Pod Reflections

Aryana:

Claim: Malcolm is easily influenced by his surroundings and the people around him.

Question: Why is it that Malcolm is always changing his mind about his point of view on white people?

Trouble: When Malcolm’s lives in Lansing, he realizes that racism is all around him. Then when he arrives at Boston, he disregards this and starts conking his hair and wearing zoot suits. But when he goes to jail again, he starts hating white people and the Christian religion, and saying that whites are devils.

Status Quo: Most people don't have such fluctuations, and if they are willing to fight for a cause, they won’t abandon it.

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Reworded Question: If most people who are willing to fight for a cause stick with it for their life, but Malcolm frequently changes his outlook on white people, why is it that Malcolm has so many fluctuations?

Reworded claim: Malcolm’s opinion is very easily influenced by his surroundings, so because he is always travelling and moving to new places, his outlook on white people changes.

Evaluation of Trouble: Her trouble is interesting, and it would definitely take more than a few words to answer, but it is possible to answer.

Cale:

Claim: Malcolm’s attitude is shaped based upon what happens around him.

Question: Why does Malcolm make the change from being uncomfortable around white people to trying to make himself seem more white?

Trouble: When Malcolm lives in Michigan he comes across the realization that black people are always at a disadvantage. But then once he moves to Boston he conks his hair and starts dating Sophia, which he admits later are both ways of admitting that it is better to be white.

Status Quo: If you come across a giant realization in your life, you wouldn’t just disregard it in a few months.

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Reworded Question: If most people wouldn’t disregard a huge breakthrough in their life, but Malcolm has this huge realization about white people and then stops caring about it, why would Malcolm no longer pay attention to his problems with whites in Boston?

Reworded Claim: Malcolms attitude is based on what happens around him, and because so much is always happening around him, his opinions are always changing.

Evaluation of Trouble: I think that my trouble is interesting, though I couldn’t say for sure if it would interest other people. The question will require more than two words to answer, in my opinion it sharpens understanding of the text, and can be thought of in a deeper way. It might not seem that way to someone else though, so I can’t be sure.