What happens to Erica in The Reluctant Fundamentalist?
She is presumed dead by suicide, a tragic end. Erica’s last act is again paralleled with what was happening with America at the time. Unlike before in the novel, when America was consumed with pride and patriotism, at this point, this patriotism had turned violent, the start of America’s disillusionment from reality.
How is Erica presented in The Reluctant Fundamentalist?
Erica is a beautiful and popular Princeton graduate, with whom Changez falls in love. She has strong feelings for Changez, though she sometimes seems to view Changez as an exotic foreigner more than a true friend and lover.
How does Changez change in The Reluctant Fundamentalist?
Yet, after 9/11 changes his perspective and he faces increasing racism and discrimination, and as his relationship with the beautiful American Erica is thwarted by Erica’s obsession with her dead former boyfriend Chris, he eventually becomes disillusioned with his adopted country, viewing it as a danger to the rest of …
Where is Changez from?
Lahore
Changez. Changez is both the novel’s narrator and its main protagonist. He is a bearded Pakistani man from Lahore who studied, worked and lived in the United States both before and after the 9/11 attacks.
Who is Changez talking to in The Reluctant Fundamentalist?
What is most unusual about this first-person narration is its form: it is addressed to an unnamed listener, an interlocutor. Over the course of an evening, Changez talks to an American, whom he has met in the centre of Lahore.
Why did Changez grow a beard?
Changez chooses to grow the violent image of a beard as it is a natural extension of himself and a connection to his family and homeland, as opposed to wearing to wearing a kurta which is susceptible to cultural appropriation.
Why does Changez decide not to shave his beard?
When Changez returns home to Pakistan, he decides not to shave when it comes time for his return to New York. The marked contrast in his appearance immediately causes his coworkers alarm and he is even verbally abused while on the subway.