Malala Yousafzai: An Archetypal Hero

Malala Yousafzai, the girl who defied the Taliban and spoke out as an activist for women’s education, represents the standards of an archetypal hero. Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Pakistan. Her hometown, a popular tourist location, thrived due to its summer festivals until the Taliban invaded. Her father, Ziauddin, owned a school and advocated for education in Pakistan. Ziauddin became a forthright antagonist of Taliban efforts to restrict education and prohibit girls from attending school. Malala’s father backed her academic pursuits throughout her childhood, which defied a a rooted belief in their religion that men own women as property. They believed women were to be held in abeyance, refrain from attending school, and marry at a young age. Malala and her father received death threats from the Taliban, but continued to be staunch activists for the right to educate. Malala survived after being gunned down on her way home from school by the Taliban.

Today I will have my books, my bag, and I will learn ... I want to learn about politics, about social rights, and about the law. I want to learn how to bring change in this world." The fact that Malala Yousafzai never carried a weapon to influence her audience dissociates herself from the common archetype. Malala utilized the vitality of spoken word as her weapon. Malala Yousafzai challenges the typical vision of a woman in Pakistan area. Malala could have easily given her fight up with her injury, but that injury motivated her to continue her fight for education. She has been described as "a brave and gentle advocate of peace who through the simple act of going to school became a global teacher.” Malala defied the religion that influenced her and those around her in Mingora. She has become a global advocate for girls being denied a formal education due to social, economic, legal and political