“The Reluctant Fundamentalist intertwines several stories in order for the reader to make sense of the post 9/11 world” Pakistani Author, Mohsin Hamid’s “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” is a potent example of post 9/11 literature. The story follows an encounter between two apparent strangers in a Lahore Café: one, a silent and nameless American, the other a talkative and educated Pakistani, Changez, who imposes an array of stories of his experience in America upon “The American”. Recounting his experiences, Changez, and indeed Hamid, reveal much about the patriotic and emotional climate in the USA after the September 11 attacks. Hamid’s multiple narratives help the reader to make sense of the post 9/11 world as the framed narrative can be read as an allegory, with characters symbolic of different facets of America and its relationship with the international community. The action unfolding in the café helps the reader to evaluate the complex cultural tensions and fears of the post 9/11 world.
Hughes contrasts realism vs. idealism of America, hope vs. depression and personal view of America vs. public view and through these contrasts, Hughes is able to explain how he is optimistic about the future while living in a very troubled time as well as give opinions to readers about America, good and bad. First, through the usage of juxtaposition, Hughes is able to give a description of how American ought to be vs. how it really is, showing the difference between America now and America hopefully in the future. He touches base on many wonderful patriotic pictures of America, but then contradicts them with revealing the reality of America. For example, “Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed/let it be that great strong land of love/where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme/that any man be crushed by one above” (Hughes 8-9). Hughes is describing America as this “great strong land of love,” which triggers readers’ emotions and makes them feel a desire to go to America in order to seek this love.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist ‘Does Changez find or lose his identity throughout his journey? Discuss.’ In The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which is written by Mohsin Hamid, the protagonist, who is a Pakistani, Changez struggles over whether he belongs in the modern Western world, which hold “one of the most advanced civilisations”, or his motherland of Pakistan which has the “appearance of former greatness” and is “rich with history”. As a person who likes discoveries, Changez moves across different countries and is exposed to a variety of different lifestyles and cultures. Although Changez has somewhat lost his old identity while living in New York, studying at Princeton and working for Underwood Samson, he ultimately remembers and resorts to his old identity when he is placed in a pressured situation, and is forced to examine his beliefs and attributes. During the beginning of the novel when Changez begins to talk to the ‘unknown’ American, he initially claims to be a “lover of America”.
Outsider In his novel THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST mohsin hamid explores changez attempt to make a life for himself in America. While at first he is successful at Princeton and then in securing a job with a well-respected American firm, the reader becomes aware that he finds it increasingly difficult become he is marginalized as an outsider. As he strives to live the American dream, seeking money and status, he begins to question his own values and those of American society. This self-examination triggers such a crisis of identity that he rejects the persona he is trying to fabricate. ‘I did not know where I stood on so many issues of consequence; I lacked a stable core.
Rahim Khan explained to Amir that Baba was Hassan’s father, which made Hassan Amir’s half-brother. “I have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family. But how could I pack up and go back home when my actions may have cost Hassan a chance at those very same things.”(238). This quote was said by Amir when he realizes that he has to return to Kabul and save Sohrab to make up for taking Hassan’s chances of having a good life. Amir finally agrees to return to Kabul to save Sohrab.
Roosevelt did what he could to replace the Supreme Court members because he wanted his plan to pass, for the benefit of the nation. Easing the United States out of the Depression, the New Deal was a successful strategy, and a significant contribution made by Franklin Roosevelt. He believed in creating a system to help America and he succeeded. One of his most famous quotes was, "The only thing we have to fear is fear
The Reluctant Fundamentalist is written with the one perspective of one man, Changez. Changez, a Pakistani man, attempts to chase his “own personal American dream.” Over food and exotic drinks in a café in Lahore, Changez illustrates in a one-sided conservation, to an American traveller his encounters, all of which he experienced while “spending four and a half years” in America. The author portrays the fact that in America, one of the sole purposes of their existence is money, The novel demonstrates how the attacks on the World Trade Centre, and the subsequent repercussions that followed, altered his view of the elusive “American Dream.” Leading to his reluctance to follow the advice of his colleague “to focus on the fundamentals” is replaced by a desire to concentrate on fundamentals of a different type. The use of many stereotypical judgements placed on certain characters in the book is present through the wording, used to depict not only their appearance but also how they are accepted in society. September 11th acts as a means to fuel the labelling placed on those who were not “American citizens.” In joining the line for “foreigners” at immigration, no longer does Changez feel like a “New Yorker.” From the very beginning of the novel, there is immediately the implied sense that there has perhaps been a previous encounter between Changez and the American, not directly however possibly in the sense of their countries.
Through the use of a dramatic monologue Changez is able to explore how he sees himself as he attempts to clarify his experiences in America. His constant use of metaphoric language further enhances the story as Hamid also questions the identity of America and Pakistan as nations. Hamid depicts Changez’s identity as being this on going battle, continuously crossing sides. As the novel is a dramatic monologue, Changez provides the American with a detailed account of his shifting identity. This is used to imply his awareness of the constant shift, however just how unpredictable and inconsistent it really was.
In the text “The Reluctant Fundamentalist “written by Mohsin Hamid, demonstrations that the main tension is due to the shifting of identity by the protagonist, changez a young Pakistani man who journeys through different surroundings and atmospheres trying to find his way in the world. With constant tensions and pressures he is forced to remould his identity to fit his environment .Changez begins his soul searching journey at Princeton, an Ivy League school, fruitful with opportunities. Being the top of his class and only being one of two Pakistani in the whole university, changez is forced to up hold a particular image. With changez attending Princeton it exposes him to high ranking jobs, which he is offered a place at underwood Samson. Underwood Samson a meritocracy, the job enforces a responsibility, a rank, a hunger for changez to the reach the top, the reluctance of upholding the pressures and weight of the job; he forced to reshape his personality to uphold an obedient “soldier”.
Then the term of being a reluctant fundamentalist is somewhat an ironic term, because this is a person who is not sure what beliefs it should adhere to. In the novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Moshin Hamid our protagonist Changez becomes struggles between his identities of being an American or Pakistani through certain events in his life. The first part Changez’s journey to becoming a reluctant fundamentalist is his stay in America. Changez was native of a place called Lahore in the country of Pakistan. He was raised there by his family until the age of eighteen, where we was sent off to Princeton in the United States of America.