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Malala is naturally intelligent and curious as a young child and has an innate respect for education. Not only her parents, but other adults in her life all seem to know that young Malala will be different. As a girl living in Pakistan, she has limited choices. In many ways, though, Malala is freer than her peers because her parents support her education, even though it runs counter to cultural norms. Malala never references a family conversation about whether she will continue her education past a certain age, as is the case with her friends. It is always understood that Malala will be highly educated. Even early in the book, it is easy to forget Malala’s age. From early on, she is deeply empathetic and has an unusual grasp of adult conversation, so she is well-versed in the complicated history of her country and tumultuous current events. In her early childhood, she knows she wants to be different from the Pakistani women in her village, and she is dedicated to gaining knowledge for the sake of knowledge. However, when the Taliban arrives and a violent militancy takes hold in Swat Valley, Malala recognizes education is a powerful weapon that will allow her to combat this violence.
Malala feels obligated to enter a life of activism when the Taliban threatens to take away her right to an education. While the world around Malala has spun completely out of control, her work promoting education and equality gives her hope for the future. With courage and fortitude beyond her years, she begins her activism by taking interviews and writing articles through connections that are initially facilitated by her father. Through these outlets, she unflinchingly champions woman’s rights, repeatedly showing that she will not be silenced by threats. Malala eventually takes complete ownership of her activism, even as she receives threats against her safety. Malala is a young girl, a symbol of innocence, who questions the Taliban, so she presents a unique threat to them. Ironically, by trying to silence her, the Taliban give Malala a more powerful international platform. Humble by nature, Malala never takes credit for her accomplishments but instead sees her cause as bigger than herself. She is not interested in her own fame but in promoting the right to an education for all.
