The Man of Transformations.
“I’m black first. My sympathies are black, my allegiance is black, my whole objectives are black… I am not interested in being American, because America has never been interested in me” –Malcolm X (Archer 208). Malcolm X was born May 19th 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. He died on February 21st 1965. After the age of 14 Malcolm moved to New York. There is where his journey as a civil rights activist started. He spread his ideas of Black African American freedom. He shows many characteristics, some that are vital to the modern Greek model of a tragic hero. The modern Greek model of a tragic hero displays power, flaw, catastrophe and force. The modern Greek model of a tragic hero’s definition of power is someone who is not necessarily high born, but is someone who would die for his/her beliefs. The definition of flaw is either flaw by hubris or character. Catastrophe is displayed by death and force is when an opposing force is stopping his/her from achieving their goals. Malcolm X does fit in the modern Greek model of a tragic hero for power, catastrophe and force, but he does not fit the modern Greek model for flaw.
Malcolm X does not fit the modern Greek model of a tragic hero because he did not have a flaw that caused his death. However, some of the society and Nation of Islam saw a flaw in Malcolm that caused them to believe he should die. When Malcolm was young and in prison he was taught the Nation of Islam religion. One of the main points the Nation of Islam taught was that whites were “blue-eyed” devils. After Malcolm got out of prison he began preaching with the Nation of Islam and eventually became a minister. Then Malcolm traveled to Saudi Arabia and learned the Muslim religion. Now Malcolm preached his own beliefs, which he expressed the fact that whites were not “devils” and he had no problem becoming friends with a human being even if they were white. This angered the NOI, they were jealous of the amount of power...