ELECTIVE TWO: EXPLORING TRANSITIONS
Related text
I am Malala
by Malala Yousafzai & Christina Lamb
Synopsis
"I am Malala' is Malala Yousafzai's fearless memoir, co-written with journalist, Christina Lamb.
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out, Malala Yousafzai. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. In early 2009, at the age of 12, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban occupation, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, Malala almost paid the ultimate price. Malala was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive. Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons
Publishing details/ Reference
Yousafzai, M. & Lamb, C. (2013). I am Malala. United Kingdom: Little, Brown and Company.
How will the memoir 'I am Malala' enrich the study of 'The Story of Tom Brennan' in the context of exploring transitions?
'I am Malala' is a provocative memoir which explores not only physical but also emotional transitions, of both the individual and society at large. The most interesting transition which students should trace during the study of this text, are the changes which occur to the lives of Malala and her family as a result of the rise of the Taliban in Swat Valley. Through compare and contrast and thorough analysis of language forms and features, students should be able to effectively describe the social transitions which take place as a result of the invasion of the Taliban. Most importantly students should be able to identify the changes in women's access to education as the major catalyst for Malala's own physical, emotional and social transformation.
Studying the memoir ‘I am Malala’ as a related text would enrich the ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ in the context of exploring transitions as a result of the thematic similarities both novels share. Like Tom from ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’, Malala transitions from an emotional state of fear and trepidation to a state of confidence as a result of changes within her social context. As a result of the social, cultural and political context of Swat Valley, Malala lives in fear of reaction to her oppositional political views, a fear that proves to be well founded when she is shot in the head by an unnamed Taliban gunman.
Like Tom, Malala undergoes a geographical transformation as a result of a traumatic experience. Due to her head injuries and the treatment she requires, Malala is forced to venture into a new world, England. Malala's exposure to this new, democratic society gives her the opportunity to act as a confident global spokesperson for peace and the education of all women around the world. Due to the thematic similarities which exist between the two texts, students should find drawing connections between both books an enriching experience.
"I am Malala' is Malala Yousafzai's fearless memoir, co-written with journalist, Christina Lamb.
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out, Malala Yousafzai. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. In early 2009, at the age of 12, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban occupation, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, Malala almost paid the ultimate price. Malala was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive. Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons
Publishing details/ Reference
Yousafzai, M. & Lamb, C. (2013). I am Malala. United Kingdom: Little, Brown and Company.
How will the memoir 'I am Malala' enrich the study of 'The Story of Tom Brennan' in the context of exploring transitions?
'I am Malala' is a provocative memoir which explores not only physical but also emotional transitions, of both the individual and society at large. The most interesting transition which students should trace during the study of this text, are the changes which occur to the lives of Malala and her family as a result of the rise of the Taliban in Swat Valley. Through compare and contrast and thorough analysis of language forms and features, students should be able to effectively describe the social transitions which take place as a result of the invasion of the Taliban. Most importantly students should be able to identify the changes in women's access to education as the major catalyst for Malala's own physical, emotional and social transformation.
Studying the memoir ‘I am Malala’ as a related text would enrich the ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ in the context of exploring transitions as a result of the thematic similarities both novels share. Like Tom from ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’, Malala transitions from an emotional state of fear and trepidation to a state of confidence as a result of changes within her social context. As a result of the social, cultural and political context of Swat Valley, Malala lives in fear of reaction to her oppositional political views, a fear that proves to be well founded when she is shot in the head by an unnamed Taliban gunman.
Like Tom, Malala undergoes a geographical transformation as a result of a traumatic experience. Due to her head injuries and the treatment she requires, Malala is forced to venture into a new world, England. Malala's exposure to this new, democratic society gives her the opportunity to act as a confident global spokesperson for peace and the education of all women around the world. Due to the thematic similarities which exist between the two texts, students should find drawing connections between both books an enriching experience.