Kevin Yang’s Reviews > The Reluctant Fundamentalist > Status Update

It is interesting how Changez feels like a stranger in his own home. When he returns to Lahore, he first sees shabby walls and paint that is falling off, but then realizes the house hadn't changed. He was looking through American eyes, judging his home by the standards of the New York building. It’s sad to see how much he gave up just to fit in, and how hard it is to get back to being his own self.

I believe Changez has a very contradictory life. He is doing very well at Underwood Samson, but he feels empty because his relationship with Erica is falling apart. He uses full effort at work to avoid thinking about his sad emotions. Even as the top employee, he still feels unnoticed by the girl he loves. He can calculate the value of companies, but cannot find his place in Erica’s heart or in her memories of Chris.

I was surprised when Changez asked Erica to pretend that he was her dead boyfriend, Chris, so they could be together. It made me feel sad when I was reading because it showed that Changez is willing to stop being himself just to be loved. Being in a relationship that includes someone who is dead makes Changez seem very lonely. This moment shows how much he struggles to fit into a world where he is an outsider.

It was interesting that Changez felt more like a laggard than a leader when he compared Manila to Lahore. Even though he lives a nice life in New York, when he saw the Philippines success, he felt small and insignificant. To deal with that, he starts play acting as an American to get respect. This shows how much he struggles with his identity when he is trying to fit into a different world.

I think it was interesting how Jim could relate to Changez at the summer party. Both Jim and Changez only observed when other people were speaking. This created a connection between them and pulled their relations closer. Jim could fully understand what Changez feels, because he has been through the same. In the future, I expect that Changez and Jim can have a bond and become important parts of each other's lives.

I really enjoyed the part where Changez thinks moving to New York felt like coming home. It is interesting how he felt like a New Yorker because he heard people speaking the language he spoke in Pakistan. He also found a deli that served samosas, which is food from his home. Even though he was far away, he still felt like he belonged there. I expect that this feeling of home will go away soon due to an accident.

I really liked the Greece trip because it shows how Changez is different. Even though they all went to Princeton. His friends are "wealthy" and don't care about spending money. Changez, on the other hand, is not rich, so he has to spend money carefully. He looks at them with "disdain" because they have no understanding of how hard it is to make money. Interestingly, he feels like an outsider with his own friends.