Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Roque, Sandra
Professor Loverde
English 1A
24 March 2010
Word Count:   981
Malcolm X and Benjamin Franklin
          The education that Malcolm x and Benjamin Franklin received resulted in a great success.   Even though their reading backgrounds were not the same they were equally motivated in learning.   Both, Malcolm X and Benjamin Franklin, were faced with obstacles that would interfere with their educational goals, but neither one of them gave up.   Ultimately, they were able to put their knowledge to good use.   Upon reading their autobiographies, I realized that self-motivation is essential when there is no one else to count on for encouragement.  
          They were both inspired and pursued proficiency in literature.   Malcolm X was disappointed when he became aware that he was not able to express what he wanted to say in letters he wrote.   He comprehended that the slang language he knew, from the streets, was not appropriate.   “I saw the best thing I could do was get a hold of a dictionary-to study, to learn some words.” (Malcolm X 1)   He learned words that he never thought existed and was fascinated by it.   He copied the dictionary word for word, going in order, starting with the first letter from the alphabet.   On the other hand, Benjamin Franklin had a passion for reading and had a thirst for knowledge since infancy.   He was surrounded by books growing up.   He read every book that his father’s library contained.   His father was determined to make Benjamin Franklin a printer after he saw the inclination that he had towards books.
          Their learning experiences were quite different, and they were faced with obstacles to achieve their goals, but they never gave up.   Malcolm X learned how to read in a prison.   He read every book that the prison library had, no matter what the subject was.   If he was not reading in the library, he was on his bunk, or under the moonlight in his corridor after the night guards paced past his room at their...