The Tension That Hamid Builds in the Reluctant Fundamentalist Depends on the Use of the Dramatic Monologue Form. Do You Agree?

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In Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the narrator, a Pakistani by the name of Changez shares his experience in America during the time of the 9/11 with an American he finds in a Lahore café. Hamid writes in the form of a dramatic monologue where Changez reveals his thoughts and political views towards America in pre and post 9/11. To some extent, he built tension between Changez and the American stranger. He sets up a tension in the story between the past and the present and the East and the West. He sends a clear message to the American population about the Muslims’ resentment towards the Americans after the 9/11. Despite Changez’s interruptions during his story, mostly by the American stranger, whose voice is never heard, at least, was not given the opportunity to speak in this novel. On the other hand, the tension that was built by Hamid was not entirely dependent on the use of the dramatic monologue form. These characters add tension to the story line because it brings suspicion and it also highlights a lot of underlying issues especially political issues which allows for different interpretations. Unlike most novels, this one leaves readers still unsure of both of their intentions to purposely leave the story unfinished. Without hesitation, Hamid creates this character named Changez who is upfront about the Muslim community’s resentment towards the Americans since 9/11. In the background, the relationship between the Muslims and the West have been strained and tested in recent times especially since 9/11 because of extreme Islamic beliefs against the liberal materialistic West. Changez is always polite and grammatically correct but there is a twist to his story that depicts aggressive anti-Americanism which gradually makes the American listener more and more uncomfortable. Changez’s narration is direct and very open which may have veiled threat

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