Does My Head Look Big in This?

Does My Head Look Big in This?

In the book, “Does My Head Look Big in This” by Randa

Abdel-Fattah, The main character, Amal is very contradictory 

about wearing the hijab. First because she doesn’t want to wear

it to school, second because she wants to wear it to school, and 

lastly, because she doesn’t know which to choose, so she asks her 

friends.


First, she didn’t want to wear it to school because 

she was afraid of people making fun of her. For instance, she was 

afraid that people would call her “towel-head” and “a teletubby.” 

Lastly, she was afraid of Adam, a boy she has a crush on, not 

liking it.


Second, she did want to put it on because she feels that she 

would be closer to god if she put it on. She also does want to 

wear it because she wants to experiment with it and see how it 

feels. Lastly, she wants to show her modesty through the hijab.


Lastly, she doesn’t know what to choose, so she asks 

her friends. For instance in her conversation with Leila, she was 

encouraging her to wear the hijab by saying things like “that’s 

so cool! We will both be wearing it now!” Lastly, when she was 

talking to Yasmeen, she was telling her that she shouldn’t wear 

the hijab by saying things like “How can you even think of 

wearing it?”

As you can see, Amal is very contradictory about wearing the 

hijab. First because she doesn’t want to wear it to school, 

second because she wants to wear it to school, and lastly, 

because she doesn’t know which to choose, so she asks her 

friends.