Merial Boschung's Blog

As one explores the peritext of Malala Yousafzai’s I Am Malala, the author’s ability to communicate powerfully – even without words – is striking. By means of her cover photos, she purposefully employs visual symbolism to underscore her power as a spokesperson for women’s rights.

When one examines the cover of Malala’s autobiography, one is immediately
struck by the brightness of her headdress and the confidence in her stare. With a pink hijab draped elegantly around her head and shoulders, she smiles knowingly at the camera. This causes one to wonder what lies behind that smile. Does Malala possess some sort of knowledge of which the reader is unaware?

In my opinion, her enigmatic expression is not directed so much to the reader as it is to her oppressors. In the text itself, Malala recounts that she and her female classmates were “advised to wear plain clothes” instead of their school uniforms (Malala 156) in order to hide from the Taliban. The Taliban require “that women wear a long veil… which covers them from head to toe”, and ban women from wearing brightly coloured clothing (Rawa). Even so, here we see Malala: face uncovered, and clad in vibrant colour. This image expressly defies the suppression of the Taliban. She stares into the camera, smiling, as if to say, ‘I am still here – in spite of your attempts to silence me’.

Shifting attention to the back cover of the book, Malala’s defiance of Taliban suppression is further illustrated by the photograph of her and her father. Her clothing is still eye-catching, but now it is the direction of her gaze that communicates the significance of this picture. Here, Malala is portrayed through a more ambitious lens: she looks admiringly at the man who fuels and empowers her fight for women’s education and equality. Because her father is a symbol of perseverance, Malala is not only gazing at a family member but at the embodiment of her goals and dreams; she is focused on her reason to push through the seemingly insurmountable obstacles she faces. Similarly, it is not merely her father who stares proudly into the camera, but perseverance itself. This is striking, as it projects an image to the world of confidence and persistence in the face of extreme adversity.

The images on the front and back covers of Yousafzai’s I Am Malala are like two sides of the same coin, each with its own unique message. Both sides, however, are vital. It is impossible to make change without defying the oppressor and persevering to achieve one’s goals. You cannot have one without the other. The peritext communicates a visual representation of Malala’s story, thereby underscoring her individual agency to speak, to be heard, and to make change.

Works Cited

“Some of the Restrictions Imposed by Taliban on Women in Afghanistan.”Rawa. Rawa.org, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.

Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.