It is evident in Malcolm X’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Ernest J. Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying that there is a relationship between writing, man, and freedom. By learning how to read and write, one’s mind reaches freedom, and eventually they become a man.

At first, Malcolm X was unable to understand books, “but every book I picked up had few sentences which didn’t contain anywhere from one to nearly all of the words that might as well have been in Chinese” (Malcolm 1). With a strong desire to understand books, he started to  familiarize himself with a dictionary. He copied each word in the dictionary and this led to the expansion of vocabulary, which opened the doors to reading for Malcolm. For the first time, he picked up a book and could fully understand the context of it. He felt really proud and confident with himself. Malcolm X began reading more book, “months passed without my even thinking about being imprisoned. In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life” (Malcolm 2). All the reading Malcolm X did had freed his mind where he learned about every general subject and the sufferings of black men and woman. He was more confident with himself after learning how to read. Malcolm X stated,” I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive” (Malcolm 3). Malcolm X entered prison as street hustler, but the seven years in prison had changed him forever. In prison, Malcolm X had learned how to read and write and gained freedom of the mind. Malcolm X walked out of prison as a man who became a powerful leader striving to help the black man.

In Gaines’s text, Jefferson had spent most of his life working on plantations. One day Jefferson was in the wrong place at the wrong time leading him to be convicted of murder. When his lawyer tried to defend him, he called Jefferson a “hog.” The lawyer said, “Gentlemen of the jury, look at this—this—this boy. I almost said man, but I can’t say man” (Gaines 9). The degrading of Jefferson as not a man, but a hog really affected him and made him contemplate on whether he is really a mindless hog. Grant is given the responsibility to change Jefferson and make him believe is much more than a man, he is a hero. The first few times Grant is unsuccessful at reaching Jefferson. During one visit, Grant tries to connect with Jefferson by buying him a radio and giving him a notebook–hoping that these items will ease him, feel less trapped in the jail cell, and free his mind. Jefferson writes his thoughts or questions down for Grant so they can talk about it next time they meet. To truly reach Jefferson, Grant tells him “He tells Jefferson, “The white people out there are saying that you don’t have it—that you’re a hog, not a man. But I know they are wrong. You have the potentials” (Gaines 157). In Jefferson’s diary, we can see that Jefferson has not received much formal education because he can’t spell correctly. Jefferson writes about his moments in his days, his godmother, food, poor people, white people and more. Through Jefferson’s writing, it is noticeable that his mind has become free.  With the help of Grant, Jefferson really thinks more about his position in society. Jefferson is so much more confident with himself. He sees himself more as a man rather than a hog. Although the death of Jefferson can’t be changed, Jefferson died as a true man.