BACKGROUND THEMES- MALALA WARRIOR WITH WORDS.

The main themes in I Am Malala are women’s rights, courage, religion, and
education.
 Women’s rights: Malala is an outspoken proponent of rights for women and
girls, rights the Taliban is committed to destroying when they seize control of
the Swat Valley.

 Courage: Both Malala and her parents, Ziauddin and Toor Pekai, show
remarkable courage after Malala’s shooting and in their defiance of the Taliban.

 Religion: The extremist interpretation of Islam enforced by the Taliban

contrasts sharply with the progressive form of Islam practiced by the
Yousafzais.

 Education: Malala shows how establishing secular schools can help to combat

extremism in Pakistan.

The actions that the main characters reflected on the theme of women’s rights
was present when women are treated differently when being able to go to
school. It was also present when the Taliban take control of the people of Swat
especially the women. Malala struggles with her place as a woman in Swat; she
must overcome the constraints society places on her in order to pursue her
education and be herself.

The power of education has affected the main characters because education
has been provided and taking away from the people in Swat valley. It also
addresses that before the Taliban had taken over Swat valley, women had an
option where they could go to school or know. However, after they finish
schooling their only jobs to include being a school teacher of staying at home to
cook, clean, and bearing children. This theme developed over the course of I
am Malala because Malala analyzed how before she was born, girls didn’t strive
to go to school. However, when Malala was growing up girls in Swat started to
strive to be more than just school teachers and a stay at home mom.

Malala believes deeply in her own education. Like her father, she believes that
all children deserve to be educated. She argues that education is the thing that
will allow all people, especially women, to enjoy a free and fulfilling life.
The theme of education as a right is also developed in the actions of those who
oppose and attempt to deny it to Malala and other girls. The Taliban view
education as a threat to their extreme conservative teachings. They use
violence and intimidation to close schools and prevent girls from receiving an
education. This only convinces Malala further that education is a powerful
weapon to be used to achieve liberation and independence for all people. If it
were not, her story shows, then the Taliban would not be trying so hard to deny
it to people.

Islam and Its Interpretations

When the Taliban took over, they felt that girls should not be in school. They
also thought that what the girls are being taught were not a part of their culture.
When the Taliban took over, they forced the women to wear a burqa and lead
them to believe that it is a part of Islam. Afterward, every tragedy that happens
in Swat Valley lead the people that it was their fault that it was happing to them.
It was lead to believe that they weren 't following Islam the way it supposed to
be.

Family
Despite the terrible things going on in their home, Malala's family remains
closely bonded, and these deep bonds make all the difference as they deal with
change and hardship. Malala's parents are role models for how she hopes to
carry herself, and her brothers are a source of love, comfort, and familiarity. The
strength of the Yousafzai family bonds are particularly evident in the aftermath
of Malala's shooting, as her family remains by her side even as she is taken to a
different, strange country to recover.

Freedom
Malala's father constantly tells her that she is as free as a bird. Under the
Taliban, freedom is practically nonexistent: people are controlled in every way,
from how they dress to how they worship, with the fear of death as a motivator
to follow the Taliban's law. Women are particularly controlled, and though
Malala has been lucky enough to receive an education, she still feels this
confinement when the Taliban takes over her home. This experience is why she
consistently fights for freedom, both for young girls and for people as a who are
oppressed.

Fear vs. Courage — Malala fights her circumstances by having the courage to
stand before others—risking her life—to speak on behalf of her people.

More themes on prezi

https://prezi.com/k6kehnde8ojb/themes-from-i-am-malala/