I am Malala – Audience, Character Identity, and Purpose

By Jessica Wang

Question: In the beginning of the book, I am Malala, the author frequently talks about her culture, history, legends, and connects them to her personal experience. How is this significant?

In Malala Yousafzai’s autobiography, I am Malala, the author shares her story as a Pakistani teenager girl who has been shot by the Taliban on her way to school. She also reveals her affection for education, peace, freedom, and her culture. In this blogpost, I will analyze the narrating patterns in Prologue and Chapter 1 of I am Malala, where Malala specifically introduces her culture, history, legends, family, and her childhood experience. I will also discuss how Malala uses the information to accommodate readers, to present her identity, and to further achieve the purposes of writing the book.

Based on how Malala accommodates the audiences’ needs, we may create an audience profile. In Prologue, Malala invites the audience into her story by beginning with the significant event, which she was shot by the Taliban on her way to school, and forced to leave her beloved home valley, Swat. She specially defines some Pakistani terms when telling her childhood story and family relationships. For example, the way her father calls her “Jani Mun”, which means “soulmate” (6), and her mother calls her “Pisho”, meaning “cat” (6). She also uses the phrase “in our culture” (6), then provides explanations for cultural traditions. Malala emphasizes on women’s status in her culture, “it’s hard for girls in our society to be anything other than teachers or doctors” (7), provides information surrounding this topic. These narrating characteristics suggest that she intends to address audiences who are outside of her culture: people likely are ignorant about the Pakistani society, language, and values. In other words, one of the purposes she writes the text, is to spread the story for a greater influence in other nations and cultures. In the text, she also mentions several famous politicians, but only elaborates on them depending on needs of the audience. When she mentions “Sher Mohammad Khan”, she then adds that Khan was the “the finance minister of the first ruler of Swat” (8). In contrast, when she mentions “Winston Churchill” (16), Malala does not address who was Churchill, as she assumes the audiences know him. This detail reveals that Malala is likely writing the text for readers in Western societies. Throughout the chapters, Malala narrates her stories in a style demonstrates characteristics of a teenager. Though she discusses many heavy topics such as terrorism, oppression, wars and violence, the audiences see these issues from a teenager’s perspective. This makes her message more powerful and suitable for all ages to read. In the Prologue and Chapter 1, Malala describes many cultural stories emphasize what is important to her.

The major topics or social issues discussed in the book are peace, education, women’s status, cultural belonging, and rights and freedom. Malala shares her personal experience relating to these topics, and demonstrates her position in these social issues. She also illustrates how the important aspects of her identity correlate with the major topics. One example is from page 5 of Prologue, when she describes the furniture in her house, she specially emphasizes that she bought them with the “money awarded for campaigning for peace” (6) in her valley. This reveals her passion for peace (which is also an aspect of her identity), and responds to the major topics. In Chapter 1, she discusses in great details about the history of Swat Valley, origins of her name, legends in her culture, and how are these important to her. Malala provides this information to accommodate the audience with background knowledge, provide a more complete image for Malala’s character, and explain why Malala values certain things. On page 22-25, Malala describes the Yousafzai ancestors’ settlement in Swat, and their chief named Badshah Sahib wisely resolves tribe conflicts, builds schools, and brings peace to the tribe. Through telling this story, she implies her pride and sense of belonging for her culture. Her father comments that Badshah Sahib “brought peace”, his son “brought prosperity” (25). His comments also reveal the common traits between Malala and her father, which they both value education and peace. Malala relates this history with her own life, and demonstrates what shapes her beliefs.

In the Prologue and Chapter 1 of I am Malala, Malala uses information about the Pakistani culture, history, legends, and tradition, to accommodate the targeted audiences with more background knowledge about the central topics for her book. She relates her personal experience with these background information, and gives the audience a clear image of Malala’s character. Through telling cultural history and legends, Malala also implies the central topics of the book, and why are they significant to her. In this autobiography, Malala invites her audience to approach significant social issues from a teenage girl’s point of view, and delivers a powerful message across Western nations.

Reference:

Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala: the Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. Little Brown & Co, 2013.