novel

1. MOHSIN HAMID
THE RELUCTANT
FUNDAMENTALIST
Granziera Margherita
5BLS

2. ABOUT THE NOVEL
• 12 chapters
• It is a dramatic monologue  the protagonist is the
only voice speaking
• Protagonist  Changez (a very brilliant Pakistani
man from Lahore)

3. •BIG QUESTION:
“Why is the
Fundamentalist
reluctant?”
• “Fundamentalism” is a form of a
religion (expecially Islam or Protestant
Christianity) that upholds belief in the
strict, literal interpretation of Scripture.
• “Reluctant” means unwilling, not
inclined, to take distance to
something, when a person doesn’t feel
doing something.
Hamid is a very famous
Pakistani novelist who
lived in Canada. He
wrote his novel in English
for an American-English
public. He wanted to
transmit a message.
ABOUT THE
NOVELIST:

4. Objectives:
• to identify the structure of the novel;
• to single out relevant intercultural themes;
• to select linguistic phrases, expressions and key
words;
• words that foster intercultural analysis of the novel.
OBJECTIVES

5. 1st Chapter
• Main function: introduction of the characters
• Use of language: very formal language
• Narrative technique: right from the first chapter the novelist decides
to silence the American point of view
• The first chapter sets the impressive points of the novel  the
interlocutor’s silence is a focal point of the narrative.
• Main themes: Changez’s American dream
 Stereotypes
“Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America”

6. MAIN CHARACTERS
• The American  he is never named, Hamid encourages us to put
ourselves in his place. This pushes us to make subjective judgments
about the novel;
• Erica  she is Changez’s love interest from New York; she is a
queenly girl for Changez;
• Chris  is a character that never actually appears in the story,
although he plays a significant role: he was Erica’s first and only love;
he died from cancer.
• Jim  he is Changez’s boss at Underwood Samson;
• Wainwright  he is Changez’s colleague and friend at Underwood
Samson.

7. 2nd chapter
Main themes:
•introduction of Erica’s character  referring to
attractive girls:
• differences between the female figure in America and Pakistan
• strong figure of the family in Pakistan
•introduction of the new setting (New York);
•new job  difference between Changez and his
American friends;
•difference between Pakistani and American
thought.

8. 3rd chapter
• Main themes:
• -introduction of life in New York;
• -his job at Underwood Sampson arts of economic
fundamentalism (you are expected to make as much money as
possible and as quickly as possible)
• -introduction of Jim and Wainwright.

9. 4th chapter
• Main themes:
• Changez explores Manhattan with Erica, in New York he feels at
home because he finds aspects that he likes;
• Erica’s father annoys Changez with stereotypical views on Pakistan 
corruption, dictatorship, … fundamentalism;
• Picnic lunch in Central Park;
• Introduction of Chris figure  Erica describes trauamatic effect of
Chris’s death on her.
• Key words:
“Elegant but also casual”;
“Cosmopolitan nature”.
NY  multicultural
city

10. 5th chapter
• Main themes:
• Changez goes to the Phillipines for valuation job of music company;
• Difference between America, Pakistan and Philippine  the county has taken
the American style of living;
• Changez acts like an American;
• Exchanges sporadic emails with Erica;
• Jim visits and complimenst Changez on work, shark-like qualities, outsider-
reminds Changez of longings for his family’s past life  a nostalgia that
paralyses some of his family;
• World Trade Centre collapses  Changez sees it on tv and ‘smiles’.

11. 6th chapter
• Main themes:
• Attack on Twin Towers  America on her knees;
• Post the attack  New York in mourning, flowers and flags 
unbridled American patriotism:
“We are America – not New York”
Panic
• Erica looks “older”, haunted by Chris’s death and the attack  she
takes Changez to events with her but she is distant with people;
• After Chris’s death Erica can’t make love  she tells to Changez
more about Chris.

12. 7th chapter
• Main themes:
• Pakistani cab drivers being assaulted, mosques being raided and
muslims disappearing. Changez family in Pakistan unsettled-
Afghanistan being bombed  Crisis.
• Changez continues to focus on his job  Jim encourages him to
“focus on the fundamentals”;
• But Changez realise that Afghanistan is a friend and neighbour and
fellow Muslim nation  he is questioning his loyalties  Doubts.

13. 8th chapter
• Main themes:
• Changez is worried and angered by America’s “dangerous
nostalgia”;
• Underwood Samson not perturbed by sorrows and continues to
power forward in pursuit of business fundamentals;
• Almost attacked at his car by “Arab” haters and Changez is
aggressive in his response
“I had heard tales of discrimination Muslims were beginning to
experience in the business world”

14. 9th chapter
• Main themes:
• Changez recognises that he has changed  he is more like an
unsympathetic American but gradually understands the different
beauty of his family house and homeland;
• Things are not too good in Pakistan Changez felt powerless, angry
at the weakness of his country;
• He did not shave his beard  link with his own culture;
• Changez is angry and preoccupied about everything (the job,
America, Erica, Pakistan).
Very strong family bond

15. 10th chapter
• Main themes:
• Trip to Chile;
• Chaagez can’t concentrate on the job, worried about Pakistan ;
“The situation in Pakistan continued to be precarious”
• Jim tries to encourage Changez but he can’t focus and in the end
he gives up and is sent back, in disgrace, to New York  he takes
distances to New York  the city becames hostile, an enemy.

16. 11th chapter
• Main themes:
• Changez is confused and troubled and a bit lost  complexity of his
conflicting emotions;
• Changez visits Erica but she has disappeared, lefta pile of clothes on
a headland above the river;
• He decides to move back to Lahore  he wants to leave New York
and leave the job
“I got fired”

17. 12th Chapter
• Main themes:
• Changez leaves America and returns to Pakistan  he starts to
work as a university lecturer;
• He is increasingly opposed to American actions and he is
surrounded by energetic young students who are interested in
Pakistan’s future;
• He gets involved in demonstrations and meetings, receives
official warnings, interviewed by international media, feels like
Kurtz waiting for the assassin.
(A fictional character and the main antagonist in Apocalypse Now)