The Reluctant Fundamentalist is on the surface the story of a Pakistani who once immigrated to the United States. But as with all good books, the author uses this story to deal with larger issues, in this case about immigrants from third world nations in general and the notion of perceptive variations regarding fundamentalism. Through the life of Changez Khan, the author depicts in great detail, the insecurities, dissapointments and the aspirations which are common to most immigrants. In the course of the book, the author also subtly incorporates the many
ambiguities that make up fundamentalism and its perception in the western world. This lack of clarity is also aptly depicted in the title, where the word fundamentalist has been used to depict not the usual meaning but the work ethic followed in a prestigious firm in the book.
In terms of the narration, if one were to use a single word, it would probably be ambiguous. Even though the story is a highly vivid and detailed description, there are various crucial points in the book that leave the reader wondering as to the nature of the event and in particular the direction that some of these might take. The ending of the book is a good example of this very ambiguity where one is left to ponder over the two outcomes that the situation may result in. The author has seemingly made use of this ambiguity to reflect and thus showcase the situations that occur in the real world, and further to indicate the possibility of a radically different outcome in seemingly straightforward situations, particularly regarding fundamentalism.
At an outside level, the setting of the plot is itself a shock and a rather fictitious sounding one. The notion that two strangers, particularly a foreigner and a very conservative looking Pakistani meet in the middle of a market in Karachi and chat for almost an entire day about the life of a person seems somewhat unreal. Further the vivid detail in which the life of the narrator is described is again shocking, and even embarassing at times to a stranger. In this context as well, we are left pondering on multiple issues, who is this stranger who is constantly pointed out by the narrator as not being a casual traveller? why is this conversation even taking place? All these questions go abegging in the quest of the author to achieve the necessary haziness in the story
designed to reflect real life ambiguities.
As a reader, most parts of the story seem to make sense, but one nagging point in the story for me is the entire saga of love/attraction that the narrator has. This story stands apart in the sense that even though it seems to be such an important part of the narrator's life, it still defies an attempt to fit it into this narrative on fundamentalism and related issues. But perhaps the entire point of the story was to portray the narrator, who seems to be going on a spiral towards hating the american philosophy to seem softer through love, and thus bring further sense of ambiguity to the character of the narrator in the story.
All in all 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' is an engaging and thought provoking novel written from the perspective of the other side with regards to cultural extremism.
Another major issue that I believe the author is addressing (apart from that of the immigrants that you mentioned) is the lack of trust between the people of Pakistan and America (and as an extension the whole world). The American never seems to be comfortable with his surroundings. He cannot keep his senses at ease, and gets cautious at the smallest disturbance. Even the narrator himself is suspicious enough whenever the American reaches for his jacket. This mutual mistrust is the reason we see an ambiguous ending, where peace and a terrorism both can be fitted well.
ReplyDeleteAfter the reading the book, I kept wondering how no story could reach a fruitful end in the book. Eric a-Changez love story remains unfinished. The authors’ mentor and his friend mysteriously play no role to ease his trauma. And on a larger end, the novel itself might suggest the unfortunate making of a terrorist or that of a peaceful protestor. All it does is show us the disillusions that the protagonist faces in the aftermath of 9/11 and the reader is left to ponder.
The book on the whole was entertaining, and gripping. The narrative style did seem so unlike Changez, who portrays himself as a polite non-interfering person, but actually contrasts it by telling a stranger a story so descriptively that one can’t stop being suspicious. But that again, might be due to one’s own prejudices, which is the point the author is so desperately trying to make.