“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.
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.
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”.
Innovative plans to jump start the country's economy and ground breaking civil rights where soon being produced from the young president. While the speech’s respectful eloquence is appropriate for the occasion of an inauguration, its youthful energy and look to the future make it distinctly John F. Kennedy’s. He uses many rhetorical strategies to inspire, motivate, bring out respect, astonishment, and hope from his wide American audience. Kennedy had just won a long hard fought campaign, yet chose not to focus on the policies that helped him win specifically. The goals he states strongly appeal to ethos, by making connections with the everyday American citizen.
Amir’s Quest for Redemption In a lifetime everyone will face many situations that will lead to guilt and regrets, some more than others and some bigger than others. Throughout the novel The Kite Runner, Amir finally attains redemption during his journey to save Sohrab. Amir atoned for his sins and earned self-forgiveness by risking his life and going back to Kabul, saving Sohrab from Assef and adopting him. Amir’s first act of redemption is that he agrees to return to Kabul to rescue Sohrab, putting his life at risk. Rahim Khan calls Amir and asks him to come to Pakistan to visit him.
People who were under him as president must have enjoyed having a loyal educated president who knew what he was doing. With his high knowledge in political philosophy, he set an example for his fellow citizens over the course of nearly half a century. He summed up the lessons he'd learned in his "Farewell Address to the People of the United States," with its central theme of union based on the primacy of the Constitution. He spoke out his theme with warnings to steer clear of sectional and political divisions. Washington also advised on foreign relations; on the role of religion, morality and education in public life; and on the need to protect public credit and stabilize commercial and manufacturing interests.
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.
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.
You’ve Got Mail: Love in the Modern World When following the story of Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly in Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail, viewers are drawn in by the lovable characters, played by an excellent Tom Hanks and a phenomenal Meg Ryan. Set in the turn of the millennia, right in the bustle of New York City at the rise of the Age of Information as it’s come to be informally known, You’ve Got Mail focuses primarily on how we manage to find love in the modern world, with a backdrop of corporate America to convey a different idea altogether. However, the viewer quickly picks up on the binding aspect, the glue that allows for the story of two unknowing lovers: the internet. The presence of the internet and computers in general begins at the very beginning of the film, with the opening credits taking on a virtual cityscape composed on a computer’s desktop. And from there it does not cease, as the leading couple are introduced in a comedic manner: stealthily signing on to America Online to make correspondence with one another, despite that they have never physically met.
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”.