Module 3

Life Writings
Chapter 1
Malcolm X
Introduction
Malcolm X was a negro national leader, human rights activist
and minister of America.He was the spokesperson of Nation of
Islam (an Islam Organisation) during 1950s and 60s.Nightmare,
is the first chapter of his autobiography titled, The
Autobiography of Malcolm X
Significance of the opening of the story
In the beginning we see that a group of racists belonging to the
Ku Klux Klan, attack Malcolm’s house at Omaha. When his
pregnant mother says that his father is not at home, they go
away after shouting threats and breaking the windows with
their guns.At that time he was not born, but the event sets the
tone for a series of attacks later in the family of Malcolm. All
through their life, Malcolm and his family consisting of his
father Earl Little , mother Louise Little, and seven siblings were
harshly treated by the state and local white people.His father
was killed, his mother sent to a mental hospital and all his
brothers and sisters were separated and thus his entire family
disintegrated.
Malcolm’s father Earl Little
His father was a Baptist preacher who preached in the homes
of friends and followers. He also tried to spread the message of
Marcus Garvey, a black Nationalist Leader who wanted the
Africans in America to stop being slaves and regain their
identity. He believed in the freedom and self respect of
 Negros.He was a tall, strong Georgia Negro with only one eye
and settled in Lansing with his wife and eight children where he
build a house of his own and did preaching and activism. But
someone of the Black Legion, another racist organization,
fatally attacked him and put him across the road where he was
run over by cars and was dead.
Condition of the family after the father’s death
His father was a Baptist preacher who preached in the homes of
friends and followers. He also tried to spread the message of
Marcus Garvey, a black Nationalist Leader who wanted the
Africans in America to stop being slaves and regain their identity.
He believed in the freedom and self respect of Negros. He was a
tall, strong Georgia Negro with only one eye and settled in Lansing
with his wife and eight children where he build a house of his own
and did preaching and activism.But someone of the Black Legion,
another racist organization, fatally attacked him and put him
across the road where he was run over by cars and was dead.
The Welfare people
His father was a Baptist preacher who preached in the homes of
friends and followers. He also tried to spread the message of
Marcus Garvey, a black Nationalist Leader who wanted the
Africans in America to stop being slaves and regain their identity.
He believed in the freedom and self respect of Negros. He was a
tall, strong Georgia Negro with only one eye and settled in Lansing
with his wife and eight children where he build a house of his own
and did preaching and activism. But someone of the Black Legion,
another racist organization, fatally attacked him and put him
across the road where he was run over by cars and was dead.
Mother’s attitude to Malcolm
 His father was a Baptist preacher who preached in the homes of
friends and followers. He also tried to spread the message of
Marcus Garvey, a black Nationalist Leader who wanted the
Africans in America to stop being slaves and regain their identity.
He believed in the freedom and self respect of Negros. He was a
tall, strong Georgia Negro with only one eye and settled in Lansing
with his wife and eight children where he build a house of his own
and did preaching and activism. But someone of the Black Legion,
another racist organization, fatally attacked him and put him
across the road where he was run over by cars and was dead.
Malcolm’s attitude to religion
Though his father was a preacher Malcolm was never attracted to
Christianity. He was disturbed by the kind of shouting and dancing at
the prayer groups to which he was taken by his father. He could not
believe in the Christian concept of Jesus as someone divine. Nor
could he believe that if we struggled on earth we will be gifted with
pies in heaven.
Significance of the title
Though his father was a preacher Malcolm was never attracted to
Christianity. He was disturbed by the kind of shouting and dancing at
the prayer groups to which he was taken by his father. He could not
believe in the Christian concept of Jesus as someone divine. Nor
could he believe that if we struggled on earth we will be gifted with
pies in heaven.
Chapter 2
Learning to be a mother
Introduction
 Shashi Deshpande is a famous Indian English novelist and
writer, who largely speaks about issues faced by women in
Indian society
 In Learning to be a Mother she examines the sacred image of
motherhood in myths and movies and the actual challenges
faced by mothers in reality
She picks up her own life to illustrate the roles of both a mother and
a daughter
Concept of motherhood the author learns from others
 Shashi Deshpande finds that in our society mother is compared
to God.
 She sacrifices her happiness for her children.
 Childbirth is a painful but joyous process.
 When a woman becomes a mother, love, nobility and goodness
come to her naturally.
 She also learned that a mother can never be unjust and unfair
and she loves her children equally
Finally she learns that the mother is the final solace of the child
during hard times
What is motherhood in reality?
 Shashi Deshpande finds that in our society mother is compared
to God.
  She sacrifices her happiness for her children.
 Childbirth is a painful but joyous process.
 When a woman becomes a mother, love, nobility and goodness
come to her naturally.
 She also learned that a mother can never be unjust and unfair
and she loves her children equally
Finally she learns that the mother is the final solace of the child
during hard times
How do popular movies represent mother?
 Movies represent mother as white-clad figures, revolving
around their children
 They are represented as pure and simple. They always feed the
children and never get hungry themselves.
 They are devoid of sexuality and are often portrayed as
widows.
Their motherhood is so much glorified that they are devoid of all
human traits
Shashi Deshpande’s view of herself as a mother?
 When Shashi Deshpande became a mother, she too loved her
child very much.
 At the same time she felt that she was trapped as she could not
find time for herself and had to constantly take care of her child
 She was deprived of sleep and freedom
 She looked back at the days when she was a free girl.
 She had always felt that she was not a perfect mother.
 When they grew up she quarreled with them and demanded
love from them just as her mother
  She cried with them and loved them
 Now she realizes that all these feelings were quite natural while
being a mother, she was also a human being
Challenges faced by a mother-writer
 Balancing the act of writing with family life is the biggest
challenge faced by a mother-writer
 At first she could finish her house-hold duties and sit to write.
 But when she began to take writing more seriously, she needed
more time and privacy.
 She had to pay the price of being a mother writer by working
very hard.
 Her life was occupied by only the two activities of writing and
raising the kids.
 When she looks back she thinks that she had done justice to
both the roles
Conclusion
 Motherhood is not a holy state, but a natural one.
 Every mother should raise their children, but should not be
limited to that one task alone.
 When the children grow up and move away full time mothers
often face an emptiness.
 So mothers should engage in meaningful activities
Women are human beings first and only later do they become
mothers