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1-Page Summary of I Am Malala

Overall Summary

The book begins in October 2012, when Malala Yousafzai is on her way to school. She thinks about how Pakistan has changed and how the Taliban continue to pose a threat to women’s rights and education advocates. Suddenly, the bus stops, and someone asks who she is. When she doesn’t respond because she isn’t wearing her burqa (a veil that covers most of a woman’s face), he shoots her in the head.

Malala Yousafzai was born in 1997 in Pakistan. She is a Pashtun, an ethnic group situated mostly in Afghanistan and Pakistan. She lives in the Swat Valley, a beautiful part of Northwestern Pakistan. Malala is also a Muslim and has been all her life. From a very early age, she was conscious of the restrictions being placed on her because she’s female.

Malala’s father is a passionate man. He grew up in a family that valued education and was able to win several debating competitions when he was young. When the dictator Zia took over Pakistan, Malala’s father started schools for girls as well as boys, which is very unusual in Pashtun culture because women are not supposed to be educated. However, his efforts eventually paid off when he found great success later on in life. Malala notes that her father married Tor Pekai out of love rather than an arranged marriage; this too is highly irregular among Pashtuns. She points out that her father raised her with strong beliefs about education and free speech—three causes she continues to fight for today.

Malala had a talent for public speaking and debating competitions. She rose to the top of her class, and resolved never to steal from anyone again.

Malala was a child who was very shy at first but became more confident as she grew older. Her parents encouraged her to participate in contests where she could hone those skills, which helped her become one of the most talented young speakers in Pakistan by age 6. Malala excelled in school and usually came out on top when it came time for exams or tests (which is why they called her “the professor”). One day, while playing with a friend’s toy, Malala stole it without thinking about what she was doing; later on though, after realizing that stealing wasn’t right or fair to others around them,she decided not to do so anymore. After this incident,her parents were so ashamed that they told everyone how sorry they were about their daughter’s behavior. From then on,Malala vowed not to steal anything ever again because she didn’t want people looking down upon her family name due to something like that happening again.

Malala grew up in a poor area and noticed the poverty around her. Her father allowed more children to attend his school on scholarship, which Malala was happy about. She also observed that many people would cite Islam as an excuse for not letting women learn or be educated; however, she thought it was perfectly acceptable for women to become educated while still being faithful Muslims.

The world was rocked by the attacks of September 11, 2001. In Malala’s community, which had always been moderate and accepting, a group called the Taliban rose to prominence. The Taliban offered a very strict interpretation of Islam that didn’t allow women to go to school or be seen in public without being covered up. They blew up one of the most famous monuments in her area—the giant Buddha at Bamiyan—which horrified people there and Malala too (although she wasn’t even 10 years old yet).

In 2007, Pakistan’s situation worsens when the Taliban assassinates Benazir Bhutto, a female prime minister. This is a big blow to Pakistani women because she was an important role model for them and many of them were inspired by her. The Taliban becomes more violent after the assassination by blowing up schools that offer education to girls as well as boys. Ziauddin uses his influence to write articles condemning the Taliban in newspapers which he writes for.