Joell McFarling’s Reviews > The Reluctant Fundamentalist > Status Update

As I'm reading, the story goes back to Changez in the cafe with the American. If I were Changez I would definitely be worried, and it's a tense part of the book. The American is nervous and looks around as if he is scared of something.Changez can't tell if he is scared or if it's something else.Its like there's still a lot of unanswered parts of this book and maybe that's what keeps the reader guessing, just like me.

Wow, it feels like Changez's life just changed in a snap. I remember in class I predicted that Erica would commit suicide, and with her disappearance in the book, I believe that my prediction was true. This makes me sad for Changez because he genuinely liked her, and she essentially ghosted him. To top it off, he loses his job, and it feels like he's falling off,but Im confident that Changez can get himself together.

Up to page 105, I am going to be completely honest. I am feeling angry with Changez because he needs to open his eyes and use his brain. He is still interested in Erica even though she still mentions Chris. If I were him, I would have cut her off. Besides this, when Changez gets back to the U.S its almost like he's forcing himself to fit in with everyone else in America. Forcing yourself onto things is self-torture.

Up to page 85, it's pretty clear that Changez is starting to feel like he doesn't belong in America anymore. I say this because his whole dream of being successful in America is changing after the 9/11 attacks. I do think that, in the end, Changez will still find a way to be successful with whatever he does. Something that caught me off guard was how Erica still talked to Changez after 9/11, but I'm glad she did.

I am confused so far because Changez seems confident, and we all know he is smart, but I can see his attitude starting to change, as if America is affecting him negatively. It's almost like something is shifting inside of him, and I don't know what it is yet. Something else that stood out was that it seems like Erica is still stuck on her deceased boyfriend, Chris, but Changez is trying to get closer to her.

After reading to page 40, I noticed how well Erica and Changez complement each other, and I am happy for Changez. I also remember discussing the back of the book in class and how it states their relationship shifts after a while. I am now wondering how this affects his identity over time as well. I am curious to see how well Changez is able to adapt to these changes and still thrive both academically and in his job.

I was really interested in learning more about Changez's life at this time and just seeing how hard it must've been for Pakistani people to live with so many people in America disliking their culture. I respect Changez because of his remarkable success in education and his overall achievements in New York, while never forgetting where he came from. I wonder if Changez ever gets the respect that he deserves.