I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Malala
Yousafzai, an education activist, once said, “One child, one teacher, one book,
one pen can change the world.” In the memoir I
Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai retells the story of her struggles and
protests as she advocated for educational rights for women. The author depicts
the hardships that a typical girl in Pakistan needs to endure in order to
receive an education especially after the rise of the Taliban, an extremist
Muslim group. In fact, the oppressive Taliban enforced the principle that girls
should be banned from going to school pointing out that it was against Islamic
teachings. By providing a detailed account of the horrendous events that many
Muslim females experienced especially after the forceful methodologies that the
Taliban used to stop girls from attending school, Malala Yousafzai expresses
the need to overcome educational inequality. In her
book, Malala was able to depict the injustices she faced as a girl during the
dominance of the Taliban primarily through the vivid description of the setting, the development
of her character as well as her father’s, and the message she was able to share
to the world through her life.
Malala Yousafzai, a then 15 year old Pashtun girl, lived in the mountainous region of the Swat Valley in Pakistan. Malala’s father, the son of an imam, had built a school based on the foundation that all members of society deserved an equal opportunity to receive education. As Malala started to attend the school with other Muslim girls, many issues had arisen including the domination of the Taliban who had terrorized the villages and claimed dominance of the valley. Throughout the memoir, Malala establishes an explicit contrast between her peaceful home before the Taliban and the terror stricken Swat after the group took over. In the beginning, Malala describes the captivating beauty of her homeland which she regarded as paradise. Out of her pride, she calls the Swat Valley, “a heavenly kingdom of mountains, gushing, waterfalls, and crystal-clear lakes” (Yousafzai 15). With this descriptive imagery, Malala is able to paint a picture in minds of reader of the tranquility and natural beauty that encompassed Swat. Moreover, she was leading a joyful life with her family and friends. When Malala talked about her school, she said, “For us girls that doorway was like a magical entrance to our own special world. As we skipped through, we cast off our headscarves like wind puffing away clouds to make way for the sun then ran helter-skelter up the steps” (Yousafzai 4). However, the placidity of Swat was disrupted with the arrival of the Taliban. After the Taliban started to claim dominance over the region, all of Swat silently shook in terror. Strange looking men with dark and dirty beards stood at checkpoints around street corners regulating the citizens of the land through their power. A man belonging to the Taliban named Fazlullah took control of the Swat Valley through a radio station by openly expressing the need to adopt various ridiculous principles including the idea of banning girls from school. Changes were occurring exponentially in the Swat Valley as Malala describes, “My father always said that the most beautiful thing in a village in the morning is the sight of a child in a school uniform, but now we were afraid to wear them. Taliban started bombing schools” (Yousafzai 135). Moreover, the Taliban was taking away all entertainment from the people including CDs, DVDs, and TVs. However, everyone remained silent, but Malala and her father decided not to as they publicly spoke of the injustices of the Taliban. As conditions worsened, people were being killed for working against the Taliban and suddenly “Any small disturbance or noise could be a bomb or gunfire.” Without any doubt, peace and war is seen in the contrast of the Swat Valley before and after the Taliban gained momentum. Stephen C. Webster, a journalist, claims," Her descriptions of Pakistan's Swat Valley and the tyranny of the extremists who hold much of her nation in the grip of terror are both beautiful and heartbreaking" (Webster). By explicitly depicting the setting, Malala is able to covey the extent to which the Taliban transformed her homeland to readers.
Throughout the memoir, Malala explicitly displays the significant role that her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, played in molding her into a courageous and determined activist. Laura Eggertson, a journalist, also believes in the strong connection between Malala and her father as she claims “I Am Malala illuminates the influences that shaped this young woman’s strong character in particular her father, Ziauddin. Even before you start the book, it’s clear from expression of Malala’s face as she looks at Ziauddin in the back cover photograph of the two of them that his is the approval she most seeks in the world” (Eggertson). In fact, Malala dedicates a considerable portion of her memoir in order to develop the characterization of her father by even describing her father’s life even before marriage. By exploring her father’s early life, Malala makes the beliefs and goals of her father clear to readers. Ziauddin had to overcome various obstacles especially since he had a speech impediment which hindered him from reaching his father’s standards as an imam. However, Malala’s father did not allow his limitations to serve as a hindrance which eventually allowed him to become an impressive public speaker. Moreover, Ziauddin strongly believed in the necessity of education for all regardless of economic status or gender. He had the dreams of opening a school in which he would be able to make the gift of education available for all. Although he did not have the financial means to transform his dreams into reality, Malala’s father strived to reach his goals by sacrifice and living in poor conditions. Eventually after marriage and the birth of Malala, Ziauddin was able to achieve his dreams by starting a school in the Swat Valley. Meanwhile, her father was also an active and well-known figure in Swat as he fearlessly addressed all the flaws in their society and fought for reform. As a daughter, Malala viewed her father with respect and both shared an unbreakable bond. Through the development of Ziauddin’s character particularly by point out his activism in voicing his opinions in society, Malala essentially draws a parallelism between her character and her father’s character. Just like her father’s love for words, Malala had immense love for education always competing to be top in her class. For her age, she was marked by unusual maturity and brilliance. When the Taliban came into the Swat Valley, they started to force the people of Swat to coincide their unreasonable ideologies and principles which were based on misinterpretations of the Quran. They put restrictions on what people could do by regulating the streets and enforcing strict curfew. Moreover, they were claiming that girls should not be going to school and should observe purdah, an Islamic practice in which women were supposed to cover themselves and be secluded from men. They started bombing schools and made a strict declaration that girls could no longer school. Meanwhile, Malala like her father fought overcome all barriers and began to be an activist in the public. She wrote about her experiences under the governance of the Taliban in the BBC Urdu website under the pseudonym, Gul Makai. Moreover, she spoke out in various general meetings and participated in various interviews. Although the Taliban was powerful and could do anything to her, she feared nothing like Ziuaddin and was determined to speak out against the injustices of the Taliban particularly on girls’ education. Malala’s was unwavering in her belief that she could make a difference as she strongly claimed, “Taliban could take our pens and books but they couldn’t stop our minds from thinking” (Yousafzai 146). As can be seen, Malala and Ziuaddin have very close personalities as they both possess the zeal and audacity for activism.
Lastly, Malala is able to use her life experiences to teach the world that one person can make a difference. In the Swat Valley, most people stayed silent as the Taliban forcefully took away their rights and unfairly coerced them to follow their outrageous ideas. However, Malala and her father were not afraid to voice their opinions. In fact, Malala’s father supported his daughter as he said, “You are a child and it’s your right to speak.” As Malala came to realize that silence would not solve anything, she reasoned that “If one man Fazlullah [leader of the Taliban in Swat] can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” (Yousafzai 141-142). Drawing courage from her father and the rest of her family, Malala began to bravely address the absurdity of the Taliban’s actions and the need for a peaceful Pakistan. She was extremely passionate about preserving her education rights and saving her country. Although young, Malala believed that she had the capability to make a difference despite the opposition as she remarks, “The pen and the words that come from it can be much more powerful than machine guns, tanks, or helicopters” (Yousafzai 157). Meanwhile, the Taliban was targeting Malala because she was not conforming to their principles. This led to one of the most unforgettable moments in her life when she was shot by the Taliban. However, she survived with the help of doctors and her undying determination to make a change. From the life of Malala, it is clear that she is an excellent model of how every individual can change the world if they put their mind to it. Moreover, her fearless mentality and faith in herself was the main reason why her words did not go unheard. This is the common element which essentially ties together activists like Malala. By exploring the lives of any revolutionary leader whether Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, or Nelson Mandela, it is evident that all these individuals envisioned a change which they believed they could bring about with perseverance and courage.
All in all, the memoir, I am Malala, paints a vivid picture of the struggles faced by a girl who fights for educational reform. Without any doubt, this story relates to gender inequality since educational rights were stripped away from Pakistani girls. The Taliban recognized women as inferior which ultimately led to the banning of women from receiving education. They believed that a woman should be confined to home and hidden away from the rest of society. However, Malala challenges this inequality and unfairness by voicing her opinions through the various mediums that were available to her. She strongly believed that the Quran did not support the idea that women should be dependent on men. Instead, Malala acknowledged the idea that the teachings of Islam enforced the necessity of building knowledge which is primarily achieved through education.
Malala Yousafzai, a then 15 year old Pashtun girl, lived in the mountainous region of the Swat Valley in Pakistan. Malala’s father, the son of an imam, had built a school based on the foundation that all members of society deserved an equal opportunity to receive education. As Malala started to attend the school with other Muslim girls, many issues had arisen including the domination of the Taliban who had terrorized the villages and claimed dominance of the valley. Throughout the memoir, Malala establishes an explicit contrast between her peaceful home before the Taliban and the terror stricken Swat after the group took over. In the beginning, Malala describes the captivating beauty of her homeland which she regarded as paradise. Out of her pride, she calls the Swat Valley, “a heavenly kingdom of mountains, gushing, waterfalls, and crystal-clear lakes” (Yousafzai 15). With this descriptive imagery, Malala is able to paint a picture in minds of reader of the tranquility and natural beauty that encompassed Swat. Moreover, she was leading a joyful life with her family and friends. When Malala talked about her school, she said, “For us girls that doorway was like a magical entrance to our own special world. As we skipped through, we cast off our headscarves like wind puffing away clouds to make way for the sun then ran helter-skelter up the steps” (Yousafzai 4). However, the placidity of Swat was disrupted with the arrival of the Taliban. After the Taliban started to claim dominance over the region, all of Swat silently shook in terror. Strange looking men with dark and dirty beards stood at checkpoints around street corners regulating the citizens of the land through their power. A man belonging to the Taliban named Fazlullah took control of the Swat Valley through a radio station by openly expressing the need to adopt various ridiculous principles including the idea of banning girls from school. Changes were occurring exponentially in the Swat Valley as Malala describes, “My father always said that the most beautiful thing in a village in the morning is the sight of a child in a school uniform, but now we were afraid to wear them. Taliban started bombing schools” (Yousafzai 135). Moreover, the Taliban was taking away all entertainment from the people including CDs, DVDs, and TVs. However, everyone remained silent, but Malala and her father decided not to as they publicly spoke of the injustices of the Taliban. As conditions worsened, people were being killed for working against the Taliban and suddenly “Any small disturbance or noise could be a bomb or gunfire.” Without any doubt, peace and war is seen in the contrast of the Swat Valley before and after the Taliban gained momentum. Stephen C. Webster, a journalist, claims," Her descriptions of Pakistan's Swat Valley and the tyranny of the extremists who hold much of her nation in the grip of terror are both beautiful and heartbreaking" (Webster). By explicitly depicting the setting, Malala is able to covey the extent to which the Taliban transformed her homeland to readers.
Throughout the memoir, Malala explicitly displays the significant role that her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, played in molding her into a courageous and determined activist. Laura Eggertson, a journalist, also believes in the strong connection between Malala and her father as she claims “I Am Malala illuminates the influences that shaped this young woman’s strong character in particular her father, Ziauddin. Even before you start the book, it’s clear from expression of Malala’s face as she looks at Ziauddin in the back cover photograph of the two of them that his is the approval she most seeks in the world” (Eggertson). In fact, Malala dedicates a considerable portion of her memoir in order to develop the characterization of her father by even describing her father’s life even before marriage. By exploring her father’s early life, Malala makes the beliefs and goals of her father clear to readers. Ziauddin had to overcome various obstacles especially since he had a speech impediment which hindered him from reaching his father’s standards as an imam. However, Malala’s father did not allow his limitations to serve as a hindrance which eventually allowed him to become an impressive public speaker. Moreover, Ziauddin strongly believed in the necessity of education for all regardless of economic status or gender. He had the dreams of opening a school in which he would be able to make the gift of education available for all. Although he did not have the financial means to transform his dreams into reality, Malala’s father strived to reach his goals by sacrifice and living in poor conditions. Eventually after marriage and the birth of Malala, Ziauddin was able to achieve his dreams by starting a school in the Swat Valley. Meanwhile, her father was also an active and well-known figure in Swat as he fearlessly addressed all the flaws in their society and fought for reform. As a daughter, Malala viewed her father with respect and both shared an unbreakable bond. Through the development of Ziauddin’s character particularly by point out his activism in voicing his opinions in society, Malala essentially draws a parallelism between her character and her father’s character. Just like her father’s love for words, Malala had immense love for education always competing to be top in her class. For her age, she was marked by unusual maturity and brilliance. When the Taliban came into the Swat Valley, they started to force the people of Swat to coincide their unreasonable ideologies and principles which were based on misinterpretations of the Quran. They put restrictions on what people could do by regulating the streets and enforcing strict curfew. Moreover, they were claiming that girls should not be going to school and should observe purdah, an Islamic practice in which women were supposed to cover themselves and be secluded from men. They started bombing schools and made a strict declaration that girls could no longer school. Meanwhile, Malala like her father fought overcome all barriers and began to be an activist in the public. She wrote about her experiences under the governance of the Taliban in the BBC Urdu website under the pseudonym, Gul Makai. Moreover, she spoke out in various general meetings and participated in various interviews. Although the Taliban was powerful and could do anything to her, she feared nothing like Ziuaddin and was determined to speak out against the injustices of the Taliban particularly on girls’ education. Malala’s was unwavering in her belief that she could make a difference as she strongly claimed, “Taliban could take our pens and books but they couldn’t stop our minds from thinking” (Yousafzai 146). As can be seen, Malala and Ziuaddin have very close personalities as they both possess the zeal and audacity for activism.
Lastly, Malala is able to use her life experiences to teach the world that one person can make a difference. In the Swat Valley, most people stayed silent as the Taliban forcefully took away their rights and unfairly coerced them to follow their outrageous ideas. However, Malala and her father were not afraid to voice their opinions. In fact, Malala’s father supported his daughter as he said, “You are a child and it’s your right to speak.” As Malala came to realize that silence would not solve anything, she reasoned that “If one man Fazlullah [leader of the Taliban in Swat] can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” (Yousafzai 141-142). Drawing courage from her father and the rest of her family, Malala began to bravely address the absurdity of the Taliban’s actions and the need for a peaceful Pakistan. She was extremely passionate about preserving her education rights and saving her country. Although young, Malala believed that she had the capability to make a difference despite the opposition as she remarks, “The pen and the words that come from it can be much more powerful than machine guns, tanks, or helicopters” (Yousafzai 157). Meanwhile, the Taliban was targeting Malala because she was not conforming to their principles. This led to one of the most unforgettable moments in her life when she was shot by the Taliban. However, she survived with the help of doctors and her undying determination to make a change. From the life of Malala, it is clear that she is an excellent model of how every individual can change the world if they put their mind to it. Moreover, her fearless mentality and faith in herself was the main reason why her words did not go unheard. This is the common element which essentially ties together activists like Malala. By exploring the lives of any revolutionary leader whether Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, or Nelson Mandela, it is evident that all these individuals envisioned a change which they believed they could bring about with perseverance and courage.
All in all, the memoir, I am Malala, paints a vivid picture of the struggles faced by a girl who fights for educational reform. Without any doubt, this story relates to gender inequality since educational rights were stripped away from Pakistani girls. The Taliban recognized women as inferior which ultimately led to the banning of women from receiving education. They believed that a woman should be confined to home and hidden away from the rest of society. However, Malala challenges this inequality and unfairness by voicing her opinions through the various mediums that were available to her. She strongly believed that the Quran did not support the idea that women should be dependent on men. Instead, Malala acknowledged the idea that the teachings of Islam enforced the necessity of building knowledge which is primarily achieved through education.