Here are three argumentative essay prompts designed for a 9-paragraph essay that compares themes in Malcolm X (1992) and Black Panther (2018). Each prompt invites students to explore how the two films depict Black identity, resistance, and leadership while allowing room for critical thinking, comparison, and rebuttal:
Prompt 1: Heroism and Resistance
Essay Prompt:
Both Malcolm X and Black Panther present Black protagonists who wrestle with systems of oppression and redefine what it means to be a hero. Write an argumentative essay comparing how Malcolm X and T’Challa evolve in their views on resistance and justice. Which film presents a more compelling vision of heroism in the face of racial oppression?
Guiding Themes:
- Radical vs. diplomatic resistance
- Personal transformation as political awakening
- The burden and responsibility of leadership
- Sacrifice and moral complexity in defining heroism
Prompt 2: Black Identity and Global Responsibility
Essay Prompt:
Malcolm X and Black Panther both challenge their audiences to rethink what it means to be Black in a global context. Using these two films, write an essay arguing whether the personal journey of Malcolm X or the political journey of Wakanda offers a more powerful vision for modern Black identity.
Guiding Themes:
- Pan-Africanism and global Black solidarity
- The role of isolation vs. engagement with the world
- Cultural pride, history, and reimagined futures
- The tension between tradition and evolution
Prompt 3: Rage, Revolution, and the Ethics of Power
Essay Prompt:
Both Malcolm X and Erik Killmonger are driven by rage born from historical injustice. Yet while one channels that rage into spiritual and political leadership, the other weaponizes it. Write an argumentative essay comparing how each film uses these characters to explore the ethics of power, revenge, and revolution.
Guiding Themes:
- Righteous anger vs. destructive rage
- Violence as a political tool
- Redemption, change, and moral ambiguity
- Legacies of trauma and systemic injustice
Cinemorphosis 
Leave a comment