The Reluctant Fundamentalist Flashcards
Changezre: The American’s apprehension @ his appearance
“I am a lover of America” (pg1)
-In order to be Am. ppl must adhere to a strict set of
ideals to avoid alienation
•Ch. ‘s skin colour, beard + traditional Pakistani dress
make the Am. suspicious b/c he looks like a
terrorist
Changez re: feeling like a foreigner among foreigners
“I felt in that moment much closer to the Filipino driver than to him: I felt like I was play acting” (pg77)
-whilst characters like Ch. temp. fit in at a
superficial level, they often remain conflicted
-Ch. always feels ‘foreign’ or like he doesn’t belong.
even when omners see him as Am.
Ch. reflecting on his identity and r’ship with
E while in Valparaiso
“I was not certain where I belonged -In New York, In Lahore, in both, in neither[…] probably this was why I had been willing to try to take on the persona of Chris. because my own identity was so fragie (pg168)
Changez consummating his relationship with Erica
“Pretend I am him” (pg119)
-whilst characters like Ch. temporarily fit in at a
superficial level, they often remain conflicted
-E= manifestation of Am. / post 9/11 E Is V. nostalgic
+ constantly looking back on relationship w Chris /
symbolises Am. s obsessive return to Christian values
-to be with E. Ch. must become all-American Chris /
mirrors his struggle with nationalism -he has to
literally pretend to be someone else for America
(Erica) to accept him
Changez re: Erica’s father’s stereotypical understandine of Pakistan
“his tone with […] Its typically American undercurrent of condescension” (pg63)
-sugg. that those who seek to belong in Am.
must adhere to a strict set of ideals
-Ch. x esc. his race/religion ->Am. still see him as lesser/an outsider who needs to be taught
-whilst it is possible for char. like Ch. to temp. fit in at a superficial level, their sense of belonging is always at risk+they can quickly feel that they are not welcome
Changez is accosted by an American in the parking lot at work
“He made a series or unintelligible noises - akhala-malakhala,’ perhaps or “khlapal-khalapala…Fucking Arab (pg133)
-some New Yorkers targeted Muslims
based on their appearance + subsequent
discrim. encouraged Muslims to feel compelled
to blend into mainstream Am. would not seem like outsiders
-Ch. can ultimately never be Am. B/c x look Am.
other peoples prejudice makes the decision for him
Changez re: America’s reaction to 9/11
“I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time i was struck by its determination to look back.” (pg131)
-Am responded to 9/11 w/ nostalgia, paranoia +
arrogance/ not in accordance with the reason which
it claims to value
-seemingly overnignt Am. turned on immigrant
communities and abandoned its values of inclusivity
and equality in favour of nationalism
-indicates the way nostalgia has been allowed to overwhelm ideal of reason
Changez re: last few days in NY
“As a society, you […] retreated into myths of your own difference, assumptions of your own superiority.
(Pg190)
-sugg. that when attacked on 9/11 Am. responded with nostalgia, paranoia & arrogance/ x in accordance with the reason which it claims to value
-myth contrasts reason -an ideal Am. claims
-suberiority clouds reasonable judgement+promotes exclusion of immigrants and minorities
Changez re: American flags after 9/11
“They all seemed to proclaim: We are America […]the mightiest civilization” (pg90)
-Am. resorts to arrogance + self-assertion rather than applying reason in considering the best way to
overcome the challenges it faces
-Imperialist ideals are incompatiole with espoused
values of democracy, freedom and acceptance
Changez after returning to the US from family visit in
Pakistan / reflecting on escalating border conflict b/w Pakistan + India
“I wondered how it was that America was able to wreak such havoc in the world […] with so few apparent consequences at home.
-Ch. Increasinaly disillusioned w/ Am.+aligning more+more with international resentment as Am. alienates him further
-Am. resorts to arrogance+self-assertion rather than applying reason
-Imperialist ideals are incompatible with espoused values of democracy, freedom+acceptance ->cause great harm to nations where Am. intervenes
