Page 1: Mariam's Upbringing and Role in the Story

The first page of "She Shall not be Moved" by Shereen Pandit focuses on the narrator's approach to raising her daughter Mariam and the child's function within the narrative.

The narrator has instilled strong values in Mariam, emphasizing politeness, respect, and social responsibility. Mariam demonstrates these qualities even in difficult situations, such as when confronted with rude strangers on public transport. She refers to impolite women as "ladies" despite their behavior and appearance, showing her ingrained courtesy.

Example: Mariam calls the women occupying the pram space "those two ladies" (p. 23, l. 9), even though they don't behave or look like typical ladies.

The mother has taught Mariam to be self-sacrificing and resilient, encouraging her to stand up against wrongdoing and bullies. This education extends to appreciating and protecting rights such as freedom of expression and belief.

Highlight: The narrator has consistently pushed Mariam to "stand up against wrong-doing" (p. 23, ll. 26-27) and confront "bullies at school, whether they're bullying her or someone else" (p. 23, ll. 28-29).

Mariam's role in the story serves multiple functions. She acts as the narrator's conscience, reminding her mother of the values she has taught. This creates internal conflict for the narrator when she fails to act according to these principles. Additionally, Mariam provides a point of comparison for readers, demonstrating the ideal behavior that contrasts with the adults' actions.

Definition: Conscience - An inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

The interaction between Mariam and her mother highlights the disparity between childhood idealism and adult pragmatism, raising questions about the challenges of maintaining moral integrity in complex real-world situations.

Vocabulary: Pragmatism - An approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application.

In the context of "She shall not be moved Deutsch" (the German translation or interpretation of the story), these themes would likely resonate across cultural boundaries, as they touch on universal issues of moral education and social responsibility.