Firstly, in the article from The New York Times, the author selected a factual approach to the description of the tragic event. The description of two primary persons, Malcolm X, and his killer Thomas Hagan is organized in sequence including their age, social status, and race. In the article, Malcolm is perceived as “the bearded Negro extremist,” which emphasizes his irregular appearance and political approach (Chaffee 152). Lastly, a bigger part of the article focuses on what other people in the Audubon Ballroom had to experience.
Furthermore, the second article from Life covers the event in more detail. The author selected to explore the event from the perception of the assassination planning and actions. The author emphasizes that Malcolm X’s speeches were famous for “flaying the hated white man,” but his assassination did not involve “whitey” men (Chaffee 153). By selecting words that deliberately humiliate White people, the author emphasizes the tragic irony of the event and sums up Malcolm X’s political career.
The last article from the New York Post covers the event from the perception of the killing’s witness. The article is organized chronologically, ending with Malcolm being carried on the stretcher through the crowd. The author selected to talk about Malcolm X as the “only hope” for his followers (Chaffee 153). In the end, one woman suggests that he will not make it, but she will hope for the best. Therefore, the author of the last article perceived Malcolm X as the hope for the people.
Work Cited
Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically. 11th ed., Cengage Learning, 2014.