Analysis of Connections Between The "Growing Up with Poverty and Violence: a North Lawndale Teen’s Story" by Daleen Glanten and "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Haley

Introduction

In the article “Growing up with Poverty and Violence: A North Lawndale Teen’s Story” by Daleen Glanten (2020), a teen who is not named faces similar situations to those Malcolm X encountered throughout his life as explained by Alex Haley in The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Haley, 1965). The teen lives in North Lawndale, Chicago with his great aunt Barbara. He resides in a poverty and violence-stricken area where his life is at risk every day. In one instance, he was shot at on his way to school. He says, “Auntie, somebody is shooting at me.” The distressed teen also adds, “All the time, I was thinking, 'I want to get home.' Then I checked my body to see if I was wet (with blood) anywhere.”

Comparative Analysis of Violence

When Malcolm was only six years old, his father was murdered by a group of men opposed to his teachings, “Negroes in Lansing...streetcar to run over him” (Haley, 1965). The connection between these two incidents is that the violence in the lives of these boys cannot be controlled. For example, the teen could not fix the issues with gang violence in his city. Glanten (2020) adds, “The young man didn't create the violent culture he lives in. He was born into it.” The teen was born when his mother was only 14 years old, and he has never met his father. He was raised by his great-grandmother and great aunt. Similarly, Malcolm was born into cruelty. When his mother was pregnant with him, their family was terrorized by KKK members who were against Earl, Malcolm’s father’s teachings. On one occasion, the KKK told the family to leave town, “Surrounding the house, brandishing their shotguns...Marcus Garvey” (Haley, 1965). Malcolm could not change the views of the men who attacked his father; it was something completely out of anyone's control.

Struggles with Crime and Stability

As Malcolm grew up, he committed armed robberies and was arrested. However, the biggest issue was his involvement with white women, “How, where, when had I met them? white man’s women” (Haley, 1965). The teen also had his share of jail time in 2015: “That year, he stole a car — twice, according to court records...from his candy sales, he said” (Glanten, 2020). Not living in a stable household could have contributed to the negative behavior of these young men. The teen did not live with his mother or father and had to live with other family members. Similarly, Malcolm lost his father at a young age and was separated from his mother, who was sent to a mental institution. He had to live with a foster family and his half-sister Ella, surrounded by drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes from a young age.

Aspiration for a Better Future

A final connection between the two texts is that both Malcolm and the teen longed to create a better life for themselves. Glanten (2020) explains, “She insists that education...not the life she envisions for him.” Although the 15-year-old has not completely decided on what he wants to do with his life, he knows that he wants a better life for himself and his future family. He says, “I think about being grown...the same environment I'm in.” Similarly, Malcolm decided to turn his life around once he was in prison and become more educated: “I saw the best thing I could do was get a hold of a dictionary- to study, to learn some words” (Haley, 1965).

Conclusion

In conclusion, after analyzing both texts, it is evident that they share the common theme of self-improvement and the notion that one is the only person who can change their life for the better. Malcolm states, “In fact, once he is motivated... been at the bottom. I call myself the best example of that” (Haley, 1965). He emphasizes that while one cannot change everything around them or the past, they can strive to change themselves. Daleen Glanten (2020) adds, “She insists that education is ...neighborhood for decades.”

References

Glanten, D. (2020). Growing up with poverty and violence: A North Lawndale teen’s story. Chicago Tribune.

Haley, A. (1965). The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Grove Press.