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

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the play over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Many people consider Malala a heroine for her work.

• Why do people believe Malala is a heroine? (topic sentence)
• Think about the characteristics of a hero, such as courage, self-sacrifice, moral integrity, empathy, and the desire to help others. Pick two or three of these heroic character traits and explain how Malala demonstrates them. Use examples from the text to support your ideas.
• Finally, discuss how these traits enable Malala to succeed in her activism.

2. Malala originally wants to be a doctor but changes her mind and decides to be a politician.

• Why does Malala want to enter politics instead of being a doctor? (topic sentence)
• Detail two or three of the influences in Malala’s life, such as people and events, that help her arrive at her decision to be a politician. Support your ideas with details from the text.
• Lastly, explain how Malala acts on these influences and works towards becoming involved in politics.

3. Malala’s life in England is much different from her life in Pakistan. 

• How does Malala’s life and that of her family change when they move to England? (topic sentence)
• Describe two challenges that Malala and her family face in their new lives in England. Describe two benefits they discover from living in England. Give details from the text to support your ideas.
• Discuss how living in England may help Malala with her advocacy work.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Consider Malala’s relationship with her parents. How does her father inspire Malala to become a champion of girls’ educational rights? In what ways is Malala like her father? What character traits do they share? Characterize Malala’s relationship with her mother. In what ways does her mother influence Malala? Does Malala have a closer bond to one parent over the other? Discuss.

2. Malala believes she—and everyone—has a basic right to education. Why is girls’ education so important to Malala? What are some of the benefits of education? In contrast, the Taliban believe that girls’ education is un-Islamic. What do the Taliban believe is the role of women in Pakistani society? Why do you think the Taliban want to suppress girls’ education? Discuss how Malala’s fight for girls’ education is also a fight for women’s rights.