Importance of Setting in I Am Malala Essay Example

The setting of any book is critical because it helps the reader understand more about what the characters experience and see around them. In I am Malala, the setting is significant because it shows us where the main character grows up, what life is like to her, and how she feels whenever an important event occurs. Malala Yousafzai is born in Swat Valley, Pakistan, where she grows up and learns to love her home. She talks about her old home in Swat Valley when she explains that it used to be, “known for its beauty, and tourists came from all over to see its tall mountains, lush green hills, and crystal-clear rivers” (Yousafzai and McCormick 12). Now, after the Taliban have invaded and destroyed nearly everything in her city, she can only remember how much she loved her childhood home. 

If Malala had lived in another country or town, she may not have appreciated her home as much. In Pakistan, women are seen as less than men, but that only fuels Malala’s aspiration to change society and save education for women. Malala always wonders why “women are treated so poorly” in her country and sees “how hard these women’s lives” are (Yousafzai and McCormick 24). Even with the resentment of women all around her, Malala grows up to love her home in Pakistan. It is the place where she goes to school and plays with her friends in the street. 

When exploring Mingora, Swat Valley, and the Khushal School in virtual reality, I was able to better understand the setting of Malala’s life. The landscape was similar to how I had pictured it, but it was surprising to see how remote the town was. The virtual reality helped me dive deeper into the story and learn more about Malala’s love for her country. I was also able to realize how scared Malala must have felt when fleeing her home. Virtual reality helped me connect with the story and see the setting in a new way.