In the first paragraph and a half Malcolm describes what was the impetus for him to educate himself. He accomplishes his task by describing his inability to effectively convey his thoughts in letters he had written. He describes being verbally skilled in the use of slang, but frustrated with its limitations. In the second mini paragraph he describes the results of self-education. He does this by indicating the positive impressions people have of his television appearances, speeches or written works. His introduction sets up readers for an essay on how he became self-educated.