"Hair" By Malcolm X

After reading "Hair" by Malcolm X, I further understand his views of society during his time period. In "Hair" he describes an experience where he decides to try out a new hairstyle which, at that time, was called a conk. Conking was a style that would be equivalent to having a perm today and X believed that straightening his hair would look better than the "lifetime of kinks" he had to endured up to this point in his life. As he grew up into a more socially apprehensive man, he began to realize how much of a mistake he made and how ridiculous he looked, trying to emulate the straight hairstyle of a white man. X believed that he was being sucked into a stereotype of African Americans who were brainwashed into believing that they are inferior to whites. "I had joined the multitude of Negro men and women in America who are brainwashed into believing that the black people are 'inferior'-and white people 'superior'-that they will even violate and mutilate their God-created bodies to try to look 'pretty' by white standards" (X 23).  Moreover, Malcolm X viewed society at this time as white dominated and this ultimately prompted him to become political activist and also become a leader in the African American struggle freedom and equality amongst whites.

Although Malcolm X was a well-reknowned political activist and freedom fighter, he was also a very descriptive writer. While reading "Hair" I noticed that X is very descriptive when explaining the whole "conking" experience. He really gives the reader the opportunity to picture what he is explaining. "I gritted my teeth and tried to pull the sides of the table together. The comb felt as if it was raking my skin off. My eyes watered, my nose was running. I couldn't stand it any longer" (X 23). He uses a lot of sensory imagery which is a useful technique to keep the reader engaged throughout the passage. All in all, it was a great excerpt to read and has made me interested in reading the entire book at some point.