Sunday, June 2, 2013

Book Review- Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

It’s a story of a young Pakistani named Changez, who is torn between the two – his American and Pakistani selves. Eventually in his case, the latter won over the former. Entire book is in monologue but the freshness of phrases and juxtaposition of various themes keep the readers interested throughout the story. For example when he is speaking of the “Skin that his premier college showed to the corporate, once a year for placements” he says “I was a perfect breast, tan, succulent, seemingly defiant of gravity- and I was confident of getting any job I wanted.”  
It is during the interview of the most coveted job on the campus that his veneer of external identity is broken as interviewer sees through him, spotting his discomfort in revealing his roots. It comes out in form of a pointed question the interviewer asked, “Do your friend here know, that your family could not afford to send you to Princeton without a scholarship?”
This aspect reveals the class consciousness of Changez; he conducted himself as a young prince at Princeton, but also took up odd jobs to strengthen his financial position. Eventually he got a job earning him 80000 dollars a month, from the by lanes alongside the economic highway he all of a sudden came on the main lane!! However, his sense of restraint and reservation did not change with the change in his monthly income. For example on his trip to Greece, he would feel uncomfortable to see his friends ordering about people twice of their age. He wondered what on earth made his friends behave with the world as if they were its ruling class.
Upstart nature of his American self and powerful immersion that happened due to his Wall Street job led him also, eventually, to behave in the same way as his American friends.  He soon, learned to say to people of his father’s age “I need it NOW.”  He also learned to answer, “New York” when asked to say where he was from.  He also confessed, these changes troubled him, but he gave no outwardly signs of these troubles. Until the 9/11, of course.
His revelation that he was at first remarkably pleased to see the twin tower going down is grotesque but eerily existential in nature. He justified it as a symbolism showing someone so visibly bringing America to her knees.
While all this is happening, there is a simultaneous progress of his relationship with a girl called Erica. Personal and political, micro and macro aspects are nicely interwoven by the author. Despite occasional and rare moments of intimacy and romance, this too becomes a source of increasing identity crisis for Changez; this reaches a pinnacle when he has to impersonate Erica’s dead ex-boyfriend in order to give her an orgasm.  His hopes even after Erica’s mysterious disappearance show his emotional side, one that’s very normal of any human being.
Among all internal struggles, there is an impending tension of war from India on Pakistan post the attacks on Indian Parliament. Changez visits his parents in Pakistan.  Part when her mother asked him to shave off his beard citing, “They have long beards” is extremely moving and casts a strong statement on stereotypes our world subjects on people without a single thought.
While returning from Pakistan, Changez found it ironic that being a young son; he was leaving home in war like situation whereas, in olden times it was elderly and children who were asked to relocate in times of war like situations. After returning from home he lost connect with his American side altogether.
He kept a beard, partly as a sign of protest, even despite the passive office protocols demanded he be clean shaven. He let his performance on the job, which he so loved in the beginning, flounder.  He grows increasingly tense within for due to conflict of identity and eventually gives in to the calling from home.  Before he finally makes this decision, comes a nice interlude of conversation he had with a man called Juan Baitista, he explained to him a concept of Janissaries. After that his resolve to go home only grew stronger, having been fired, he headed to Pakistan.
After returning to Pakistan, Changez takes up a post of a professor and instils among students what he calls a true understanding of the subject as well as the ways of the world. One of his students is held as a conspirator of assassination of a top US government officer for developmental aid. And it is only when he discussed this part with his listener do we realize that Changez is also being questioned in this conspiracy.
It is a matter of opinion whether stand Changez took was correct or incorrect. However, what this book so exceptionally does is to make us think in this regard. Even despite a few hard lines in thinking, behaviour and conduct, we don’t dislike Changez. After reading this book I had mixed feelings about the man, predominant of those was that for a friend who has lost his way.  Credit for this largely goes to Author.
Reading this book was a joy, I will soon try to catch up the movie too, as I am sure this story translates into a good film.


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