Mitchell Ricard’s Reviews > The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Man Booker Prize-Shortlisted Literary Novel of Love, Identity, and the American Dream > Status Update

Changez needs to pull himself together. He is not doing his job and it is making one of the vice presidents hate him on his work trip to Chile. He is just too concerned with the conflict going on between Pakistan and India. He has no control on what is going on there and should just continue working hard at his job so he can send money to his family. He is about to lose his job and that can’t help anyone.

Changez needs to stop thinking about Erica all together. It is simply not good for him. After Erica’s mom said he should probably not call for a while he has been thinking about her and Chris a lot. It has gotten to the point where Jim has even brought up to Changez that he hasn’t been himself lately. I believe that if Changez stops thinking about Erica that he will feel better.

When Changez said to Erica pretend I'm Chris I was so surprised. Changez is literally losing a battle with a guy that is dead. At this point Changez has to give up. Erica cannot be with anybody except Chris and Changez has to realize this. He has to realize that he has no chance to last with Erica until she gets over Chris’s death, which might never happen.

I am surprised how honest Changez was to the American man about his feelings when 9/11 happened. He just admitted he was pleased when he saw the twin towers got hit by the planes. If I were in the American guy's shoes I would have most likely just left because I might think this guy is a terrorist. By Changez saying that he just helped prove all the stereotypes that are in that guy's head.

During the part in the book where Erica and Changez are going out I get a weird feeling. I feel that Erica isn't really bringing Changez out to spend time together but just to fill the void of Chris. When they spend time together alone she talks a lot about Chris and what they used to do. She seems to be trying to change Changez and what he likes to be a little more like Chris.

I like the fact that sharing food in Lahore is thought to be a sign of companionship. I myself am very fond of food and sharing it with others. Changez has stated this in the book and has shared meals with Erica who he is very fond of, as well as Wainwright, who at this point in the book seems to be his best friend at Underwood Samson. I can see these companionships will continue into the future.

I found it interesting that in the book the other threw in a bunch of different hints about America though names and other things. How Changez knows almost everything about Americans while also only being in America for 4 years amazes me. I’ve lived in America for my whole life and I do not know anything about American cultures. This just shows how easily he adapts to his surroundings.