Creating symbolism in literature adds depth and meaning to any story. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley displays an abundance of symbols that offer insight into the life of Malcolm X himself. Often, the symbols Haley uses demonstrate the adjustments Malcolm X underwent during his development: they show his metamorphosis from someone the world considered unimportant, to a controversial but influential civil rights leader. Haley first demonstrates how status in a society can be important, yet dangerous, for a minority. The author then explores how the simple hair straightening process called “conk” linked Malcolm X to the Caucasian world. Finally, Haley highlights the importance of glasses, watches, and suitcases and how they played a central role in the life of Malcolm X. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Symbolism in literature allows the reader an insightful perspective on a character's life. The symbolism of Haley's autobiography provides direct insight into how specific elements of Malcolm X's life shaped him as a man and led him through the transformations that made him the powerful defender of black rights that he became. As a child, Malcolm did not have many material possessions and often felt disconnected from his peers. Therefore, when he moved to the city, he wasted no time and began acquiring all the materialistic items he felt he needed to establish his status. Addressing the reasoning behind his acquisitive mentality, he concludes: "Like hundreds of thousands of country-raised blacks who had come to the northern black ghetto before me and who have come since, I had also acquired all the other fashionable ghetto ornaments. – the zoot suits and conks I described, the alcohol, the cigarettes, then the reefers – all to erase my embarrassing past” (Haley 71). He discovered that the status his conspicuous consumption gave him, coupled with the power he felt he had over his own life, was a symbol of having overcome a shameful childhood. His acquisition of accessories symbolized a self-esteem that he found in the status that these objects provided him. Malcolm Ghetto teenagers make up their own minds, they would. Instead, be like the scammers they see dressed "neatly", showing off money and showing no respect for anyone or anything. Thus, ghetto youth are drawn to the worlds of drugs, theft, prostitution, crime, and immorality in general” (Haley 332). ). For African Americans, having the opportunity to achieve status, no matter how, in a Caucasian-dominated society, provided them with a sense of respect and self-esteem that they craved but were told only 'they couldn't reach. However, through the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X gained a sense of self-worth that was not dependent on his worldly affiliations. Hairstyle also has the ability to convey a lot about a person. Malcolm He began wearing his hair in a hairstyle known as a "conk", whichcomes from a laundry-based smoothing gel. Often, the process involved in "conk" leaves chemical burns on the heads of people who use it. This harsh technique allowed African Americans to achieve hairstyles that resembled those worn by Caucasians. Reflecting on the implications of wearing a hairstyle that made him appear “whiter,” Malcolm X acknowledged that: “It was my first big step toward self-degradation. When I endured all that pain, literally burning my flesh to have it look like a white man's hair. I had joined that multitude of black men and women in America who are brainwashed into believing that black people are “inferior” – and white people “superior”” (Haley 69). He viewed this then-popular African-American hairstyle as implying that The only way for black people to achieve beauty is to look like white people. Yet Malcolm X also recognizes the symbolism of his hair after joining the Nation of Islam. Referring to the hairstyle that he and his brothers had rejected, he said: “They had done it. I have just banned this bogus, laundry-stained, metallic-looking hair from their lives forever […] It saddens me that I don't care where you go, you see this symbol of ignorance and hatred of yourself on the heads of so many Negroes. » (Haley 278). Wearing a “conk” moved him from the sensitivity of feeling unnoticed to a feeling of belonging. On the other hand, it also forced him to realize his own internalized racism once he joined the Nation of Islam. , who taught him that being black made him better than others, for no other reason than the color of his skin, he found the desire to cast aside the hairs that tied him to the view that black It's only beautiful if it looks like white. the transformations are visible in other contexts, since Malcolm X leaves prison a different man from the one he entered. Upon entering detention, he appears as a man with no real ambition, who only cares about superficial status. Despite his prison sentence, he became a new man determined to take control of his life. When Malcolm got out of prison, he bought three things. First, he acquired glasses. Recounting why they had suddenly become a necessity, he reveals: “I had arrived in prison with 20/20 vision. But when I was sent back to Charlestown, I had read so much by the dim lights in my room in the Norfolk Penal Colony that I had astigmatism and had the first pair of glasses I have worn since. Haley 209). In prison, he discovered a thirst for reading and a thirst for knowledge. His glasses embody his dedication to learning. Second, he got himself a watch. Growing up, he never needed a watch because he had no reason to manage his time. In contrast, when he left prison and joined the Nation of Islam, he established a direction for his life and found himself living by his clock. He mentions, “You won’t find anyone more concerned with time than me. I live on my watch, I keep my appointments. Even when I use my car, I go by my watch and not my speedometer. Time is more important to me than distance” (Haley 211). The time in his life symbolizes the new purpose he has discovered. Finally, he bought two suitcases. After joining the Nation of Islam, Malcolm became a man in high demand. He had to be able to travel at any time. He reveals, “I travel so much now that my wife keeps alternating suitcases so that, if necessary, I can take just one” (Haley 211). The filled suitcases symbolize his commitment and his desire to do everything.