Soul on Ice is an autobiography by Eldridge Cleaver, introduced by Maxwell Geismar. Cleaver writes this novel while in Folsom State Prison. He discusses his experiences in and out of prison. After several religious experiences in prison, Cleaver becomes a Muslim preacher and follower of Malcolm He shares his thoughts on soul food, the experience of being Catholic, and the experience of learning Christianity. It also talks about the oppression of African Americans in the United States. In the concluding chapters of his novel, he discusses how racism is taught to future Caucasian generations by past Caucasian generations and explains the experiences of African Americans in Hollywood. Cleaver's presentation of letters and use of anecdotal data, imagery, and hyperbole are all part of his literary design. He uses these methods effectively, because they capture the readers' interest and give them a clear understanding of his life experiences. Cleaver features letters he writes in prison throughout his novel. Geismar argues, “Eldridge appropriately opens these letters from prison with the section called “on Becoming” in 1954, when he was eighteen” (xi). Cleaver displays his letters effectively because it shows that he wants to send a message to his audience about how his experiences impact his life. In one of his letters he writes: “This is why I started writing, to save myself” (15). This shows that writing opens a new door for him and creates a path of change for him. This is a creative way for Cleaver to share his experiences with his audience. Gaines uses a similar method for a… middle of paper… and well-known African American. The images he uses are a painting of his experiences, his thoughts and feelings related to those experiences. His use of hyperbole is a connection of dots between his experiences and his emotions. Now that we have seen Cleaver's literary project, we understand how his experiences influence his life. We also understand the messages that the other authors mentioned in this essay are trying to send. Like Cleaver, they use certain literary methods for certain reasons, whether their literary methods are to express their feelings or to teach us things we may not have known before. Although other authors seem to have different reasons for using certain literary methods than Cleaver, Like Cleaver, their purpose is to make us understand a point; therefore they too create a successful literary project.