The Reluctant Fundamentalist Analysis

Fundamentalism is a strict adherence to a set of ideas or beliefs that are conservative in nature. It is a pejorative term usually associated with religious fanaticism. Usually, this is what comes to mind when there is mention of a fundamentalist. However, in Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist starring the protagonist Changez, a Pakistani Princetonian who is a top-ranked employee at a prestigious New York valuation firm, turns out not to be an Islamic fundamentalist, but a reluctant fundamentalist of US Capitalism. Hamid challenges readers to reevaluate their preconceived notions and prejudices of people different from themselves in post 9/11 America by employing the use of motifs, aphorism, and suspense, to create a conflation

Over the course of history, South Asians have been mistreated and undermined within American society. This is especially evident after the terror attacks of 9/11 in which Americans shunned its South Asian Population, and reduced them to devastating stereotypes. This has created tension and hostility within the South Asian community, thus pressuring them to being more Americanized, and further creating a fixation towards becoming more white. The obsession with American culture has caused many to conform, leaving behind cultural and religious parts of their identities. It is necessary to explore the history behind the mistreatment of South Asians to understand why the change in identity such as those portrayed with Changez in The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Amir in Disgraced have occurred. These main characters of South Asian descent make it is clear that the American dream for immigrants creates a constant struggle between national and transnational identities as racism and hostility are being thrust upon them by American society.

Said coined and defines orientalism as the Western conception of the Middle East as exotic others and it constructs “Orientals” as cruel, lazy, clever, and mysterious. Erica complimented Changez’s beard by stating that he looks cute and that the beard brought out his eyes. Changez did not respond to the compliment, but we can assume that Changez liked it and made him want to keep the beard regardless of his mother’s opinion. However, others saw Changez’s beard as a threat. After 9/11, the beard on any Middle Eastern man was associated with the terrorist group behind the attack, Al Qaeda’s founder, Osama Bin Laden. Changez’s mom statement on how he looked like a mouse was a smilie for the mouse and rats in New York; no one wants to see them as no one wants to see a terrorist. Changez didn't fit in anymore with his beard and became subjected to verbal abuse by complete strangers and stares and whispers from his co-workers in Underwood Samson. However, this didn’t make him shave it off as it gave him a sense of his identity.

In Citizen Khan”, Khan was a Muslim immigrant who was generous to his community and was very involved in the country when Schulz claims that “Khan knew everyone’s name, never failed to ask after sick children or aging parents, never forgot anyone on a birthday or Christmas. The hungry could count on him for meals, kids could count on him for jobs, overseas service members for money and gifts.” (Citizen Khan) Through his concerned about the people in his community,the community treated him as a part of the community. At this time,he felt very connected to the community and hoped to be an American officially：“ Louie himself had gradually become American as well, and in 1925, after nearly twenty years in the United States, he decided to make it official.”(Citizen Khan) Khan is the first Muslim immigrant in Louie as well as considered himself as an American too. Therefore, An American is truly defined by the connection you fell to the community rather than your skin color and

¨I was moving my way through security in an American airport… serious demeanor in place. I glanced back at the poster that had greeted me as I got off the escalator: “The Faces of Global Terrorism,”...¨ (Young 8). The airport had a poster stereotyping what the American people should see when viewing a terrorist, the image gave a broad spectrum of men sharing ¨Middle Eastern¨ features (Young 11). During an interrogation with U.S. Immigration, Khan recalls the way he was being made feel, ¨...I'd been made to feel like an unwanted outsider… guilty of some heinous crime and now it was my responsibility to prove my innocence.¨ (71). Khan doesn't feel too much because of his lacking connections to the U.S. but does see how it can affect one with family in America (73). Propaganda categorization of terrorists is sorely based on common traits shared by men of the Middle East essentially singling them out and leaving out the fact that a terrorist can be anyone whether white or copper

Khan starts off her piece by recounting a personal story—the day her family arrived to the United States and how her "Indian Muslim family became Latino." The change was made so that a nominee for governor would win because her family believed support from Muslims would hurt the candidate. Through the small story the reader begins to learn of the prejudice Muslims face, as the author's father wanted "to change the family's ethnic and religious identities

The question as to what it means to be human is often thought of as being the foundational question for almost all religions. Indeed, it can be argued that the religious impulse itself is first and foremost an impulse to understand the nature the meaning of life, and therefore of what it means to be human. Despite the importance of this question, the Bible provides relatively few answers, other than the idea that to be human is to be in some way close to God and to have been created by Him. This closeness and the nature of having been created has a variety of consequences which this paper will explore. These consequences that can be seen to be intensely positive but which also come with a heavy price and with a strict legality. Finally, they may also be shown to be entirely arbitrary and to position their unfathomable nature on the fact of having the 'created ' nature of a person.

The second Great Awakening, Immigration, and Christian Fundamentalism all played large parts in the shaping of American religious, political, and social life. However, the revivals of the second Great Awakening were the major event the allowed for the assimilation of immigrants and the rise of the Fundamentalist through its democratizing of religion and inclusive of all Americans. The revivals of the second great awakening reaching out to the ordinary people rather than the elite of society, and ministers preached on the salvation of the heart. However the individual was to be willing to change their situation for the better rather than by predestination as was the case in the revivals of the first awakening.

First, in the story “Why I Could Never Hate America” written by Mehdi Hasan it’s about a guy from the middle eastern getting stopped by the TSA agents because of how he looks and his surname. In fact, he’s been stopped a numerous amount of times but he doesn’t mind it at all.

In The Next Christians, Gabe Lyons presents how the next generation of Christians turns the tide by bringing the truth of the Gospel to bear on our changing, secular society. While many Christians are worrying about the growing disregard for Christians and deviation from our faith, Gabe holds an optimistic attitude and believes now we are restorers, and Christianity’s best day are yet to come

There is no ethnic attachment to being an American. Anyone can be an American, so long as they pledge allegiance to this country. Americans seek personal liberty, and worship as they please. One of the best known aspects of being an American is being able to embrace their religion, their beliefs and history as they choose, without the fear of judgement. In the short story “America and I,” by Anzia Yezierska, says “Once I thought that in America everybody works for love. Nobody has to worry for a living…”(Yezierska 20) Yezierska was an immigrant and a newcomer to America. She explains her experiences as an immigrant coming to America to start a new life. It took her a while to consider herself as a true American, but still reveled in her success. Many immigrants feel ostracized for the color of their skin but still learn to navigate their lives through hostility, and try their best become a

What seems like an innocent childhood friendship, it is taken by a tragic turn becoming a complex relationship when one betrays the other. Amir and Hassan share a strong bond of friendship inspite of being members of conflicting social classes in Afghanistan. The story banks upon the themes of extreme loyalty and intense guilt, played out by an unfortunate circumstance, followed by a series of reflective incidents. Hosseini's engaging novel brings out of the depths of self-condemnation in a phenomenal manner.

If everything Changez told the Nameless American about his time in America is a lie, It is possible and likely that Changez did go to America at one stage as he had knowledge on different company’s and the geography of towns Though his purpose in America would of been entirely different. Though it is possible he was part of 9/11, we honestly can’t be sure.

Fareed Zakaria found opportunities in America’s education system that he never would’ve had in his home country of India. America’s open-minded way of life amazed him even when he was growing up and being influenced by American entertainment. Zakaria’s love for America was sparked by his family ties to America, his passion for American films, and the opportunity to live out his dreams instead of being tied to a specific career.

In Hamid’s novel, Changez, a hopeful, educated, upper middle class Pakistani man encounters with wealthy, entitled Americans causes him to feel isolated and alters his perception of America. Changez first experiences American’s sense of privilege when he visits Greece. Changez 's friends easily blow money on vacationing delights, “thinking nothing” (Hamid 21) of the cost of their excursions. Changez finds himself acting like he is more well-endowed than he is, in order to not be looked down upon by his peers. Yet, as he does this he is ashamed and