Spiritual Journeys

Paper Summary:

This paper explains how each of the protagonists in these stories sets out on a spiritual journey which is simply seen as part of life, though it is a journey that not everyone takes as fully as possible. It shows how Malcolm X, for instance, might have continued down the criminal path he began on had he not had a revelation while in prison. This is compared to Jane Addams' spiritual journey, which is more direct and lifelong, and in her case, she had to overcome a physical abnormality because of a congenital spinal defect. Both became leaders in their respective times and communities, and both suggested the importance of such institutions as education, social welfare, and religion.

From the Paper:

"The vital importance of education is emphasized again and again in The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as is the need for a better understanding of the development of a black identity in American society. Malcolm X grew up in a world where being black was a handicap. It could even lead to one's death at the hands of an angry mob, something he knew from his childhood. At the time, this implanted in his mind a subtle sense of shame at his blackness, something he could not have articulated but which influenced his development as a human being and his choices as a young man. He tried to be as white as he could both culturally and physically, a choice which led him into criminal activity that only emphasized his lack of a positive identity in the white world as in the black. Like many other young black men of his generation, he fell into a certain stereotypical mold imposed on him by the way whites viewed black people. He acted out that stereotype and put on the mask society had made for him. He wore his hair straight because white people had straight hair, making him ashamed of his natural hair."

More papers on Spiritual Journeys:

• Analytical Essay # 24519 : "Two Spiritual Journeys"
• Persuasive Essay # 124000 : "Traveling and Spiritual Fulfillment"
• Analytical Essay # 34980 : "A Spiritual Journey"

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