Hi readers!
For today’s class we had to read The Reluctant Fundamentalist, by Mohsin Hamid. It was quite an interesting reading because it is focused on the perspective of a Pakistani, Changez, after 9/11 happened. This novel is about stereotyping from both the American and the main character’s side. What I liked about this book is the play on words of the author. An example is the deliberate use of hyper American harsh sounding names, such as Chuck and Mike, and the use of Erica, which is in the word America. Also the name of the main character, Changez, comes from a 13C Middle East warier who killed many Muslims. During the story we can understand that he expresses quite often his resentment towards the US, because it represents the newness but also the falseness of this place, mainly because of the lack in traditions. While Pakistan to him is seen as a place of deep rooted culture that have a strong influence on the character. However this same view could be inverted, which it makes it easier to create an argument about: is it always true that a place with deeply rooted traditions is good, versus a newer and still in progress development of culture, such as the US, is always and unquestionably bad? Especially after 9/11, the first clean cut distinction in the view of these two countries is questioned and it becomes more blurred. As a result the thought would shift into viewing “new” as a representation of the future and the old as atrophy. These conflicting views of both the home and the new country, can be somewhat related to what I have experienced through my years as an international student. Until I left Italy I always took for granted my culture and traditions, and I idealized the United States. However when I was in the US for my year abroad, I still saw it as amazing but I was also comparing it to Italy. By doing so I started to miss some aspects of my country, especially the feeling of membership. However once I went back home I could not feel as part of my culture as I was before this experience, because I caught myself missing aspects of my life in the US.
