Moshid Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a novel narrated by the monologue of the protagonist where he tells his story. The novel raises the central question of what drives young educated men from the West to join Al Qaeda. The novel is constructed through two stories. The first of the two is about Changez’s experience with an entity that is said to be an American in the Lahore café, and within that story is Changez’s experiences with and in America. The novel is purposely told from Changez’s view and his view only. As a result of the first-person narration in the novel, America’s views are silenced and Changez’s and Pakistani interpretations about 9/11 and America are able to be voiced.
Often in the world the United States has the loudest and most impactful voice when it comes to major world events. The loud and proud voice of Americans consistently shuts out the voices of those who are on the opposing side of the story, and the complete opposite is done in this novel.
One place where this occurs is Changez’s thoughts and emotions when he learns what has happened in America when he is in the Philippines. Changez says “I stared as one — and then the other — of the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center collapsed. And I smiled.” (p.72) After Changez expresses his initial feelings he explains why by saying “But at that moment my thoughts were not with the victims of the attack… I was caught up in the symbolism of it all, the fact that someone had so visibly brought America to her knees” (p.73) Changez’s root of “joy” arises from seeing the big country that has done wrong to others at a weak point. Changez then adds “its hateful to hear another person gloat over one’s country’s misfortune” (p.73). This first-person narration used in the novel in a way allows Changez to flip the script. The narrative structure forces readers to reflect on and feel the pain and misfortune that other countries have felt at the hands of America. Hamid uses a first-person narration to almost speak directly to Americans. When this novel is read the reader can see the novel as speaking to them, leaving a great more impactful effect on the readers.
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This novel also works to discuss and bring to light the major themes of racism and racial profiling. Changez explains how people viewed him in a different light after the twin towers fell. Throughout the novel, we never hear from the American but can tell how the American is acting as a result to the several subtle clues that Changez gives. One thing Changez always does is give the American the benefit of the doubt, he always tries to see the good on the American even when the American is acting sketchy. In contrast, the American is described to always be untrusting of Changez and the community throughout the book.
This benefit of the doubt is demonstrated several times early in the novel when Changez first meets the American. While they are sitting in the cafe Changez says “…and there is no need to reach under your jacket, I assume to grasp your wallet, as we will pay him later when, we are done” (p.5) Here, Changez is not jumping to conclusions about the American, but showing that he has a little bit of trust for the Americans even though all of the Americans actions are distrustful. Changez also says towards the end of the book “you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorist, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins” (p.183) Changez is stressing the idea that things cannot be assumed about one another and not all Americans are assassins just like not all Pakistani are terrorist. This forces readers to look at racial prejudice and profiling in a different light. The first-person narration acts to show the American and readers how to not profile and assume things about people who are unfamiliar.
In addition, the novel portrays to readers what racial profiling looks and feels like from a Pakistani’s perspective. Hamid’s use of first-person narration plays a huge role in accomplishing this. After 9/11 Changez noticed that people in America started treating him different. One way this is highlighted in the novel is at the airport when Changez is leaving the Philippines. Changez explains “ At the airport, I was escorted by armed guards into a room where I was made to strip down to my boxer shorts… my entrance elicited looks of concern from many of my fellow passengers” (p.74). The use of first-person narration here shows readers and the American what it felt like to be innocent, but treated like a criminal based off of his appearance. Changez was “uncomfortable in his own face”. He then is questioned several times when he gets back the U.S about why he is there after explains that he lives there. The use of first-person narration helps presents to readers the issues that come with the high security America partook in after 9/11, and its negative effects it has on non-American citizens.
Fundamentalism is another big theme in the novel, which is usually seen as a religious movement that s dedicated to following a set of basic principles and not tolerating or partaking in other views. The company, Underwood Samson that he works for had a guiding principle of “Focus on the Fundamentals” (p.98) Changez disagrees with the Americans idea and use of fundamentalism. Big companies like Underwood Samson are only concerned with benefiting themselves and not the political and economic situations of other nations. Changez is also kind of resistant towards Islamic fundamentalism as well because he is a secular Muslim that believes that faith should stay out of the law. Through using the first person narrator of a character who has an understanding of both types of fundamentalism Hamid is able to point out the flaws in both practices.
Hamid structures the novel in a first-person point of view, where Changez is the only voice that is heard throughout the novel. Hamid highlights the central themes of racism and racial profiling along with fundamentalism which are heavily impacted by the monologue of Changez. The use of one-sided monologue pushes readers and the American to tap into and reflect on flaws within their own country as the story feels like it is directly speaking to the reader. The Reluctant Fundamentalist acts to voice the concerns and interpretations about America of smaller nations like Pakistan while figuratively and literally silencing the Americans view on things.
