I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition)

While she is recovering in the hospital, Malala receives the gift of two of Benazir Bhutto’s scarves from Bhutto’s children. Malala calls this gift “Most precious of all, perhaps” (165). Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan, was assassinated shortly after her return to the country. Malala sees Bhutto as a role model—a strong, intelligent, independent Pakistani woman who fought for societal change. The passing down of Bhutto’s scarves implies that others view Malala in the same light: as a courageous, dedicated campaigner for peace and equality. Like Bhutto, Malala sacrifices greatly—nearly giving her life—for her country and her beliefs. When Malala gives her speech to the United Nations, she purposefully wears one of Benazir Bhutto’s scarves, suggesting that she has taken up Bhutto’s mantle and will dedicate her life to continue to work for change.

Even when faced with increasing threats to their rights and freedoms, Malala and her family remain hopeful. Malala describes herself as a “hopeful person—my friends may say too hopeful, maybe even a little crazy” (73). Hope is a powerful motif that underlies Malala’s narrative: Malala’s sense of hope is a fundamental part of her identity and informs her activism. Hope is the conviction that future events will occur, and Malala always believes that things will get better.