I Am Malala Themes

I remember the squeaky sound my new, white Mary-Jane shoes made as I walked down the aisle toward the altar. The sleeves of my first communion dress itched my shoulders as I anticipated eating the “body of Christ” bread for the first time. This ceremony, my first holy communion, was the last of my religious activities until high school. My father was a traditional Catholic while my mother was more open and spiritual. After my communion I realized I resonated more with my mother’s beliefs than my father’s. My sister had followed more in my father’s footsteps and attended a youth group weekly. I tried it but never felt the same comfort or resonance toward it, like my sister did.
Religion is a sticky topic; there are many different types of religion and many different beliefs for all types of people. Everyone connects to religion differently; while this can be beautiful and comforting it can also bring tension and hate as well. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai exemplifies this; while this novel tells the brave story of Malala’s fight for education it also speaks of the power within religion. Religion plays a major theme within I Am Malala; it shows the comfort, hope, and connection it can bring to people but also the ignorance and misinterpretation too, …show more content…
“…I’d pray to God, “Bless us. First our father and family, then our street, then our whole mohalla, then all Swat.” Then I’d say, “No, all Muslims.” Then, “No…bless all human beings.”” (Yousafzai 237) This quote shows the community built through religion and how everyone cares for everyone, that they all wish for everyone’s well-being and safety. It is beautifully comforting to know there is always someone looking out for you, be it a religious neighbor or the almighty