, all of us can find our purpose. That should be our story. And it would be great if, just like Malcolm, our purpose could be our people.
