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com
Lecture by Uffaq Zahra
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TheReluctantFundamentalist Novel byMohsinHamid

TheReluctantFundamentalist isa"metafictional" novel byPakistani authorMohsinHamid,

publishedin2007.
Originallypublished: March1,2007
Author: MohsinHamid
Genres: Novel,Psychological Fiction
Original language: English
Awards: Anisfield-WolfBookAwardforFiction, AmbassadorBook AwardforFiction

MohsinHamid

MohsinHamidisa British Pakistani novelist, writerandbrandconsultant.Hisnovelsare Moth

Smoke, TheReluctantFundamentalist, HowtoGetFilthyRich inRisingAsia,Exit West,andThe
Last WhiteMan.
What isthemainidea ofTheReluctant Fundamentalist?
TheReluctantFundamentalist isabout thetwisted, self-righteous,simplistic, andself-serving
political path that Changez adopts.Heisn't a“ reluctant” fundamentalist.Rather,heisa fairly
deliberateandself-deludingone.ChangezfeelsbetrayedbyAmericaintheaftermathof 9/11.

TheReluctantFundamentalist Novel Title?

Thenovel'stitleTheReluctant Fundamentalist isquitesignificant foritscontradictorymeaning.It

somehowstandsfortheradical actionscarriedoutbytheAmericangovernmenttoprevail
national securityafterthe9/11attacks. Thestoryfollowsthelifeof Changez(aPakistani man
livingintheUnitedStates).

TheReluctantFundamentalist Themes
• Patriotism&Post-9/11UnitedStates.
• ComingofAge.
• Racism& Fundamentalism.
• HumanConnection.
• AmericanImperialism.

Historical Context ofTheReluctantFundamentalist

TheReluctantFundamentalist explorestheworld, particularlytheUnitedStatesandPakistan,
duringthelate90sandearly2000s. Thesinglemost important historical event inthenovel isthe
destructionoftheWorldTradeCenteronSeptember11. 2001: Hamidshowshowtheeventsof
thisdayinspiredtheWaronTerrorintheMiddleEast andSouthwest Asia, aswell astheimpactof
thatactonthesocial worldoftheUnitedStates. TheIndia-PakistanStandoffof2001-2002, which
makesChangez fearforhisfamily’ ssafety,isanotherimportant event inthenovel. Finally,
Hamidalludestotheearly2000srecession, whichcoincidedwith thedot-combubble“ bursting,”
andledtoincreasedunemploymentaroundtheworld.

TheReluctantFundamentalist CharacterList
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Changez
Changez isthePakistani protagonistofthenovel, whoattendedPrincetonUniversityandnarrates
thestoryof histimeinthe States(andhissubsequent disillusionment)totheStranger.At first,
Changez lovesAmerica, hasmanyfriends,workshardfora NewYorkfinancial firm, andevenhasa
girlfriend, Erica.However,intheaftermathof9/11,heexperiencesdiscriminationandracismfrom
hisadoptedcountry,andbecomessouredtowardtheUnitedStates,viewingit asa threat tothe
world. HisgirlfriendErica isunabletofullyget overthedeathof herpreviousboyfriendandhasa
tendencytoseeChangezassomethingofanexoticforeigner, furtherhardeninghisheart.He
eventuallyreturnstoPakistanasananti-Americanteacher, but it isneverfullyclearjusthow
radical hisfeelingshavebecome.TosayhisfeelingsontheUnitedStatesarecomplicatedisan
understatement.
TheStranger
Changez’ sconversationwith the Strangerservesasa framingdeviceforhisstoryoflivingin
America andbecomingthemainhe istoday. TheStrangerisunnamedandneverspeaks, soit is
left tothereadertojudgewhetherhecanbetrusted.Thus,eachreadermust decidewhetherthe
Strangerisasimpletourist, anAmericanspysent toapprehendorkill Changez, orsomethingeven
moresinister.
Erica
Changez’ sgirlfriendduringhistimeintheStates, Ericaherself isrepresentativeofhis
tumultuousrelationshipwithAmerica. Sheisbeautiful,popular, andsmart.Though she loves
Changez, herinabilitytomove onfromherpreviousboyfriendChris(whodiedayearbeforeshe
andChangezmet)putsaheavystrainontheirrelationship. After9/11, shefallsvictimto
depressionandobsession, anditisunclearwhetherornot shelatertook herownlife. Changez
clearlystill holdsaffectionforhermemory, andsometimesimaginesthat shemight seekhimout,
though heknowsthisislikelyimpossible.
Jim
JimistheExecutiveVPat thefinancial firmUnderwoodSamson, andservesasa mentorto
Changez formuch ofhistimeat thefirm.Hisisa classicrags-to-richesstory, andheidentifieswith
Changez becauseoftheirsimilarfinancial backgrounds.Unfortunately,Jim’ sviewofChangez
iscoloredbyhisinabilitytotrulycomprehendChangez’ sculture andracial background, muchas
Erica'sviewiscolored.
Wainwright
Wainwright isChangez'onlyfriendat UnderwoodSamsonandtheonlyothercoloredpersoninhis
class.
Juan-Bautista
TheoldCEOofapublishingcompanyinValparaiso, headvisesChangez tonotjust bea mercenary
fortheAmericans.

TheReluctantFundamentalist Novel Summary

InthestreetsofLahore, Pakistan,a youngman, Changez, approachesanunnamedman(forthe
purposesofhissummary, we'll call himtheStranger), andasks, inanunclearcombinationof
extreme politenessandmenacingfamiliarity, ifhecanbeofassistance.Changez saysthat the
StrangerlooksAmerican,andescortshimtoanearbycafe,wheretheydrinkteaandeat dinner.As
afternoonturnsintoevening, Changez tellstheStrangerabouthistime intheUnitedStates.
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Changez comesfromarespectedbutdecliningPakistani family.Nonetheless, hegetsintoand
attendsPrincetonUniversity,wherehemakesexcellent gradesandactsthe partofanexotic
foreigner, but secretlyworksmultiple jobstosupporthimselfandhisfamily.Hecommentstothe
Strangerthat henowseesthat Princetonwasindoctrinatinghimintoa pro-Americanmindset—
teachinghimtousehisskillstohelpAmericancompanies— butthat hedidn’ trealizethisat the
time.Neartheendofhissenioryear, heinterviewsforaprestigiousvaluingfirm, Underwood
Samson,which doesanalysistodeterminetheworthof companies.Duringhisinterview,Jim, an
executivevicepresidentat thefirm,learnsthat Changez isonfinancial aid,andconcealshis
economicstatusfromhisclassmates;JimtellsChangezthat he, too, hidhisbackgroundat
Princeton, andgiveshima job. BetweengraduatingPrincetonandbeginninghiscareerat
UnderwoodSamson, Changez goesona vacationtoGreecewithPrincetonfriendsandpeers.It is
herethat hemeetsErica, abeautiful andcharismaticPrincetongraduate, withwhomheisinstantly
smitten.
InNewYork,Changezbeginshiscareerat UnderwoodSamson. Hemakesfriendswithanother
trainee, Wainwright,andwinstheadmirationofhiscolleaguesandsupervisors. Meanwhile, he
continuestospendtimewith Erica,wholivesinNewYorkandinviteshimtopartiesanddinners.
Changez noticesthatErica seemsdeeplylonely, evenwhenshe'ssurroundedbyfriends,and
learnsthat herboyfriendandchildhoodfriend, Chris, diedlast year.

WhileworkinginManila,inthePhilippines,ChangezwitnessesthecollapseoftheTwinTowerson
September11, 2001,andfindshimselffeelingpleasureat thesight of powerful,arrogantAmerica
broughttoitsknees. Then, onhisreturnflight toNewYork, heisdetainedattheairport.Hebegins
tonoticeandbethesubject ofincreasingracismanddiscriminationinNewYorkCityandat
UnderwoodSamson. Erica,traumatizedby9/11, beginstosinkintonostalgiaforChris.Onenight,
Changez andErica havesex, a “ success” ChangezachievespartlybytellingErica topretend
thatheisChris.Changez thinksthiswill bringthemcloser, butErica growsincreasinglydistant
fromChangez.

Changez, feelingincreasinglyuncomfortableinNewYork andtheUnitedStatesasa foreigner

after9/11, travelstoPakistantosee hisfamily, andfeelsangrywith theUnitedStatesfor
supportingIndia'saggressionagainsthishome.At thesametime, hedoesn’ t feel entirely
Pakistani,either.Later,whiletravelingtoChileforUnderwoodSamson, hemeetsJuan-Batista, the
presidentofapublishingcompany, whocomparesChangeztoajanissary— a referenceto
Crusadeserawarriorswhowerekidnappedfromtheirownculture, andthenforcedtofight against
it. Changezrealizesthisistrue, that heisdoingharmtoPakistanbyworkingforUnderwood
Samson.HereturnstoNewYork inthemiddle ofhisassignment. Jimfireshim, but seems
sympathetictohisstruggle.ChangezreturnstoPakistan,wherehelecturesat auniversityand
supportsanti-Americandemonstrations, although, heinsists, heneverencouragesviolence.

AsChangeztellstheStrangerhisstory, hefrequentlypointsout thattheStrangerseems

uncomfortable, andnotesthattheStrangerhassomethingunderhisjacket intheexact position
wherespieskeepa gun.Thewaiterwhoservesthemtheirfoodseemsangrywith the Stranger, but
Changez assuresthe Strangerthat there isnodanger. ChangezthenwalkstheStrangerback tohis
hotel.Astheystandoutside, theStrangernoticesagroupofpeople, includingthewaiter, who've
beenfollowingthem, andreachesunderhisjacket.