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.
Nick describes himself as being someone who reserves all judgment but, throughout the novel he is constantly relaying his opinion about other people. Nick makes a comment about his cousin Daisy’s husband Tom and says, “The fact that he “had some women in New York” was really less surprising than that he had been depressed by a book.” Nick is blatantly insulting Tom, and
Changez is not the only outsider in The Reluctant Fundamentalist- every character is an outsider. Discuss. Mohsin Hamid’s dramatic monologue, The Reluctant Fundamentalist tells the story of a young Pakistani man who is consumed by the status of America and becomes immersed in the American way of life. However it is through his recount that we are able to see that he is not the only outsider, but similarly his work colleagues and his one true love are outcasts in their own right. Changez’ failed persistence to fit in and adopt the American culture causes him to waste many years of his life as an outsider.
My response to this prompt is written in the form of an expository essay, and directed towards people who is enthusiast of the movie and the book “The Reluctant Fundamentalist “. The prompt I have chosen is that ‘Changez’s failed relationship with Erica mirrors his relationship with America.’ My point of this prompt is to contented that his failed relationship with Erica alter his life and become unbearable to him, and chose to quit at Underwood Samson that lead to hatred to America. Erica’s influence on Changez and his feelings are arguably the most highlighted aspects of Changez’s development. This is instantly apparent when he meets Erica for the first time even then, he’s describing her as ‘stunningly regal’, and before he even begins to speak to her, Changez becomes jealous of locals acting pretentiously for her attention. Additionally, he’s so overcome with obsession and affection for Erica that the significance of her dead lover, Chris, towards her goes unnoticed.
This is posted by John Smith in: http://voices.yahoo.com/holden-caulfield-catcher-rye-49935.html Holden Caulfield from Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye is a troubled young teenager who is trying to find his identity and establish security and stability during a period of transition from adolescence to adulthood. Like any other teenager, he struggles to find understanding of the world around him and meets many obstacles and contradictions along the way. However, Holden is different in that he places himself in a position where he cannot connect with others in his society and is thus hopelessly lonely and alienated. Holden cannot accept the help of others because he shuns the conventional world and in this sense becomes an iconoclast to
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.
A Struggle For Identity In the memoir This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff, Toby is continually attempting to reinvent himself for the recognition of others. As he and his mom travel to different states to run away from certain men or for the sake of money, Toby begins to change slowly. During this journey, Toby is left with no beneficial male influence. This causes him to develop few behavioral problems. For instance, since he does not get discipline by his mother, he does not know any better.
The title of the story“Cathedral” means, the change in one man’s understanding of himself and the world, but Carver ends the story at the moment when this change reveals the narrator’s inner feelings. Just as the title “Cathedral” means the narrator has not become a new person or achieved any kind of soul-changing enlightenment. In the other hand, the narrator’s final words, “It’s really something,” reveal him to be the same person as he was before. In conclusion, Carver has created an ending that leaves the reader many with many unanswered questions. Leaves the reader questioning about the title of the short story and does the narrator does as it means in what the title refer too.
Like the devastating reality that Gatsby is unable to fit into daisy’s class, he is also hit with short coming of his new life due to lack of meaning. Gatsby as a little boy dreamed of making his life into something admirable. Mr.Gatz shows nick that Gatsby kept a book stating these things: “read one improving book or magazine per week.”(Fitzgerald, pg. 173) Gatz says, jimmy was bound to get ahead.”(Fitzgerald, pg.173). However in Gatsby’s adult reality he becomes a criminal to make his fortune, in hopes to win Daisy's affection.
Then I knocked on Baba’s door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies. Amir thinks that he can forget his guilt by driving Hassan out of his house. But he’s wrong. He can’t run away from his guilt in the past easily. Even after moving out to America, the guilty feeling taunts him back when Baba mentions Hassan’s name.