Zachary Petrini’s Reviews > The Reluctant Fundamentalist > Status Update

Changez becomes even more conflicted about what he is meant to be doing with his life, and he starts to lose focus of his job that he worked so hard for. He is conflicted between going back to Pakistan as tensions rise with India, or staying in America to help Erika in this hard time. I predict that Changez will realize that he needs to be with his family with all the tensions going on, and will go back to Pakistan.

I noticed how Changez is getting more conflicted about his future in America with all that has went on post 9/11. Every day at work he is being discriminated and looked at differently, because of his identity and his beard. His growing of awareness creates emotional distance between him and the country he admired. Changez is starting to question what he should really be doing.

I felt that Changez started to become more uneasy in America. Even though Changez is doing good in America with his job at Underwood Samson that makes him lots of money, he understands how him being from Pakistan affects how Americans look at him. People used to look at Changez in a positive way, but now since 9/11 happened he is looked at as a potential terrorist.

I was shocked when Changez smiled after hearing the news about 9/11. It confused me because he had earned his degree in the U.S., worked there, and has his love in the U.S. so I didn’t expect him to feel happy about the attack. Even early on, we can see how 9/11 affected Muslims when he struggled to reenter America. I think later in the book, we will learn why Changez reacted that way.

Changez is changing as he begins to adopt American values like efficiency, ambition and success. Even though he still holds his Pakistani values. American ideas begin to influence what matters most to him. This makes me think that later in the book, Changez will face a conflict since these values challenge his sense of identity.

When Changez talks to Erica, the reader learns that he is polite, kind, and respectful, traits shaped by him growing up in Pakistan. However, he is not perfect and sometimes goes against his own beliefs, such as when he goes out drinking with his friends since in his culture they don't drink alcohol. The author includes this to show that Changez is a good person, but still human, willing to bend his values.

I was fascinated when Changez mentioned in his interview that he did not come from a wealthy family, making the opportunity to attend Princeton very meaningful. Even while at Princeton, with all its privileges, he still valued the simple things from his home in Lahore, Pakistan, such as drinking tea. This makes me think that Changez does not take things for granted and appreciates what he has, no matter how small.