Category: The Reluctant Fundamentalist

There are turning points in every century which not only change the course of history all together but also give becomes the fodder for the imagination of its contemporary creative minds. The 20^th century had World War II which inspired many creative minds to create their magnum opuses, their work is regarded as a classic or appraised for its timelessness. The 21^st century started with a bang when the twin towers of WTC came tumbling down in the USA.

The event sparked the beginning of a turbulent decade which was fuelled by war, racial discrimination, and religious persecution, a much contained and organized World War II all over. As our affinity with pain, the event of 9/11 has jump-started the fiery imaginations of many creative minds thus spawning a breed of fiction that deals with the pre or post 9/11 world.

Pakistani writers have been on the scene of English fiction writing for not very long but the few names who have managed to stay in the foreground include the name of Mohsin Hamid, whose first book Moth Smoke was appraised heavily and was indeed a classic. Just like many of his contemporaries, Hamid has delved into the murky and deceitful subject of the post 9/11 world and has come up with The Reluctant Fundamentalist which is an entirely fresh perspective on an already heavily discussed subject.

It tells the story of a young man Changez through a series of deviously and intricately crafted monologues where the protagonist narrates the story of his life to an ominously jumpy American who he happens to meet in the marketplace of his home town Lahore.

The cautious American, though flinching at every obtrusive sound and shadow remains anonymous the whole time yet plays a pivotal role in bringing the book to an end. On the other hand, Changez gets deeply engrossed in recounting the nooks and crannies of his unusual life to a relatively strange foreigner without a shred of apprehension, possibly because of his penchant for Americans.

Changez belongs to an upper-middle-class family in Lahore where are they considered elite, but they are not rich. Changez was sent to the USA to pursue higher education and he does graduate summa cum laude from the prestigious Princeton. Belonging to a family that had seen its days of glory in a country that wasnt as derelict as it is now, Changez is living the ultimate American dream. He gets a job at the Underwood Samson & Company, a highly esteemed valuation firm, and is getting paid what most Americans can only dream off.

Changez, a resident of one of the biggest cities in Pakistan, falls in love with New York and rhapsodizes that he immediately became a New Yorker as he starts his aspiring career and Underwood Samson. (p. 20). His friendship with a fellow Princetonian, the beautiful and exotic Erica, the daughter of an elite investment banker of New York, takes a new turn as he irrevocably falls in love with her. Changez is living a dream, with a high profile and auspicious job, courting with the beautiful elite of New York and a promise of a prosperous future.

Changezs world falls apart on his visit to Manila when the twin towers of WTC are hit in New York, 9/11/2001. a devastated and paranoid nation goes to war against those who inflicted such damages to it and those who share the skin color of the enemy became pariahs in their lands. Thats what happens to Changez when he returns to New York and finds it not as welcoming as it was a few days ago. Already coping with profiling and segregation, his troubles mount as Erica, dealing with the newly found affection of Changez, goes through a nervous breakdown, unable to let go of the memories of her deceased boyfriend Chris. She retreats to her inner self and starts living with the morbid memories of her dead love.

Things back at home look precarious as political pressure on Pakistan is doubled by the joint impact of the US and India. Thus Changez is caught in a tornado of emotional and political turmoil which escalates by his visit to Chile and Erica being missing. With shattered dreams and cross feelings about America as he proclaims that America is only engaged in posturing, Changez returns o Lahore and starts working as a fire-tongued lecturer who entices and insinuates his students to fight America from the intellectual front (p.101).

The ending of the reluctant fundamentalist is rather ambiguous and left at the readers discretion. Changezs monologue ends and the reader found the shadowy American whos probably agitated over what he has heard from Changez and the bleak surroundings. As the night gets darker, the American gets vexed even further until Changez walks him off to his hotel only to be followed by the burly waiter at the restaurant where they both spent their evening.

The novel ends abruptly when the American draws ostensibly a weapon from his inner pockets as he sees the foreboding waiter creeping in the shadows following them. It is usually presumed that the American is an undercover agent either from the FBI or CIA as he is acutely alert of his environment and every motion around him. Changez even alludes to his foreigners sense of being watched at the beginning of the novel as his guest flinches recoil at every shadow (p.19). the hint of American carrying a weapon is established at the very beginning of the novel when he reaches out for his inner pocket instinctively at the sight of the intimidating waiter which Changez innocently mistake for the American reaching for his wallet (p.3).

The second assumption that the readers make is that the American draws his alleged weapon out so that he could terminate Changez who he believes has turned into a fundamentalist. There are many references scattered throughout the whole novel where the American gets agitated or even annoyed vividly at what Changez narrates. He particularly scowls when Changez tells him that he had smiled when he saw the towers collapse but that doesnt make him a sociopath (p.43).

But the assumption can easily be ruled out because of certain reasons. First, Changez is simply pouring his heart out before a stranger because the truth is, Changez may hate the American government but at heart, he still loves America. Bumping up on a person from the country he loves, he simply tries to be hospitable with a guest and wants to register his discontent with the US governments policies. He simply narrates the circumstances that made him leave the country he loved so much and that every Asian or Muslim is not a fundamentalist by birth. Changez is quite oblivious to the Americans status.

A second reason that the American is not after Changez is that being an agent of either shadowy agencies of the US, he would never let his emotions or intentions be known to his target, and his constantly changing gestures and emotions are in accordance with Changezs story are a testament that he simply bumped onto him. What really happened can be computed by a hypothetical assumption that the American is after a target as use Changez as a distraction to keep an eye on it and the target being the burly waiter. Another hypothesis is that the waiter being an infuriated Pakistani decides to teach the American a lesson and follows him.

Either way, the intention behind Changezs confiding in a strange foreigner can simply be attributed to the fact that even after being home, he feels homesick. He misses New York and its inhabitants and he misses Erica the most since her departure left him no reason to stay in a place where his mere presence invokes apprehensive whispers. Mohsin Hamid tries to convey the message that anyone, even the most liberals who oppose the American will and hegemony will be branded as fundamentalist as it has become the order of the day.

Work Cited

Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Karachi: Oxford, 2007.

Empathy is one of the things that distinguish a human being from other species. This concept can be understood as the ability of an individual to recognize and understand the feelings and emotions of another person.

In some cases, the word empathy implies that a person can accept the humanity of others despite social, economic, or political differences. This paper is aimed at discussing two novels, namely The Reluctant Fundamentalist written by Mohsin Hamid and Flight by Sherman Alexie. These novels have recently attracted much attention of critics and scholars.

One of the main themes that the authors explore is that the ability to empathize can often be impeded by the borders of race, nationality or culture. Moreover, it can be limited by the memories of violence, humiliation, and loss. Nevertheless, both Mohsin Hamid and Sherman Alexie create protagonists who can transcend these borders. These authors focus on the idea that empathy is essential for the fulfilling life of an individual. The writers also undermine popular stereotypes about the behavior of an individual.

For instance, Mohsin Hamid shows that the need to achieve success does not deprive people of their ability to feel loyalty to ones country or fellow countrymen. In turn, Sherman Alexie demonstrates that different worldviews and ideologies do not necessarily separate people and make them hostile to one another. These are the main questions that should be examined in more detail.

Special attention should be paid to the narrative techniques that the writers employ. They rely on the first-person narration which is particular suitable in those cases, when the author wants to focus on the feelings, attitudes, and emotions of the protagonist, rather than people with whom he/she interacts.

For instance, Sherman Alexie starts his novel with the following introduction. Call me Zits. Everybody calls me Zits. Thats not my real name, of course. My real name isnt important (Alexie 1). To a great extent, this is an allusion to the famous novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Similarly, at the beginning of Mohsin Hamids novel, Changez introduces himself to the reader and identifies oneself as a Pakistani.

Overall, this form of narrative voice is important because it implies that the major characters may be very subjective when evaluating the behavior of other people and their own actions. Overall, such form of story-telling is often regarded as unreliable narration. It is possible to say that subjectivity is one of the things that prevent a person from being empathetic because he/she is unable to place oneself in the position of others or look at the problem from a different perspective.

This statement is particularly applicable to Zits and his unjustified hatred toward others. Moreover, they tend to focus on their own experiences and may disregard the feelings of others. So, extreme subjectivity is one the main challenges that both Changez and Zits have to overcome.

There is another thing that Zits and Changez have in common. They are aware that they are different from the majority of the population since they are perceived as non-white people. They also understand that they may not be fully accepted by others. This is one of the things that the protagonists are keenly aware of.

For instance, Changez knows that as a Pakistani he had to face more challenges when he was applying to Princeton (Hamid 4). In turn, Zits also understands that he has a complex identity. In particular, the protagonist says, Im not really Irish or Indian. Im a blank sky, a human solar eclipse (Alexie 5). He cannot identify with any particular group in part because he has never felt the care of his mother or father (Hamid 3).

This lack of care is the underlying cause of his animosity toward others. On the whole, the problem of identity is important for each of these characters. Changez wants to become a full member of the new society, but at the same time, he is attached to his Pakistani heritage.

In turn, Zits is convinced that the community in which he leaves is hostile to him, in part because his father was a Native American. Thus, the concept of identity plays an important role in each of these novels. In both cases, the characters understand that they are different from others. This is one of the main things that should be taken into account by the readers of these novels.

One can identify other barriers that can make empathy very difficult for the protagonists. For instance, Changez has to be competitive in the workplace, and this competition prompts an individual to focus on his/her strengths, but it is difficult for him/her to be sentimental or compassionate.

On the whole, the author shows that Changez need to achieve success as a professional and his willingness to integrate himself into the society can often impede his ability to empathize with other human beings. Changez has a chance to climb a career ladder in the firm but he eventually rejects this opportunity and returns to his homeland. So, one should remember about this decision when discussing this character. This is the critical moment in the development of his character and his attitudes toward others.

In his turn, Zits is afflicted by the memories of abuse both at home and in school. He cannot expect anything good from other people, especially from adults. Moreover, this boy is keenly aware of the social inequality that has become typical of the modern American society. For instance, Zits says, I hate my country. There are so many rich people who do not share (Alexie 26). It should be noted that this boy frequently uses the word hate, and it is directed against various social, ethnic, or religious groups.

The protagonist does not explain why he feels in such a way. He cannot even accept the possibility that other people can face the same misfortunes. Certainly, one has to admit that this boy has endured a lot of suffering, but he cannot accept that other people do not deserve his hatred. So, at the beginning of the novel, empathy is not typical of him and he even tries to reject it. This is how the character behaves at the very beginning.

Nevertheless, Mohsin Hamid and Sherman Alexie show that an individual can overcome these obstacles that prevent a person from being empathetic. To some extent, they are able to recognize the humanity of other people and see that they can encounter the same problems. However, their empathy takes different forms.

When speaking about Changez, one should first speak about the September 11 attacks and increasing suspicion of Pakistani people. This is why Changez begins to empathize with his compatriots, especially when he notices that they can be treated unjustly. This is why he quits his job at a prestigious consulting firm and prefers to move back to Pakistan. On the whole, the behavior of this character undermines the so-called common sense story according to which an individual strives primarily for success.

Certainly, it is important for the wellbeing of a person, but he/she also wants to have a sense of belonging to a certain community. Without it the life of a person can hardly be fulfilling. This is one of the reasons why Changez chooses to highlight his Pakistani descent, for example, by growing his beard (Hamid 130).

Later, he decides to become a teacher in a Pakistani university, but he could have made a career in a prestigious American firm. This is how he deviates from the traditional common-sense story. Still, one should bear in mind that his empathy is primarily directed to his compatriots; Mohsin Hamid does not show that Changez can be equally compassionate toward people representing other nationalities or religions. So, his empathy still has national boundaries and to a great extent it is very limited.

The main protagonist of Flight also undergoes a dramatic change. Sherman Alexie is able to create a series of flashbacks during which Zits places himself in the position of other people. For example, he sees himself as a mute Indian boy, an Indian hunter, and most importantly the father of the protagonists. On the whole, these flashbacks demonstrate to him that his hatred leads only to self-destruction. He can see that other people can encounter the same problems or similar forms of injustice.

Thus, he can see the futility of violence and its adverse impacts on an individual. He understands that his deviant behavior, such as shooting can actually harm other people who have nothing to do with problems. So, in this way, Sherman Alexie was able to show how empathy could overcome such barriers as the memory of loss and the feeling of alienation.

Only when he comes to this conclusion, he finds the family where he can feel at rest. On the whole, Sherman Alexie has been able to show the transformation of the main character and this is one of his major achievements as a writer.

These novels tell the stories of people are different in terms of age, education, nationality, and cultural background. However, they struggle to find their way to empathy. The protagonist of Sherman Alexies novel is affected by alienation from others, abuse, and the feeling of loss. This is one of the reasons why he is obsessed with hatred, and the very idea of empathy is unacceptable to him. In his turn, Changez is affected by the need to achieve success and integrate himself into the society.

However, due to various external factors, the main characters realize that the ability to empathize is critical for the happiness of a human being. It gives a person a sense of belonging. This is one of the messages that Sherman Alexie and Mohsin Hamid try to convey. The main message that the writers try to convey is that political, cultural or national differences do not deprive a person of his/her right to empathy.

Works Cited

Alexie, Sherman. Flight, New York: Grove Press, 2007. Print.

Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist, New York: Harcourt, 2007. Print.

Introduction: Love-and-Hate Relationships in Reluctant Fundamentalist

For a range of reasons starting with political tensions and up to the cultural differences, there has been considerable tension between people of Muslim descent and the representatives of the U.S. population (Jackson 26). The history of the confrontations between the two cultures has been quite dramatic, leading to the development of a range of prejudices on both sides (Ahmed xiv). However, the biases in question reach by far the greatest magnitude when the Muslim population is in the scope of the analysis.

Very few members of the American population, however, actually think of how the representatives of the Muslim community view them and whether their vision of the American culture coincides.

In his book The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Moshin Hamid addresses the problems of Muslim people in American society. Rendering a range of the societal factors and current events that define the attitude of an average American to a member of the Muslim community, Hamid also sheds light on how the Muslim people envision the American values and the very concept of the American identity.

By building his character, Changez, in a very original manner and displaying him as both the lover and the critic of the American traditions, the author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist makes the audience realize the depth of the cross-cultural conflict that lies between the two nations, at the same time suggesting a path to a mutual understanding, a compromise, and the final reconciliation.

The Mechanics of Shaping the Character: Tools and Codes Used by the Author

Building the character of Changez, Hamid uses primarily dialogue as the tool for establishing his motivations, philosophy, and frame of mind. The identified approach is doubtlessly efficient, as it creates the impression of the character leaving a purely objective impact on the audience. Particularly, the author introduces the elements of hatred towards some of the details of the American culture into the dialogue, such as peoples xenophobia: It seems an obvious thing to say, but you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorists, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins (Hamid 183).

While the reader takes the statements such as the one above with a grain of salt, knowing that it comes from a character and, therefore, may be exaggerated, it leaves an impact. Uttered by a person with a Muslim identity, the quote above serves as an essential tool for understanding why Changez might develop a grudge against the American culture. However, with a speck of irony and the emphasis on the mutually bigoted relationships between Americans and Muslims, the statement loses its harshness. The author portrays the character as a flawed human being, thus, making it clear that his attitude may be taken with a grain of salt, yet his judgments are worth taking into consideration. There is a point in the novel, where Hamid states directly that Changezs story is only one of the many ways of looking at reality:

For we were not always burdened by debt, dependent on foreign aid and handouts; in the stories, we tell of ourselves we were not the crazed and destitute radicals you see on your television channels but rather saints and poets and  yes  conquering kings. (Hamid 102)

By creating the unique philosophy that soon becomes Changezs trademark, Hamid designs the character that is both believable and relatable. As a result, the readers understand the transgression from loving America to hating it and do not view the character as a hypocrite for the striking difference between his claims and emotions. Instead, the readers find a way to sympathize with him as they see the journey that he made, as well as the trials and tribulations that he went through: I responded to the gravity of an invisible moon at my core, and I undertook journeys I had not expected to take (Hamid 172).

Reasons for Building the Character the Way It Is: The Mysterious Ways of a Critic

When considering the reasons for the author to build the character that despises the United States and at the same time has developed an attraction to the place and the people inhabiting it, one might assume that, by doing so, the author tries to trick the audience into paying attention to the ideas that he is trying to render. There is no secret that a well fleshed out character may hide some of the flaws and dents in the plot, the setting, etc.

Therefore, by making his character slightly controversial, the author could be attempting at making the reader focus on the compelling argument that he was building. The lead character serves as the main point of addressing the controversial issues on the American political and socio-cultural agenda: As a society, you were unwilling to reflect upon the shared pain that united you with those who attacked you (Hamid 168).

By stating explicitly to be the patriot of the United States and at the same time criticizing it so harshly, Changez sets the stage for further analysis of the issues raised in the process. While trying to guess whether the narrator is trying to disguise himself as a patriot or truly admitting the U.S. cultures flaws and embracing them, the reader realizes what issues are currently making the United States weaker. Furthermore, the issues regarding the international politics of the States and the current forceful approach that the government is taking is addressed in the novel through a rough criticism of the American policy and the discussion of some of the topical issues.

However, creating a character for the sole purpose of attracting the audience and making a point means sacrificing the uniqueness and likeability thereof, which is to the case of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Despite the controversy of some of his judgments, Changez can be deemed as a rather complex and compelling character. Therefore, there is much more to him than merely serving the purpose of identifying some of the flaws in the U.S. policies.

Apart from the function mentioned above, the three-dimensional nature of the character and the seeming inconsistency in his attitude towards the United States and its culture may also help address the very nature of the tension between Americans and Muslims. There is no need to stress that the current communication process between the representatives of the American culture and the Islamic one could use a certain improvement. The controversial nature of Changezs arguments may serve as the platform for building mutual understanding between the people in question, therefore, leading to a faster and more efficient resolution of the conflict in question.

Finally, the introspect into the American culture and politics that the lead character provides by combining the viewpoints of a rather complex nature could be interpreted as an opportunity for the American citizens to cognize themselves by viewing their world through the lens of a stranger. The specified reason for Changez to incorporate the character traits that are so controversial and conflicting with each other seems to be the most feasible one.

Even though the rough criticism that the character supplies while claiming that he loves the United States may be seen as rather convoluted and somewhat manipulating, Changez does manage to create a rather interesting [portrayal of the American culture viewed through the lens of a Muslim one.

Considering the novel closer, one must admit that all of the three purposes mentioned above could be the authors idea and the primary reason for portraying the characters emotions in the original way that he did. The third suggestion mentioned above, i. e., shedding light on the American culture and providing the residents of the U.S. with an opportunity to observe their life through the eyes of a stranger seems the closest to the truth since the novel touches upon a range of societal issues and mentions certain routes that can be viewed as an incentive for a change in the contemporary society.

Nevertheless, it seems that the character of Changez was shaped by a variety of factors, the three ones mentioned above being only the tip of the iceberg. After all, the design of a compelling character, while keeping the story together, also helps the audience identify with them and, therefore, understand the authors intent better. Thus, the complex nature of Changez and his attitude toward the American culture, particularly, his love-hate relationship with it, can be deemed as a part of an attempt to interpret the specifics of relationships between the American and the Muslim population, as well as search for the solution of the conflicts emerging regularly between the two and eliminating the possibility of a cross-cultural confrontation (Richards and Omidwar 244).

Conclusion: When a Sociocultural Agenda Meets a Political One

Although the functions that Changez character and his original, two-fold attitude toward the American culture and American people may seem a cheap ploy to attract the attention of the readers to a current problem, the actual reasons behind the introduction of this character into the novel may concern the attempt to locate a compromise and solve the current conflict between the members of the Muslim and the American communities.

Hamid builds a character in a very elaborate manner, avoiding describing him explicitly and establishing him mostly through a dialog or a monolog; as a result, the reader is provided with an opportunity to judge Changez on his own merits. The environment, in which the character is placed, and the changes that he undergoes in his concept of the United States, the American values, the people, etc., makes his lack of appreciation for the subject matter quite relatable.

Although some of the ideas that Changez expresses are arguable, the complex nature of the character makes his arguments compelling and worth considering. More importantly, by serving as a prime example of the communication process between the two cultures gone wrong, Changez as a character prompts possible solutions for addressing the current culture clash and contributing to the search for a compromise.

Works Cited

Ahmed, Basheer M. Domestic Violence: Cross Cultural Perspective. New York, NY: Xlibris Corporation, 2009. Print.

Hamid, Moshin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc., 2007. Print.

Jackson, Liz. Muslims and Islam in U.S. Education: Reconsidering Multiculturalism. New York, NY: Routledge, 2014. Print.

Richards, Anne R., and Iraj Omidwar. Muslims and American Popular Culture. Denver, CO: ABC-CLIO, 2014. Print.

Introduction to Symbolism in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’

Imagine receiving a scholarship from one of the best university’s in the world, Princeton University with visa, complete financial aid and live your rest of your life in America with a dream job? Well, Changez, the main character from The Reluctant Fundamentalist attends Princeton with a full scholarship, visa and complete financial aid but in the end, he moves back to his home country, Lahore. The novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is written by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid was his second book published in his writing career, published in 2007. He has written multiple novels during his writing career such as his first book Moth Smoke, Exist West, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, and Discontent and Its Civilizations. The author uses a technique Frame Story which takes place in an outdoor Café in Lahore with an American Stranger in one single evening. Changez tells a story about his life as a Uni Student in America, and eventually the abandonment of America. While the novel goes on, the author uses many symbolisms throughout the story, which most is used to give a critique of the American Society. In many novels, symbolism is often used to signify ideas and qualities. Generally, it is an object representing another, to give an entirely different meaning that is much deeper and more significant which Hamid does very well in. Hamid uses symbolism such as Changez’s Beard, a representation of how the westerns looks at the eastern, the relationship between Erica which represents the relationship between the eastern and western society as a whole, Underwood Samson a representation of the American economy, the American Society, and the American Empire, and the event of Nine/Eleven, representing Nostalgia and how America reacts to nostalgia and Nine/Eleven.

Underwood Samson: A Symbol of American Power and Economy

Firstly, the main symbolism utilized by Hamid is Underwood Samson. Underwood Samson, a symbolism representing the US (Underwood Samson), and the American puissance, the American Economy, and the American Dream. In all, it represents the American Imperium, a tribe and as a Janissary. Throughout the novel, we first encounter Underwood Samson during the 2nd page of Chapter One. “I was confident of getting any job I wanted. Except for one: Underwood Samson & Company”. By reading this, we only see the glimpse of Underwood Samson, a company that’s quite arduous to get a job at, but we later see Changez gets offered the job at Underwood Samson. During his time, Underwood Samson seems like a perfect meritocracy, alimenting its employees a version of the American Dream: if they work hard, they’ll be rewarded. For example, he has been rewarded these things from Underwood Samson for his first work assignment to the Philippines. For his first Underwood Samson Assignment, he had flown in first class. He expresses “I will never forget the feeling of reclining in my seat, clad in my suit, as I was served champagne by an attractive and-yes, I was indeed so brazen as to allow myself to believe – flirtatious flight attendant. I was in my own eyes, veritable James Bond – only younger, darker, and possibly better paid”. We see here Underwood Samson letting Changez fly in first class and getting accommodated champagne as if he is James Bond. The author utilizes Underwood Samson, representing America, what the world is inspired by, the America they all dream about. Hamid uses Underwood Samson to give a critique of the American Society and how they lure people in by giving the glimpse of the American dream they all want, but this is only the glimpse of America. Later in the novel, the major turning point for Changez and Underwood Samson, Changez meets Juan-Batista in Chile for his Work assignment. The conversation Changez has with Juan-Batista is the key conversation in which Changes realises what the true Underwood Samson is, the avaricious imperium they are. From chapter 10 while Juan-Batista and Changez are having a seat in the streets of Valparaiso, Juan-Batista asks Changez, “Have you heard of the Janissaries?” “No,” I said. “They were Christian boys,” he explained, “captured by the Ottomans and trained to be soldiers in a Muslim army, at the time the greatest army in the world. They were ferocious and utterly loyal: they had fought to erase their own civilizations, so they had nothing else to turn to.” This conversation between two is what had Changez question himself of what he was into. The statement made by Juan-Batista points out the US and their imperium. Underwood Samson, capturing people from different countries, such as Changez. They were starkly allegiant, withal same as Underwood Samson, back when Changez flew first class for his first work assignment. He realises he is becoming a servant and working for a company that spreads power throughout the world through its greediness, materialism and cruel asset management. All this utilized by Hamid is a symbolism in which it gives a critique of the American society and how they are an imperium, a janissary, a tribe which lures and captures people in by being utterly loyal, which what the Americans do to become the “greatest army in the world”. While Hamid uses other symbolism such as Erica and his beard, Underwood Samson is the most immensely colossal symbolism used throughout the story as Hamid shows and gives a critique of the American society, the modern-day American Janissary and how it lures in people by being starkly allegiant and exhibiting the American Dream.

Erica as a Representation of America and Its Nostalgia

Another major symbolism utilized by Hamid is Erica. Erica represents America as the word “Erica” is within the word “America”. The relationship between Changez and Erica is the symbolism which represents the relationship between America and the eastern countries while it additionally represents Erica’s past glory, her ex-boyfriend’s relationship Chris and America’s past glory during Second World War. Hamid’s utilization of Erica as a symbol for America accommodates to reveal insight into the nostalgia America as a nation entered after the Nine/Eleven. We first encounter Erica when Changez goes to the vacation in Greece after they had graduated. When Changez meets Erica he expresses, “When I first saw Erica, I could not avert myself from offering to carry her back-pack – so stunningly regal she was”. This illustrates an image of Erica that she is a beautiful woman and how Changez was attracted by her appearance which additionally represents America and how it also attracts foreigners to their country, by exhibiting them what they want and not showing their true self. While the story goes on, Erica keeps contemplating Chris, Erica’s ex-boyfriend which is visually perceived as nostalgia. Hamid’s utilization of the symbol of Erica to represent America creates a parallel connection between her nostalgia for a bygone past with that of America’s psyche after the Nine/Eleven event which represents the nostalgia in the context of a nation’s experience. After the event of Nine/Eleven, it is clear the symbolism utilized by Hamid comes into play. “I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time I was struck by its tenacity to look back. Living in Incipient York was suddenly like living in a film about the Second World War”. This quote from Chapter 8 illustrates the aftermath of Nine/Eleven in which we saw American society with a spike of nostalgia and patriotism. Hamid additionally characterizes Erica as a symbol of America to emphasize his views and criticisms of America in its pursuit to global dominance. Like Erica, America was also suffering from dangerous obsession with the past glory, in which Changez described it as “Nostalgia was their crack cocaine.” The use of Erica’s nostalgia and its parallel representation of America engenders a critique of the American society and how it looks back to the past glory of world domination during Second World War.

The Twin Towers’ Fall: Symbolizing America’s Reaction and Stereotyping Post-9/11

Another symbolism utilized in The Reluctant Fundamentalist is the fall of the twin towers. Even though this was a real-life event, Hamid utilizes this event as a symbolism to give a critique of the American Society post Nine/Eleven and how the Americans stereotype one another. Afore Nine/Eleven, according to Changez, everything had been going great while experiencing sundry forms of “soft” racism such as Erica relishing Changez because he is “different”, and his vacation friends find him as an “exotic pet”. But after Nine/Eleven, Changez realizes there has been a spike of racism and patriotism. One example is when he got held by the security Airport in Chapter 5. He explains, “In the end I was dispatched for a secondary inspection in a room where I sat on a metal bench next to a tattooed man in handcuffs,” illustrates that Changez was treated like a tattooed man in handcuffs because he originates from an Eastern culture. Other racist events against Muslims had occurred, such as Changez notes in the start of Chapter 6, “Pakistani cab drivers were being beaten to within an inch of their lives; the FBI was raiding mosques, shops, and even people’s houses; Muslim men were disappearing, perhaps into shadowy detention centers for questioning or worse.” These Anti-Muslim events that were done by the Americans pellucidly show how the Americans reacted towards the fall of the Twin Towers which was done by a Muslim terrorist group Al-Qaeda. Another event which was directed at Changez was in Chapter 8 when two fellow Americans had called Changez a “Fucking Arab.” This had Changez furious as he clearly stated before he is a Pakistani, not an Arab. Not only this but in Chapter 9, Wainwright advice Changez to shave off his beard as he explains, “I don’t ken what’s up with the beard, but I don’t think it’s making you mister popular here.” This statement made by Wainwright, his colleague, shows how people surrounding Changez stereotype him as an Arab. This shows how Americans are stereotyping other people by their appearance. Hamid utilizes these events to criticize the American Society and how it reacts and stereotypes towards foreigners. Hamid’s utilization of the fall of the Twin Towers and the Anti-Muslim events had created a critique of the American Society around Muslims and how they stereotype them as dangerous.

Introduction

“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” is the second book of Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid, published in 2007. In telling the story of a young Pakistani man falling in and out of love with the United States of America, Mohsin Ahmed attempts to demonstrate the reasons that compel moderate Muslims to become disenchanted with a jingoist America since September 11, 2001.

Critical Review

In the opening lines of the book, one reads “Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America”. This is not true for the main character no longer loves America. He did, but no longer does. The rest of the book is essentially the story of this transition from a lover of America to a dislike of what America has turned out to be, since the September 11, attacks. This disenchantment with America gives rise to sympathy for the Muslim fundamentalists.

By bringing in the issue of the beard in these beginning lines itself, the author attempts to tell the Americans that not all Muslims are fundamentalists, but the narrow perceptions of the Americans, are pushing many of the moderate Muslims, who once held America in high regard, to toe the fundamentalist line. Maybe in this lies the title of the book “The Reluctant Fundamentalist”.

The book is written in a monologue form deftly from the perspective of a young Pakistani man with the name of Changez. The name appears to be deliberate, giving the theme of the book. The form adopted by the author is to enhance the Muslim moderate perspective, probably because the American stance is well known. The story delivered in brief tells of this young Changez, from a well-to-do family in Pakistan, proceeding to America, to study there and become a part of the American dream.

He does just that. He graduates from Princeton becoming more of an American and less of the Pakistani he was. He begins his career in a high position in a prestigious firm Underwood Samson involved in the ruthless evaluation of companies targeted for the popular game of Corporate American called takeover. His experience with the firm in different places around the globe makes him learn about the American preoccupation for success and wealth that leads them to look at higher profits by cutting costs through the downsizing of workforces.

The disenchantment begins. The high and haughty part of the American dream is not part of the American dream that Changez bargained for. The events of September 11, 2001, occur, which causes America to view foreigners, particularly all the Muslims with suspicion irrespective of their stance on Muslim fundamentalism. It is an attitude held by nearly all Americans. The superior attitude of America makes them blind to other cultures.

This perspective of Changez, can be seen in the second paragraph of the book “How did I know you were American? ….. it was your bearing”. The response of America to the events was an overpowering aerial attack on the mismatched tribesmen of Afghanistan, with planes and missiles raining hellfire on them. Disillusionment with America and the American dream sets in. Changez returns to Lahore in his native country Pakistan.

There are two other secondary characters in the book. One is the American he chances upon in Lahore, to whom he tells this story. By using such a strategy, the author can present his perspective of America and the reason for the growing disenchantment with America, felt by many Muslims.

The other character is Erica, an American woman that he loved and lost, because of her attachment to her former dead lover Chris. This side story is entwined into the main story, probably as a means to further enhance the separation of Changez from America. Through Erica’s obsession with the past, Mohsin Hamid attempts to remind the reader of the current nostalgia that holds for the time when it was looked upon as the leader of the world, a dying or dead perception.

The only area that the book can be said to be deficient in is the lack of some morally superior alternative values than the American values that Changes oppose so strongly. This leaves open the question of whether such values exist in moderate Muslims or Fundamentalism. However, the book meets the perspective of raising the need for an American introspection on its values and attitude to its position in a polarizing world.

Conclusion

In an elegantly and superbly written story, Mohsin Ahmed in his book “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” has portrayed an episode in the frequently occurring encounters between the east and the west that is increasing the sympathy for Fundamentalism, as disenchantment with the western morals and values sets in.

Works Cited

Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. California: Harcourt, 2007.

Introduction

The Reluctant Fundamentalist novel written by 35-year-old Pakistani Mohsin Hamid provides some insights on the nature of the capitalism and attempts of a person to integrate into a new world. The novel describes a story of a young Pakistani that tries to assimilate in the USA accepting its general views and values eagerly. The man considers himself to be “a lover of America,” however, the reader is sure to understand how contradictory this claim is. The events of September, 11 serve to be the pivot point of the character’s “Americanization” (Cilano 71).

From the very first lines of the book, one might notice the mixed feeling that the main character has towards America. On the face of it, the story of the young Pakistani Changez might appear to look like a dream. Changez received a scholarship to study in one of the most prestigious universities in the USA -Princeton University, got an upmarket job on Wall Street that supplied him with a high salary and allowed renting an apartment in an elite area, fell in love with a beautiful girl, Erica.

Meeting with friends, going to cafes and sporting events blurred the line between Americans and Pakistani – the Americans admitted him to their team. Changez characterized this course of events as “a film in which I was the star and everything was possible” (Hamid 1).

In the meantime, it is evident that the young man had little illusions about his place in the American society. Thus, Changez noted, that from the very beginning, he realized that people like him were welcomed to the country on a particular condition – “we were expected to contribute our talents to your society, the society we were joining” (Hamid 1). Therefore, from the first days in America, the main character experienced contradictory feelings. On the one hand, he was inspired by the new chances that the country opened in front of him; on the other hand, he knew that he was expected to contribute significantly in order to receive access to these opportunities.

Thesis statement

Although Changez appreciates the opportunities that the United States have opened in front of him, as time passes, he starts experiencing love-hate emotions toward the country and its culture due to the social pressure, the attitude of the U.S. citizens, the prejudice that they have toward foreigners, a and the overall atmosphere of the state.

Taking the First Step

Defining the point, at which the lead character is being shaped into both an admirer and a critic of the United States, including its culture and its attitude, one must mention the point at which Changez identifies certain chill in the way that he is being treated by the fellow Americans: “’’We’re a meritocracy,’ he said. ‘We believe in being the best’” (Hamid 6). It would be wrong to assume that the character is ostracized to the point where he becomes an outcast; quite on the contrary, he integrates into the American society rather successfully, as his life story shows.

However, Changez still experiences a rather strong feeling of being looked down and as he communicates with Americans: “That is good, he said, and for the first time it seemed to me I had made something of an impression on him, when he added, but what else?” (Hamid 1). The unwillingness to accept him as a member of their society that the local residents display along with the unsuccessful attempts to conceal their emotions makes Changez experience borderline disdain, leaving him disappointed and lost.

Therefore, the author displays the progression of the character from the confident and inspired foreigner, who was going to integrate into the American society and share his cultural heritage with the rest of the people around him to the immigrant with rather mixed feelings about the state that welcomed it so wholeheartedly yet refused from accepting him as one of the members of the American society (Schlesinger 20).

Particularly, the American attitude towards Muslims as potential terrorists was analyzed and criticized by the main character. For example, flying to New York, he was “aware of being under suspicion” (Hamid 7). Under the pressure of the public opinion, Changez felt guilty, even though, there were no objective reasons for that. It indicated society’s prejudgment that had considerable power over both the Americans and immigrants. After September 11, 2001, US Muslims were considered to be potentially dangerous (Roiphe par. 3) Therefore, it was the first time that the young man had to be concerned about his religious beliefs.

Teaching the Right Ideas

However, as the story progresses, Hamid displays the change in the lead character’s perception of America, making him realize that the land of opportunity can, in fact, be a rather hostile environment (Nair 17). In general, the phenomenon above manifests itself in full force as Changez realizes that the American education is as far on the opposite from flawless as it can be: “Every fall, Princeton raised her skirt for the corporate recruiters who came onto campus and as you say in America, showed them some skin” (Hamid 3).

The corruption lying at the heart of the American education, as well as the lack of influence that the student community had on the subject matter, is the first nudge in the love-hate-relationship direction that the author leads the main character to. Indeed, as soon as the lead character learns that the information provided to him at the university should, in fact, have been taken with a grain of salt, it hits him that America can be a rather hostile environment.

Therefore, the identification of the issues in the educational system of the United States can be considered the pivotal point of the character’s realization of the problem at the heart of his admiration for the USA.

The Power of Persuasion

The lead character, therefore, finds the way, in which the American people push him to change his traditional behavioral patterns and becoming an integral part of the American society riveting. On the one hand, the emotional struggle that the narrator goes through as he experiences the social pressure can be viewed as his unwillingness to acclimatize to the new environment and tolerate the convictions and traditions of the people living next to him.

On the other hand, what the society wants him to do is not to put up with the above traditions and ideas but to accept them as an integral part of his being, which means abandoning his beliefs. Consequently, it is when experiencing the pressure of the society and feeling forced to abandon the foundations of his own culture that the lead character finally starts to rebel and develop the dual impression of living in the United States. The suffocating environment, in which the character is forced to exist, and which he has no escape from finally starts to take its toll on him:

It was not the first time Jim had spoken to me in this fashion; I was always uncertain of how to respond. The confession that implicates its audience is as we say in cricket a devilishly difficult ball to play. Reject it and you slight the confessor; accept it and you admit your own guilt (Hamid 11).

One might argue that the process of acculturation and even assimilation is typical for the people that are forced to live in a different cultural environment and communicate with the representatives of another culture. After all, the process of experience sharing is a crucial part of communication that allows building strong relationships and create trust between the participants of a conversation.

However, the phenomenon above may occur only once the process in question is mutual and consensual. In Changez’s case, however, the stifling environment, which he had to survive in, did not invite many opportunities for intercultural sharing of ideas and experiences.

On the contrary, the persuasion that the American culture was foisted on the lead character triggered an increasing rage. Although designed in an admittedly elaborate and exquisite manner, the way, in which the acculturation process was inflicted upon the lead character triggered an immediate repulsion and the following hatred of the United States. Combined with sincere affection for the supportive nature of the American culture, the experience can be defined as highly controversial.

Amidst Chaos and Destruction

However, when it comes to pinpointing the stage at which the lead character becomes completely engulfed into the love-hate relationship that he has with the United States, one must address the awkwardly honest way, in which Changez portrays his emotions after 9/11: “I stared as one and then the other of the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center collapsed. And then I smiled. Yes, despicable as it may sound, my initial reaction was to be remarkably pleased” (Hamid 12).

The fact that he was incapable of the mere act of sympathy toward the people perished during the terrorist act, pain for the destruction that it brought, and the fear for the lives of the rest of the American population shows that he denied the United States the title of his homeland (Keeble 115).

Although the feeling of content that Changez mentions as he talks about the terrorist act is, in fact, not as sickening as it might seem once approached from a rational point of view, it still creates a rather uncomfortable impression, making it clear that he did not identify himself as a part of the American society. However, the feeling of pleasure that Changez experiences does not make him the critic of the United States; instead, it is the interpretation of these emotions that allows Changez to become one. As the lead character explains, “I was caught up in the symbolism of it all, the fact that someone had so visibly brought America to her knees” (Hamid 12).

Thus, Changez puts the very essence of the American society through a thorough scrutiny. The process brings him to understanding why the United States have become so vulnerable to the external threats; as a result, the character becomes capable of evaluating the problems of the American society from an objective viewpoint (Randall 117). The understanding of the above problems, in its turn, brings Changez to hating the state and the principles that it is based on. In a very weird way, the chaos that America was in on the specified time slot made it possible for Changez to locate the details of its functioning, nailing down the exact problems that the American society had.

In my opinin, the novel elucidates a critical problem of cultural assimilation. The author tries to describe the contradictory feelings of a foreigner that, on the one hand, Changez is decisive to start his life from a scratch in a new homeland, and, on the other side, he experiences powerful impact of his background and traditions. It is also crucial that the author shows the common mistake when a love for particular people and facilities is mistaken for the love for a country. It is wrong to accuse the main character of insincerity when he calls himself “a lover of America.” Meanwhile, it is important to understand what this feeling stands for.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the novel reveals an actual problem of the modern world – the relations between America and Muslim immigrants in the United States. Changez was considered to be a potential terrorist only because he was a Muslim. Although he loved New York at the beginning, it is evident that he failed to assimilate in the United Sates. America offered plenty of opportunities to Changez, but, at the same time, considered him hostile, making him change his vision of American dreams and values as well as to rethink his identity.

Works Cited

Cilano, Cara. From Solidarity to Schisms: 9/11 and After in Fiction and Film from Outside the US. New York, MY: Rodopi, 2009. Print.

Hamid, Moshin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2008. Print.

Keeble, Arin. The 9/11 Novel: Trauma, Politics and Identity. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2014. Print.

Nair, Mira. The Reluctant Fundamentalist: From Book to Film. London, UK: Penguin, 2013. Print.

Randall, Michael. 9/11 and the Literature of Terror. Edinburg, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 2011. Print.

Schlesinger, Keren. Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Insight Publications, 2010. Kilda, VIC: Print.

There are turning points in every century which not only change the course of history all together but also give becomes the fodder for the imagination of its contemporary creative minds. The 20^th century had World War II which inspired many creative minds to create their magnum opuses, their work is regarded as a classic or appraised for its timelessness. The 21^st century started with a bang when the twin towers of WTC came tumbling down in the USA.

The event sparked the beginning of a turbulent decade which was fuelled by war, racial discrimination, and religious persecution, a much contained and organized World War II all over. As our affinity with pain, the event of 9/11 has jump-started the fiery imaginations of many creative minds thus spawning a breed of fiction that deals with the pre or post 9/11 world.

Pakistani writers have been on the scene of English fiction writing for not very long but the few names who have managed to stay in the foreground include the name of Mohsin Hamid, whose first book Moth Smoke was appraised heavily and was indeed a classic. Just like many of his contemporaries, Hamid has delved into the murky and deceitful subject of the post 9/11 world and has come up with The Reluctant Fundamentalist which is an entirely fresh perspective on an already heavily discussed subject.

It tells the story of a young man Changez through a series of deviously and intricately crafted monologues where the protagonist narrates the story of his life to an ominously jumpy American who he happens to meet in the marketplace of his home town Lahore.

The cautious American, though flinching at every obtrusive sound and shadow remains anonymous the whole time yet plays a pivotal role in bringing the book to an end. On the other hand, Changez gets deeply engrossed in recounting the nooks and crannies of his unusual life to a relatively strange foreigner without a shred of apprehension, possibly because of his penchant for Americans.

Changez belongs to an upper-middle-class family in Lahore where are they considered elite, but they are not rich. Changez was sent to the USA to pursue higher education and he does graduate summa cum laude from the prestigious Princeton. Belonging to a family that had seen its days of glory in a country that wasn’t as derelict as it is now, Changez is living the ultimate American dream. He gets a job at the Underwood Samson & Company, a highly esteemed valuation firm, and is getting paid what most Americans can only dream off.

Changez, a resident of one of the biggest cities in Pakistan, falls in love with New York and rhapsodizes that he “immediately became a New Yorker” as he starts his aspiring career and Underwood Samson. (p. 20). His friendship with a fellow Princetonian, the beautiful and exotic Erica, the daughter of an elite investment banker of New York, takes a new turn as he irrevocably falls in love with her. Changez is living a dream, with a high profile and auspicious job, courting with the beautiful elite of New York and a promise of a prosperous future.

Changez’s world falls apart on his visit to Manila when the twin towers of WTC are hit in New York, 9/11/2001. a devastated and paranoid nation goes to war against those who inflicted such damages to it and those who share the skin color of the enemy became pariahs in their lands. That’s what happens to Changez when he returns to New York and finds it not as welcoming as it was a few days ago. Already coping with profiling and segregation, his troubles mount as Erica, dealing with the newly found affection of Changez, goes through a nervous breakdown, unable to let go of the memories of her deceased boyfriend Chris. She retreats to her inner self and starts living with the morbid memories of her dead love.

Things back at home look precarious as political pressure on Pakistan is doubled by the joint impact of the US and India. Thus Changez is caught in a tornado of emotional and political turmoil which escalates by his visit to Chile and Erica being missing. With shattered dreams and cross feelings about America as he proclaims that “America is only engaged in posturing”, Changez returns o Lahore and starts working as a fire-tongued lecturer who entices and insinuates his students to fight America from the intellectual front (p.101).

The ending of the reluctant fundamentalist is rather ambiguous and left at the reader’s discretion. Changez’s monologue ends and the reader found the shadowy American who’s probably agitated over what he has heard from Changez and the bleak surroundings. As the night gets darker, the American gets vexed even further until Changez walks him off to his hotel only to be followed by the burly waiter at the restaurant where they both spent their evening.

The novel ends abruptly when the American draws ostensibly a weapon from his inner pockets as he sees the foreboding waiter creeping in the shadows following them. It is usually presumed that the American is an undercover agent either from the FBI or CIA as he is acutely alert of his environment and every motion around him. Changez even alludes to his “foreigners sense of being watched” at the beginning of the novel as his guest flinches recoil at every shadow (p.19). the hint of American carrying a weapon is established at the very beginning of the novel when he reaches out for his inner pocket instinctively at the sight of the intimidating waiter which Changez innocently mistake for the American reaching for his wallet (p.3).

The second assumption that the readers make is that the American draws his alleged weapon out so that he could terminate Changez who he believes has turned into a fundamentalist. There are many references scattered throughout the whole novel where the American gets agitated or even annoyed vividly at what Changez narrates. He particularly scowls when Changez tells him that he had smiled when he saw the towers collapse but that doesn’t make him a sociopath (p.43).

But the assumption can easily be ruled out because of certain reasons. First, Changez is simply pouring his heart out before a stranger because the truth is, Changez may hate the American government but at heart, he still loves America. Bumping up on a person from the country he loves, he simply tries to be hospitable with a guest and wants to register his discontent with the US government’s policies. He simply narrates the circumstances that made him leave the country he loved so much and that every Asian or Muslim is not a fundamentalist by birth. Changez is quite oblivious to the American’s status.

A second reason that the American is not after Changez is that being an agent of either shadowy agencies of the US, he would never let his emotions or intentions be known to his target, and his constantly changing gestures and emotions are in accordance with Changez’s story are a testament that he simply bumped onto him. What really happened can be computed by a hypothetical assumption that the American is after a target as use Changez as a distraction to keep an eye on it and the target being the burly waiter. Another hypothesis is that the waiter being an infuriated Pakistani decides to teach the American a lesson and follows him.

Either way, the intention behind Changez’s confiding in a strange foreigner can simply be attributed to the fact that even after being home, he feels homesick. He misses New York and its inhabitants and he misses Erica the most since her departure left him no reason to stay in a place where his mere presence invokes apprehensive whispers. Mohsin Hamid tries to convey the message that anyone, even the most liberals who oppose the American will and hegemony will be branded as fundamentalist as it has become the order of the day.

Work Cited

Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Karachi: Oxford, 2007.

Empathy is one of the things that distinguish a human being from other species. This concept can be understood as the ability of an individual to recognize and understand the feelings and emotions of another person.

In some cases, the word empathy implies that a person can accept the humanity of others despite social, economic, or political differences. This paper is aimed at discussing two novels, namely The Reluctant Fundamentalist written by Mohsin Hamid and Flight by Sherman Alexie. These novels have recently attracted much attention of critics and scholars.

One of the main themes that the authors explore is that the ability to empathize can often be impeded by the borders of race, nationality or culture. Moreover, it can be limited by the memories of violence, humiliation, and loss. Nevertheless, both Mohsin Hamid and Sherman Alexie create protagonists who can transcend these borders. These authors focus on the idea that empathy is essential for the fulfilling life of an individual. The writers also undermine popular stereotypes about the behavior of an individual.

For instance, Mohsin Hamid shows that the need to achieve success does not deprive people of their ability to feel loyalty to ones country or fellow countrymen. In turn, Sherman Alexie demonstrates that different worldviews and ideologies do not necessarily separate people and make them hostile to one another. These are the main questions that should be examined in more detail.

Special attention should be paid to the narrative techniques that the writers employ. They rely on the first-person narration which is particular suitable in those cases, when the author wants to focus on the feelings, attitudes, and emotions of the protagonist, rather than people with whom he/she interacts.

For instance, Sherman Alexie starts his novel with the following introduction. ‘Call me Zits. Everybody calls me Zits. That’s not my real name, of course. My real name isn’t important’ (Alexie 1). To a great extent, this is an allusion to the famous novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Similarly, at the beginning of Mohsin Hamid’s novel, Changez introduces himself to the reader and identifies oneself as a Pakistani.

Overall, this form of narrative voice is important because it implies that the major characters may be very subjective when evaluating the behavior of other people and their own actions. Overall, such form of story-telling is often regarded as unreliable narration. It is possible to say that subjectivity is one of the things that prevent a person from being empathetic because he/she is unable to place oneself in the position of others or look at the problem from a different perspective.

This statement is particularly applicable to Zits and his unjustified hatred toward others. Moreover, they tend to focus on their own experiences and may disregard the feelings of others. So, extreme subjectivity is one the main challenges that both Changez and Zits have to overcome.

There is another thing that Zits and Changez have in common. They are aware that they are different from the majority of the population since they are perceived as non-white people. They also understand that they may not be fully accepted by others. This is one of the things that the protagonists are keenly aware of.

For instance, Changez knows that as a Pakistani he had to face more challenges when he was applying to Princeton (Hamid 4). In turn, Zits also understands that he has a complex identity. In particular, the protagonist says, “I’m not really Irish or Indian. I’m a blank sky, a human solar eclipse” (Alexie 5). He cannot identify with any particular group in part because he has never felt the care of his mother or father (Hamid 3).

This lack of care is the underlying cause of his animosity toward others. On the whole, the problem of identity is important for each of these characters. Changez wants to become a full member of the new society, but at the same time, he is attached to his Pakistani heritage.

In turn, Zits is convinced that the community in which he leaves is hostile to him, in part because his father was a Native American. Thus, the concept of identity plays an important role in each of these novels. In both cases, the characters understand that they are different from others. This is one of the main things that should be taken into account by the readers of these novels.

One can identify other barriers that can make empathy very difficult for the protagonists. For instance, Changez has to be competitive in the workplace, and this competition prompts an individual to focus on his/her strengths, but it is difficult for him/her to be sentimental or compassionate.

On the whole, the author shows that Changez’ need to achieve success as a professional and his willingness to integrate himself into the society can often impede his ability to empathize with other human beings. Changez has a chance to climb a career ladder in the firm but he eventually rejects this opportunity and returns to his homeland. So, one should remember about this decision when discussing this character. This is the critical moment in the development of his character and his attitudes toward others.

In his turn, Zits is afflicted by the memories of abuse both at home and in school. He cannot expect anything good from other people, especially from adults. Moreover, this boy is keenly aware of the social inequality that has become typical of the modern American society. For instance, Zits says, “I hate my country. There are so many rich people who do not share” (Alexie 26). It should be noted that this boy frequently uses the word hate, and it is directed against various social, ethnic, or religious groups.

The protagonist does not explain why he feels in such a way. He cannot even accept the possibility that other people can face the same misfortunes. Certainly, one has to admit that this boy has endured a lot of suffering, but he cannot accept that other people do not deserve his hatred. So, at the beginning of the novel, empathy is not typical of him and he even tries to reject it. This is how the character behaves at the very beginning.

Nevertheless, Mohsin Hamid and Sherman Alexie show that an individual can overcome these obstacles that prevent a person from being empathetic. To some extent, they are able to recognize the humanity of other people and see that they can encounter the same problems. However, their empathy takes different forms.

When speaking about Changez, one should first speak about the September 11 attacks and increasing suspicion of Pakistani people. This is why Changez begins to empathize with his compatriots, especially when he notices that they can be treated unjustly. This is why he quits his job at a prestigious consulting firm and prefers to move back to Pakistan. On the whole, the behavior of this character undermines the so-called common sense story according to which an individual strives primarily for success.

Certainly, it is important for the wellbeing of a person, but he/she also wants to have a sense of belonging to a certain community. Without it the life of a person can hardly be fulfilling. This is one of the reasons why Changez chooses to highlight his Pakistani descent, for example, by growing his beard (Hamid 130).

Later, he decides to become a teacher in a Pakistani university, but he could have made a career in a prestigious American firm. This is how he deviates from the traditional common-sense story. Still, one should bear in mind that his empathy is primarily directed to his compatriots; Mohsin Hamid does not show that Changez can be equally compassionate toward people representing other nationalities or religions. So, his empathy still has national boundaries and to a great extent it is very limited.

The main protagonist of Flight also undergoes a dramatic change. Sherman Alexie is able to create a series of flashbacks during which Zits places himself in the position of other people. For example, he sees himself as a mute Indian boy, an Indian hunter, and most importantly the father of the protagonists. On the whole, these flashbacks demonstrate to him that his hatred leads only to self-destruction. He can see that other people can encounter the same problems or similar forms of injustice.

Thus, he can see the futility of violence and its adverse impacts on an individual. He understands that his deviant behavior, such as shooting can actually harm other people who have nothing to do with problems. So, in this way, Sherman Alexie was able to show how empathy could overcome such barriers as the memory of loss and the feeling of alienation.

Only when he comes to this conclusion, he finds the family where he can feel at rest. On the whole, Sherman Alexie has been able to show the transformation of the main character and this is one of his major achievements as a writer.

These novels tell the stories of people are different in terms of age, education, nationality, and cultural background. However, they struggle to find their way to empathy. The protagonist of Sherman Alexie’s novel is affected by alienation from others, abuse, and the feeling of loss. This is one of the reasons why he is obsessed with hatred, and the very idea of empathy is unacceptable to him. In his turn, Changez is affected by the need to achieve success and integrate himself into the society.

However, due to various external factors, the main characters realize that the ability to empathize is critical for the happiness of a human being. It gives a person a sense of belonging. This is one of the messages that Sherman Alexie and Mohsin Hamid try to convey. The main message that the writers try to convey is that political, cultural or national differences do not deprive a person of his/her right to empathy.

Works Cited

Alexie, Sherman. Flight, New York: Grove Press, 2007. Print.

Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist, New York: Harcourt, 2007. Print.

Introduction: Love-and-Hate Relationships in Reluctant Fundamentalist

For a range of reasons starting with political tensions and up to the cultural differences, there has been considerable tension between people of Muslim descent and the representatives of the U.S. population (Jackson 26). The history of the confrontations between the two cultures has been quite dramatic, leading to the development of a range of prejudices on both sides (Ahmed xiv). However, the biases in question reach by far the greatest magnitude when the Muslim population is in the scope of the analysis.

Very few members of the American population, however, actually think of how the representatives of the Muslim community view them and whether their vision of the American culture coincides.

In his book The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Moshin Hamid addresses the problems of Muslim people in American society. Rendering a range of the societal factors and current events that define the attitude of an average American to a member of the Muslim community, Hamid also sheds light on how the Muslim people envision the American values and the very concept of the American identity.

By building his character, Changez, in a very original manner and displaying him as both the lover and the critic of the American traditions, the author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist makes the audience realize the depth of the cross-cultural conflict that lies between the two nations, at the same time suggesting a path to a mutual understanding, a compromise, and the final reconciliation.

The Mechanics of Shaping the Character: Tools and Codes Used by the Author

Building the character of Changez, Hamid uses primarily dialogue as the tool for establishing his motivations, philosophy, and frame of mind. The identified approach is doubtlessly efficient, as it creates the impression of the character leaving a purely objective impact on the audience. Particularly, the author introduces the elements of hatred towards some of the details of the American culture into the dialogue, such as people’s xenophobia: “It seems an obvious thing to say, but you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorists, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins” (Hamid 183).

While the reader takes the statements such as the one above with a grain of salt, knowing that it comes from a character and, therefore, may be exaggerated, it leaves an impact. Uttered by a person with a Muslim identity, the quote above serves as an essential tool for understanding why Changez might develop a grudge against the American culture. However, with a speck of irony and the emphasis on the mutually bigoted relationships between Americans and Muslims, the statement loses its harshness. The author portrays the character as a flawed human being, thus, making it clear that his attitude may be taken with a grain of salt, yet his judgments are worth taking into consideration. There is a point in the novel, where Hamid states directly that Changez’s story is only one of the many ways of looking at reality:

For we were not always burdened by debt, dependent on foreign aid and handouts; in the stories, we tell of ourselves we were not the crazed and destitute radicals you see on your television channels but rather saints and poets and – yes – conquering kings. (Hamid 102)

By creating the unique philosophy that soon becomes Changez’s trademark, Hamid designs the character that is both believable and relatable. As a result, the readers understand the transgression from loving America to hating it and do not view the character as a hypocrite for the striking difference between his claims and emotions. Instead, the readers find a way to sympathize with him as they see the journey that he made, as well as the trials and tribulations that he went through: “I responded to the gravity of an invisible moon at my core, and I undertook journeys I had not expected to take” (Hamid 172).

Reasons for Building the Character the Way It Is: The Mysterious Ways of a Critic

When considering the reasons for the author to build the character that despises the United States and at the same time has developed an attraction to the place and the people inhabiting it, one might assume that, by doing so, the author tries to trick the audience into paying attention to the ideas that he is trying to render. There is no secret that a well fleshed out character may hide some of the flaws and dents in the plot, the setting, etc.

Therefore, by making his character slightly controversial, the author could be attempting at making the reader focus on the compelling argument that he was building. The lead character serves as the main point of addressing the controversial issues on the American political and socio-cultural agenda: “As a society, you were unwilling to reflect upon the shared pain that united you with those who attacked you” (Hamid 168).

By stating explicitly to be the patriot of the United States and at the same time criticizing it so harshly, Changez sets the stage for further analysis of the issues raised in the process. While trying to guess whether the narrator is trying to disguise himself as a patriot or truly admitting the U.S. culture’s flaws and embracing them, the reader realizes what issues are currently making the United States weaker. Furthermore, the issues regarding the international politics of the States and the current forceful approach that the government is taking is addressed in the novel through a rough criticism of the American policy and the discussion of some of the topical issues.

However, creating a character for the sole purpose of attracting the audience and making a point means sacrificing the uniqueness and likeability thereof, which is to the case of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Despite the controversy of some of his judgments, Changez can be deemed as a rather complex and compelling character. Therefore, there is much more to him than merely serving the purpose of identifying some of the flaws in the U.S. policies.

Apart from the function mentioned above, the three-dimensional nature of the character and the seeming inconsistency in his attitude towards the United States and its culture may also help address the very nature of the tension between Americans and Muslims. There is no need to stress that the current communication process between the representatives of the American culture and the Islamic one could use a certain improvement. The controversial nature of Changez’s arguments may serve as the platform for building mutual understanding between the people in question, therefore, leading to a faster and more efficient resolution of the conflict in question.

Finally, the introspect into the American culture and politics that the lead character provides by combining the viewpoints of a rather complex nature could be interpreted as an opportunity for the American citizens to cognize themselves by viewing their world through the lens of a stranger. The specified reason for Changez to incorporate the character traits that are so controversial and conflicting with each other seems to be the most feasible one.

Even though the rough criticism that the character supplies while claiming that he loves the United States may be seen as rather convoluted and somewhat manipulating, Changez does manage to create a rather interesting [portrayal of the American culture viewed through the lens of a Muslim one.

Considering the novel closer, one must admit that all of the three purposes mentioned above could be the author’s idea and the primary reason for portraying the character’s emotions in the original way that he did. The third suggestion mentioned above, i. e., shedding light on the American culture and providing the residents of the U.S. with an opportunity to observe their life through the eyes of a stranger seems the closest to the truth since the novel touches upon a range of societal issues and mentions certain routes that can be viewed as an incentive for a change in the contemporary society.

Nevertheless, it seems that the character of Changez was shaped by a variety of factors, the three ones mentioned above being only the tip of the iceberg. After all, the design of a compelling character, while keeping the story together, also helps the audience identify with them and, therefore, understand the author’s intent better. Thus, the complex nature of Changez and his attitude toward the American culture, particularly, his love-hate relationship with it, can be deemed as a part of an attempt to interpret the specifics of relationships between the American and the Muslim population, as well as search for the solution of the conflicts emerging regularly between the two and eliminating the possibility of a cross-cultural confrontation (Richards and Omidwar 244).

Conclusion: When a Sociocultural Agenda Meets a Political One

Although the functions that Changez’ character and his original, two-fold attitude toward the American culture and American people may seem a cheap ploy to attract the attention of the readers to a current problem, the actual reasons behind the introduction of this character into the novel may concern the attempt to locate a compromise and solve the current conflict between the members of the Muslim and the American communities.

Hamid builds a character in a very elaborate manner, avoiding describing him explicitly and establishing him mostly through a dialog or a monolog; as a result, the reader is provided with an opportunity to judge Changez on his own merits. The environment, in which the character is placed, and the changes that he undergoes in his concept of the United States, the American values, the people, etc., makes his lack of appreciation for the subject matter quite relatable.

Although some of the ideas that Changez expresses are arguable, the complex nature of the character makes his arguments compelling and worth considering. More importantly, by serving as a prime example of the communication process between the two cultures gone wrong, Changez as a character prompts possible solutions for addressing the current culture clash and contributing to the search for a compromise.

Works Cited

Ahmed, Basheer M. Domestic Violence: Cross Cultural Perspective. New York, NY: Xlibris Corporation, 2009. Print.

Hamid, Moshin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc., 2007. Print.

Jackson, Liz. Muslims and Islam in U.S. Education: Reconsidering Multiculturalism. New York, NY: Routledge, 2014. Print.

Richards, Anne R., and Iraj Omidwar. Muslims and American Popular Culture. Denver, CO: ABC-CLIO, 2014. Print.