The reluctant fundamentalist identity. Theme Of Identity In The Reluctant Fundamentalist 2022-10-18
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The concept of identity is a complex and multifaceted one, and it can be particularly difficult for individuals to navigate in times of political or social upheaval. This is certainly true for the protagonist of Mohsin Hamid's novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, in which the character of Changez struggles to come to terms with his own identity in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks on the United States.
Changez is a Pakistani man who has lived and studied in the United States, and has built a successful career there as a management consultant. However, the events of September 11th and the subsequent shift in American attitudes towards Muslims cause him to reexamine his own identity and place in the world. Changez finds himself caught between two worlds, feeling a sense of belonging to both Pakistan and the United States, yet also feeling like an outsider in both places.
One of the central themes of The Reluctant Fundamentalist is the idea of identity being shaped by external forces, such as politics and society. Changez's identity is heavily influenced by his experiences in the United States, and he initially embraces the American way of life and assimilates into American culture. However, after the September 11th attacks, he is confronted with discrimination and prejudice due to his Muslim faith and Pakistani heritage. This causes him to reassess his identity and his place in American society, and he ultimately decides to return to Pakistan.
The novel also explores the idea of identity being fluid and constantly evolving. Changez's identity is not fixed, but rather it is shaped by his experiences and interactions with others. He is forced to confront his own biases and assumptions, and to question his own beliefs and values.
Ultimately, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a thought-provoking exploration of identity and belonging in a changing world. It highlights the challenges and complexities of navigating one's own identity in a society that is constantly shifting and redefining itself. It serves as a reminder that identity is a complex and multifaceted concept, and that it is up to each individual to define their own sense of self and place in the world.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist Quotes
Diaspora becomes a site where past is given a new meaning and is preserved out of intense nostalgia and longing. As a Pakistani man in the United States, Changez has a perspective and experiences that give him insight about aspects of American patriotism that Americans take for granted. Recent world events have brought Islam into the public eye and we shall explore the effect these events have had on Islamic faith communities residing within Britain. Authors discussed include V S Naipaul, Hanif Kureishi, Don Delillo, Monica Ali and Naguib Mahfouz If a tiny minority of militants are to be believed their religion, Islam, is todayat war with most of the powerful nations of the world, pre-eminently the United States of America, Russia and western Europe. It is the face of a Pakistani that wears traditional tribal garb at one side and has a long beard with the picture of a mosque in the background.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist: Hybridity and the Struggle for Identity
Initially, Changez chooses the latter, but he realizes that it comes with the burden of being perceived as a threat to mainstream American society. It all depends on how it plays out. He has a profound impression of Pakistani intelligentsia and is a renowned name in English fiction of the contemporary era. His attitude towards his house changes instantly. Effects Of Social Hierarchy In The Kite Runner 1139 Words 5 Pages This discrimination has become built into society and effects everyday life. He forms his ideas about who he is and who he wants to be, relative to what he learns about himself and America while he lives in America. At the table of an unassuming cafe in Old Anarkali market, Lahore, Changez relates the story of his citizenship within America and charts the nature of his stay.
Review: The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
He realizes that he himself has changed. US President George W. To a great extent, Changez's return to Pakistan and his embrace of fundamentalism is something where there is not a complete settlement in his identity. He works to balance his values and identity as a Pakistani man with all of the perks and advantages he is granted by his position at Princeton and, later, Underwood Samson. As of May 2015, he is rumored to be working on his fourth novel.
Elements of Identity Crisis in Mohsin Hamidās The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Many relate to experiences of immigration, citizenship, or migrant identity. The narrator repeatedly and sarcastically reassures his interlocutor that he means no harm and everything that seems to alert him is simply the result of the stereotyping and exaggeration that make fear, suspicion, and caution be his first instinct in Lahore. He identifies the problems and flaws of the American culture. Changez provided the information that he himself had spent four and a half years in the US, and that he is just as American as the person he is chatting with. Hamid focuses upon the issues of identity-crisis of the people from countries like Pakistan and the resultant shame and anguish 89 , who experience attraction and repulsion towards American culture simultaneously.
Philadelphia: Temple UP, 2011. He is not surprised this time as he expects it. Many of my classmates went home early, and no one said anything about what happened, so we laughed every time the phone rang to signal a student out. It helps to get out of the shell of depression. And the series of meetings go on. It can be also referred to as oneness. Cultural hybridity allows Changez to view both cultures side by side.
(PDF) The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Quest for Identity
Who recognizes an American citizen and starts talking to him. Identity in the form of belonging with Erica is an odd case. After coming back to America, his language begins to reflect his pride in his heritage, culture, religion and country. He is a Pakistani who graduates from Princeton University and joins a high-end valuation firm in America. This form of imperialism is what Edward Said describes as lingering in cultural aspects and the political, ideological, economic and social practices 9. It addresses how such treatment sheds light on the questions of Muslim integration in the American society, citizenship, multiculturalism, identity, and alienation, belonging, and national affiliation. This problem is beautifully depicted in modern Pakistani English literature.
They send resources and remittances that continue to fundamentally shape the life circumstances and possibilities of those who remain behind. The term identity crisis is not a new issue to grapple with. His job means nothing to him. The major themes in The Reluctant Fundamentalist revolve around Changez's status as an immigrant in America as well as the nature of identity in general. So it can be understood that formation of identity involves several steps: construction, reconstruction and deconstruction.
Religious and National Identity in Moshin Hamidās āThe Reluctant Fundamentalistā
Changez struggles with his identity at Princeton, working several jobs in order to have any money, all the while conducting himself like a prince so that his peers do not find out. While the Hazaras, Hassan and Ali, may only work as servants. But does this make him a fundamentalist or a spokesman for terrorism?. Whiteness, blackness, ethnicity, racial background, geographical locations, religion, distinct Intersectionality 933 Words 4 Pages There are people in this world that are different races, genders, abilities, and sexual orientations. One of them is Genghis. Changez and Ahmad certainly do share similarities in their evolution of moral identity. It discusses that people face different oppositions, dilemmas, contradiction as well as challenges which threaten their identity in a foreign culture.
Identity in the reluctant fundamentalist Free Essays
One is for the sake of an American girl and the other is an American dream progress and prosperity that draws her to America. Throughout our lives, we seek out people who we can identify with. The way someone expresses himself or herself, whether it is through their religion, preferences, moral, goals, or their ethnicity, make up their identity. To study the impacts of colonization the research has been planned to investigate the foremost concept of hybridity and identity crisis. This paper examines the issue from a postcolonial perspective. This study probes recent and contemporary writing that touches on Muslim subjects.
