Analysis of identity crisis in “The Reluctant

Fundamentalist” in scenario of post 9/11

By

Hina Malik

A RESEARCH ARTICLE IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT

OF THE REQUEST FOR THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF STUDIES

In

ENGLISH LITERATURE

To

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH UGS

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES, ISLAMABAD

©Hina Malik
2018
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CANDIDATE DECLARATION FORM

I, Hina Malik

Daughter of Mehboob Ali

Discipline (English Literature and Linguistics),

Candidate of BS-English (Hons) at the National University of Modern Languages do hereby

declare that the research Article (title) Analysis of identity crisis in “The Reluctant
Fundamentalist” in scenario of post 9/11“submitted in partial fulfillment of my BS degree, is
my original work, and has not been submitted or published earlier. I also solemnly declare that it
shall not, be submitted by me for obtaining any other degree from this or any other university or
institution.

I also understand that if evidence of plagiarism is found in my article/dissertation at any stage,

even after the award of a degree, the work may be cancelled and the degree revoked.

___________________

Hina Malik

Date: ___________________
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TABLE OF CONTENT
Candidate Declaration Form……………………………..( I)

Table of Content…………………………………………..(II)

Acknowledgement…………………………………(IV)
Abstract……………………………………………..(V)
Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………….(1)

1.1 Significance of study…………………………………...(2)

1.2 Aims of study…………………………………………...(2)

Chapter 2: Literature review……………………………………….(3)

2.1 Identity…………………………………………………..(3)

2.2 Identity crisis……………………………………………(3)

2.3 Identity crisis in Pakistan after 9/11……………………(5)

2.4 Religion Identity………………………………………...(6)

2.5 Secular identity……………………………………….....(7)

Chapter 3: Research Methodology………………………………....(9)

3.1 Research Design………………………………………....(9)

Chapter 4: Data Analysis…………………………………………...(10)

4.1Quest for American Identity……………………………(10)

4.2 Portrayal of mimicry on the part of Changez……….....(10)

4.3 Comparison of East and West cultural identities……...(11)

4.4 Symbolic representation of characters name………….(12)

4.5 Shift in milieu…………………………………………..(13)

 III

4.6 Racism………………………………………………......(14)

4.7 Rising of patriotic feelings……………………………..(15)

4.8 Shift in Changez’s identity……………………………...(15)

5. Conclusion………………………………………...(17)
6. Reference…………………………………………..(18)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would express my deepest gratitude to Almighty Allah, who has
given me chance to finish this final research article,

Secondly, I would express my gratitude to my supervisor, Ms. Ruqiya, for her support
and suggestions in finalizing my research article.

Thirdly, I would bow my thanks to my parents for their love and support, who helped me
to achieve my aims. My regards address to my best friends, who helped in completing my article,
besides, they supported me throughout my BS course in NUML

Finally, my article will be of great importance for the readers and also, they are welcome
for criticism and suggestion.
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ABSTRACT
The 9/11 incident has endangered the identity of Pakistanis, as it was ever before. This
research intends to study 9/11 issue and its devastating impacts on individual’s identity.
Moreover, this research also highlights the American prejudice behaviour towards other
cultures.

It will also be highlighting that how this 9/11 issue becomes an incentive for Americans
to frame cruel policies towards other countries, and how Americans made this issue a valid
reason to legitimize their actions in the Middle East and Asian countries i.e. Afghanistan and
Pakistan. In attempt to give insights on this issue researcher will analyze Mohsin Hamid’s novel
“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” in which writer intent to highlight issue of ‘identity crisis’.

Key words: Endangered, devastating, prejudice, incentive, legitimize

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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Literature is the mirror of society that gives an aesthetically explicit insight of the issues,
that are generally known by its surface meaning. There had occurred a number of incidents
which have highly influenced the political, social and economic milieu of the globe. Pakistan has
a persistent history of such mishappenings, that has severally influenced the country; politically,
socially and economically. Mohsin Hamid in his novel “The Reluctant Fundamentalist”
highlights a grand issue, generally named as 9/11. On September 11, militant groups had
hijacked 4 planes on Twin Tower. This issue has shaken the world severally, whose influence
still the world is facing. Particularly, Muslims, its culture and their appearance victimized. Now,
Americans are obsessed with their past and have brought disasters into the world through their
cruel policies. This novel is direct criticism of the American's illogical policies and its prejudiced
behaviour. “I stared as one — and then the other — of the twin towers of New York’s World
Trade Center collapses. And then I smiled. Yes, despicable as it may sound, my initial reaction
was to be remarkably pleased”

Since the childhood human beings contain a great quest in their mind to discover who
they are. This struggle to determine their identity permeates in the American culture. Because
this contains hegemonic characteristics, that can mould subaltern cultural people into their fold.
This the mystery of struggle of self-discovery Mohsin Hamid reveals in his novel “The
Reluctant Fundamentalist” through his character Changez, Pakistani intelligent student, who has
been inthe quest to achieve American identity. Through this Changez’s struggle Hamid’s focus
on International students and their passions for American’s offerings.

Mohsin Hamid through this novel conveys the message to the neo-colonial, America,
from the perspective of subaltern culture, that its policies contain flaws. He has shown American
nostalgic obsession symbolizes with Erica’s nostalgia with her dead boyfriend Chris. Just like
Erica failed to come out from her dark nostalgia and to give consideration to the sincerity
Changez showing to her. Similarly, America's obsession with past never let it see sincerity
Pakistan showing towards it.
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1.1 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:

The current study on this novel has discovered some aspects of this novel; such as
colonialism, neocolonialism. However, this research aim’s at to highlight the issue of identity
crisis suffered Pakistani immigrant in the United States. It also uncovers the imperial culture and
its bearing of America that has exerted a negative effect on individuals and their identities.

1.2 AIMS OF STUDY:

 What is an identity crisis in the novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"?
 How characters are responsible for their identity crisis?
 What are the outcomes?
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Chapter 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 IDENTITY:
Identity is the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. Identity has two aspects.
One is uncontrolled that is his place of growing up and the colour of his skin. The other aspect
gives choice to the person, how he would like to spend his life and what he would believe.
Today, what a person wears and how he interacts with others. Also demonstrates the portion of
his personal identity to the outside world.

In this way, we can say the identity shapes the whole personality of the person. In the
times of childhood, a person may think the way elders have injected into his mind, but when he
is grown up he would have choices to change the ideology and change the place.

Most people struggle with the questions like who they are? And what they would be in
future? These questions have been thought and discussed throughout the history, in particular by
philosophers who have named themselves in the search for knowledge about the nature of being
human. However, identity is not static; it develops and evolves over time drastically, depending
on what directions it takes in his life.

For instance, a person, who is at age of 25 identifies himself of a particular faith and
political party, might at age of 65 identifies himself as a very different person. In this way age,
ideology and place matters a lot and shapes the identity that who the person is, and what he
would be in future.

2.2 IDENTITY CRISIS:

Identity crisis is the state when people experience uncertainty and could not decide, who
they are what is their proper role in life. People who face identity crisis mostly are unaccepted by
the society, because they become nonconformist. This situation is mostly created in multicultural
society, where people from their early age confront too many different rituals and ideologies and
when they come into adult age, they become helpless to follow one particular path.
 4

Identity issue also arises in societies, where collective thought is valued, while individual
opinion about religion or social norm is considered taboo. However, in that type of society
people would fail to identify their personal identities and remain subject to social labeling and it
affects the severally social system.

Identity crisis is the internal conflict, which an individual faces throughout his life in the
development of oneself. Theorist Erik Erikson divided the development of self into eight crisis
stages that characterize peoples' lives from birth to death. He coined the term identity crisis and
believed that it was one of the most important conflict people faces in development. According
to Erikson, an identity crisis is a time of intensive analysis and exploration of different ways of
looking at oneself.

The rapid development of identity can be experienced in teenage; when changes are
harmonious, emotions rapidly build in body. In cognitive abilities the stage, for the first time,
they begin to decide their role in society including their careers, values and gender role.

According to Erikson, it is important to think seriously about these issues and ultimately
to come to enough of a resolution, so that the path you embark on in adulthood is one that you
have consciously chosen. This is the psychological stage Erikson calls as "Identity achievement".
If one is not gripped with these crucial decisions and never arrive at a firm identity, his "Identity
diffusion" will not prepare him for the development tasks that lied ahead of him.

In Erikson's stage of psychological development, the emergence of an identity crisis

occurs during teenage years, when people struggle with the feeling of identity versus role
confusion. Researcher James Macia (1916,1976,1980) has detailed upon Erikson’s Initial theory.
According to Marcia and his colleagues, the balance between identity and confusion lies in
making a commitment to an identity.
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2.3 IDENTITY CRISIS IN PAKISTAN AFTER 9/11:

Pakistan is grabbed in so many challenges after the event, fall of the Twin Tower on 9/11.
Identity crisis one of challenges, Pakistan is facing today. Pakistan is a diverse state; religiously
and ideologically with lacking consensus. Therefore, the issue of loss of identity remains intact.

As a highly regarded UK-based Pakistani scholar and a fellow of Chatham house_ Dr

Farzana Shaikh in her bookmaking sense of Pakistan argues that “there is no hope for Pakistan
unless it sorts out it are identity crisis which, it says, is the root cause of the country being such a
disaster. Indeed, in order to make sense of Pakistan, it is important to make sense of its identity
crisis first”.

Since the 1947 Pakistan failed to identify itself, whether it is a secular state or Islamic
state. Therefore, the state is divided into two major group; Secular or Socialist and Religious.
They are seen criticizing each other, but not coming into one point and keeping enmity for each
other. In this situation, one identity of Pakistan is just impossible.

However, Pakistan gets more endangered after the 9/11 incident, that it was ever before.
This incident has transformed the image of Muslims into ‘Terrorists’. The word ‘Terrorism’
initially came into the surface in the 18th century during French revolution (1794), which means
violent measures taken in order to come into political power or to maintain government. After
9/11 this term ‘Terrorism’ associated with Muslims.

In September 20 talk to Congress, Bush drew the line a line between those who supported
terrorism and those ready to fight against them. Stating; “You are either with us or against us”
however, Bush declared war against all those states, who support terrorism.

CNN report further clarifies this term ‘Terrorism’. It states “in the 14 years since the
9/11 attacks, the face of terrorism has changed out of recognition. To many experts, the threat of
Islamist terror is in some ways greater and in some ways diminished. It is geographically more
divided, and leverages social media and internet in a way impossible in 2001”

Nick Rasmussen, the director of the US National Counterterrorism said “The array of
extremist actors around the globe is broader, wider and deeper than it has been at any time since
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9/11” He further said “It’s fair to say that we face more threats, coming at us from more places,
involving more individuals than we have at any time since 9/11”

However, Muslims are now looked as ‘Others' and with suspicious eyes by Americans.
They have set particular image in their mind that those Muslims, who are bearded must be
terrorists. This leads many Muslims feeling abased in the western world. As one of the movies
"Khuda Kay Liye” depicted more this clearly this post 9/11 situation in which the character
Mansoor Hussain Khan, who went America, initially loved cared by Americans. But after 9/11
the situation was changed completely for him. Similarly, after this 9/11 event, now Muslims are
humiliated of being Muslims. They are threatened and abused, due to their appearance. However,
appearance is what develops an identity of the person, but after this incident, Muslims have been
pronounced as terrorist and greater threat to them. Muddassar Nazar in his article “identity crisis
in Pakistan” portrayed situation after 9/11; "The Post-colonial state of Pakistan is faced with
identity-related challenges and is struggling to define its identity, particularly from the onset of
the 9/11 attacks on the United States. Parallel movements are running across the landscape of
Pakistan, as some demand an Islamic state, some a multinational state, some fight for a secular
one, and some a democratic Islamic republic, and if Islamic state, again beset with complexity as
to what type of Islamic state_ Shia or Suni-_ Pakistan should be and to what degree”.

This has surfaced the issue of division in a society of Pakistan. Every sector of society
glance the system with their own spectrum of ideology and do not want to walk in other's shoes.
This lack of flexibility, divide the society into many sections. Every person contains his own
perspective which is criticized and opposed by another person. It seems that identities of the
people are mingled up and lost somewhere.

Following are the causes that have made identities of Muslims and Pakistani’s into crisis:

2.4 RELIGION IDENTITY:

Islam is targeted and misinterpreted after 9/11 incident. There are many terrorist groups
emerged after 9/11 and claimed to have made amid chaos are identified as Muslims. This was the
reason Islam has been misinterpreted by the west. They are connecting teachings of Islam with
activities of Muslims. However, a renowned writer George Bernard Shaw says:“Islam is the best
religion; Muslims are the worst followers”. However, Islam is the religion of peace, which is
 7

reflected from its teachings as in Quran in Surah Al-Ma'ida, verse 32, Allah says that "If anyone
kills someone unjustly, it is as if he had murdered all mankind. To murder even one person is
totally opposed to the moral teachings of the Quran”. Hence, this proves that even Quran, which
is base of Islam, is against of violence and pro-peace.

One of the well-known writers Adnan Oktab published his book "Islam Denounces
Terrorism” after 9/11. In which he separates religion from Terrorism. He says in this book: “If
one is looking for the cause of terrorism. One must look for its source in antireligious ideologies.
Religion enjoins love, compassion, forgiveness, peace and living according to high moral
Standards”.

He also says: “Islam does not encourage any kind of terrorism; in fact, it denounces it.
Those who use terrorism in the name of Islam, in fact, have no other faculty except ignorance
and hatred”

On another hand, Pakistan came into being as a uniting factor for Muslims is a religiously
diverse state. The major issues in it, that have made cleavages in society, are sectarianism and
extremism. This division has created abhorrence among people towards each other. Therefore,
every group valued their identity and wants to dominate over another group.

2.5 SECULAR IDENTITY:

Pakistan, since its inception, hovering into suspicion, that whether it would be a secular
state or religious state. Qaid-e-Azam says in its first speech in constitutional Assembly on
August 11, 1947: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your
mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any
religion, caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the state.”

From these words of Quad-e-Azam, we can extract idea that Quaid-e-Azam’s vision of
Pakistan is to give it a Secular identity. But due to religious extremist people, who want it to
make it a religious state, Pakistan still encircles around these two sections and not decided yet, to
which the direction it should be tilted.

However, the enmity between these two sections has so blurred the image of Pakistan.
Now it is difficult to glance Pakistan from one angle. Some are Pro-Taliban, who thinks Pakistan
 8

be a religious state. While others, who are educated and liberal mind wants Pakistan to be a
secular state.
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Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research methodology is known as a systematic method, where the problem is stated,
data is analyzed, results are found and then the solutions are provided. In research methodology,
we read various steps followed by a researcher in studying the research problem and the main
logic behind it. Also, it helps to know that technique/ methods are used by researchers (Kothari,
2004). The approach I have opted to gather the data is a qualitative method. According to
Croswell (2002) quantitative research is the process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and
writing the results of a study, while qualitative research is the approach to data collection,
analysis, and report writing differs from the traditional, quantitative approaches. Along with the
help of articles, books of different authors and analyzing the idea from different cites I have
analyzed my data as follows.

RESEARCH DESIGN: 3.1

This research contains descriptive nature and it explores one Pakistani’s search for his
identity in America. How one faces identity crisis while searching for identity in America and
the scenario of 9/11 is the theme of this study.
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Chapter 4
DATA ANALYSIS

4.1 QUEST FOR AMERICAN IDENTITY:

Human beings by nature longing for that identity or status which surpasses to them. As
people criticize politicians, elite class but at the same time, they want to achieve that same status.
Similarly, the character of the novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist Changez immigrated in The
United States. After graduation from Princeton college, he wanted to be known as American,
longing for American identity."Princeton inspired me the feeling that my life was a film inwhich
I was the star and everything was possible”

Now the American world seems to him so beautiful with Princeton degree in his hand.
Undoubtedly, he was a brilliant student, but with his brilliance, instead of thinking of his own
identity and strengthening it, he was containing the thought to fulfil the American dream.
gettinga job in Underwood Samson, Changez actively absorbed himself to achieve this dream.
After coming into this company, Changez, gradually withdrawing himself from his actual
identity and dreaming of the identity which was glowing right before him. “This, I realized, was
another world from Pakistan; supporting my feet was the achievement of the most
technologically advanced civilization our species had ever known.”

By standing in the lobby, Changez was thinking of differences in his own country and the
country he was impressed. He was now proud to be there and identified as American.

4.2 PORTRAYAL OF MIMICRY ON THE PART OF CHANGEZ:

People mostly involve in mimicry to get accepted by the upper class or to be identified
with master’s identity. People copy those who are superior to them, despite retaining opposition.
Mimicry got surplus value after colonialism, eastern people wanted to look like western people.
They consider their identity inferior and desire to get a western identity. For this reason,they try
to look like western people by dressing like them and behaving like them. However, at the same
time, they are showing great resistance against their culture. This case greatly depicted by
Mohsin Hamid in the novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" in which he depicts mimicry
 11

explicitly through the main character of novel Changez, who despite containing higher
intelligence, even than Americans, seems to imitate American cultural and American ‘bearing' to
get accepted by Americans and get American identity. But, despite being following them
andtheir culture, Changez remain identified by them as ‘other’. However, Changez remains an
illusion of American identity and the American dream.

In the urge to get a western identity, Changez becomes indigenous by slightly slipping
from eastern stereotypes through the depiction of Changez drinking without showing any
hesitation and annoyance, despite it is strictly prohibited in the eastern norms. "Arriving in town,
we found a café near the harbour with tables shaded by blue-and-white umbrellas. She ordered a
beer; I did the same’ (Hamid 2007, 27)

Moreover, his association and intimacy without bondage of marriage with Erica with
whom he met in Greece after his graduation from Princeton University. “We made love with a
physical intimacy that Erica and I had never enjoyed” (Hamid 2007, 105)

From these utterances of Changez, we can extract the idea that Changez got enthusiasm
in western. Therefore, he willingly escapes himself from roots of his culture.

4.3 COMPARISON OF EAST AND WEST CULTURAL IDENTITIES:

Mohsin Hamid presents clash of eastern and western cultural identities in his novel
“TheReluctant Fundamentalist”. Through his novel, he presents the notion that how different
people from different cultures face difficulties, dilemmas, oppositions and challenges that
threaten their identity in foreign culture. Those people, who belong to lower culture and came
into the dominating culture, their culture would be at risk. In order to gain hegemony, they
preferably transform their identity and ethnicity. Hamid in his novel depicts Pakistani and
American culture and its dealing which can be shown through the uncomfortable relationship of
Erica and Changez that symbolizes the confused and complicated relationship present between
Pakistan and America. It is obvious that Dominant culture always dissolves less dominant culture
into itself. Here we get Example from the Character Changez, who despite having greater
Intelligence than Americans seems to attract towards them and their culture. It can glance from
his start ofhis conversation with stranger: “ Do not be frightened by my beard; I am lover of
America” Changez’s intimacy with a foreigner in Lahore indicates his desperate longing, which
 12

is still dwelling in his core of heart for American identity. "How do I know you were American?
No, not by the colour of your skin; we have a range ofcomplexions in this country and yours
occurs often among the people of our northwest frontier: Nor was it your dress that gave you
away; a European tourist could as easily have purchased in Des Moines your suit, with its single
vent, and your button-down shirt. True, your hair, short- cropped, and your expansive chest__
the chest, I would say, of a man who bench-pressed regularly, and maxes out well above two-
twenty-five__ are typical of a certain type of American; but then again, sportsman and soldiers
of all nationalities tend to look alike Instead, it was your bearing that allowed me to identify
you.” (pg 4)

In these above lines Changez comparing eastern culture with western culture. This
cultural clash between Pakistan and America best depicted in the character Changez, who seems
stuck in both American and Pakistani cultures. Former is the one he is longing for, and struggled
a lot to achieve, but failed in it, later is the culture that is his own. He cannot help have to stand
firm with it. Therefore, he seems reluctant to deal the challenges life offering to him. Before the
foreigner, Changez showing the picture of his culture which is dissolving into the colour of
western culture.“Do you see those girls, walking there, in jeans speckled with paints? Yes, they
are attractive. And how different they look from the women of that family sitting at the table
beside ours, in their traditional dress”.(pg18)

Through these utterances of Changez, It shows that Changez was assuring foreigner that
their culture is going to be identified as theirs.

4.4 SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF CHARACTERS NAMES:

Mohsin Hamid in his novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" gave the characters symbolic
meaning and analyze personal and national identity. As the Changez symbolizes historical figure
Changiz Khan, who was well-known as Mongolian emperor and warrior, who invaded Arab-
Muslim civilization. During interview Jim points out this symbolism: “Possibly, ancient
warriors did something similar before they went into battle”(pg14) Changez word also gives the
notion of change. "Nothing troubled me; I was a young New Yorker with the city at my feet. How
soon that would change!" (Page 51)Changez: "I lacked a stable core. I was not certain where
I belonged- in New York, in Lahore, in both, in neither..." (Page 168)
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However, a girl, whom Changez fell in love named Erica half spelling of the word
AmErica symbolizes the United States of America, who appears to be flawless outside.
Changez’s attraction towards Erica symbolizes the eastern people’s affection towards west.“I
met her eyes, and for the first time I perceived that there was something broken behind them, like
a tiny crack in a diamond that becomes visible only when viewed through a magnifying lens;
normally it is hidden by the brilliance of the stone.”(pg59)

The name Chris who is dead, whom Erica is in love, is a hurdle for Changez to make
Erica love him. Chris is the half spelling of the Christian symbolizes Christianity of America.
After 9/11, Erica claims: “The attack churned upon old thoughts in my head” (pg91)
Conceivably, the author forecasting a change in America’s Christian fundamentals. However,
this tri relationship is depicted through this line:"I had to choose whether to continue to try to
win her over or to accept her wishes and leave and in the end, I chose the later." (Page 155)

4.5 SHIFTS IN MILIEU:

The event of 9/11 brought a shift in a situation of the character Changez. The person,
who was previously loved and cared by the people, starts loosening his position and became a
victim of worst surveillance. Changez’s colleague’s attitude changed toward him overnight.
However, the 9/11 event brought the new subject to the world Muslims religion and culture have
been targeted. Previously, Changez’s religion and culture did not bother to anyone else but this
event brought the crisis to his identity. Changez dismisses the reason of stranger that America
was at war, by saying that he was not at war when he was working at Underwood Samson.
Despite this huge disaster, Changez maintains his position by hiding his Pakistani identity under
the mask of American identity. He felt like home in America before 9/11. But after the wake of
this incident, he came out from the illusion of American’s welcoming nature. It was all ends.
Changez says:“I was stuck by how traditional your empire appeared”(pg178)

In post 9/11 scenario, American's strategy of securing an end of extremism was itself
extremist. This strategy brought disasters in the world and transform the image many Middle
East and Eastern stare. Edward said reveals the relationship between Orient and Occident in
Orientalism, he says that "Orient is Occident's cultural constant, and one of its deepest and most
recurring image of the other”.
 14

This 9/11 event is like the reintroduction of the colonial period that has shown more
explicitly, the difference between the colonizer and the colonized. In this way, 9/11 has altered
the image of Muslims which are now looked as the hub of terrorism.

4.6 RACISM:
This element of racism one can find throughout this novel “The Reluctant
Fundamentalist”. Hamid shows that how people judging each other on the basis of colour and
clothing and through their mannerisms. After 9/11 event this racism based discrimination came
to the surface. Now American people started commenting on appearance and different cultures
of people and identified them as ‘others’. As in starting scene of the novel while encounter of the
Changez and stranger, they both judge each other with their racist based preconceptions. A
stranger shows his suspicion by seeing Changez’s appearance, while Changez clears his
suspicion by saying that: "Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance? Ah, I see I have alarmed
you. Do not be frightened by my beard; I am a lover of America”.

Before 9/11 Changez faces “soft” racism but still treated respectfully.

“When my turn came, I said I hoped one day to be the dictator of an Islamic republic
with nuclear capability; the other appeared shocked, and I was forced to explain that I had been
joking. Erica alone smiled; she seemed to understand my sense of humour”.(pg33)

After 9/11 incident situation for Changez worsens, he faces a hostile form of racism in
America. Sometimes he called an Arab, detained in an airport.

“I had changed; I was looking about me with the eyes of a foreigner, and not just any
foreigner, but that particular type of entitled and unsympathetic American who so annoyed me
when I encountered him in the classrooms and workplaces of your country's elite … I resolved to
exorcise the unwelcome sensibility by which I had become possessed”.

“I know only that I did not wish to blend in with the army of clean-shaven youngsters who were
my coworkers, and that inside me, or multiple reasons, I was deeply angry”.

While in Manila Changez notices different attitudes of the people towards non-
Americans, so he forced himself to be identified himself as American.“… I did something in
 15

Manila I had never done before: I attempted to act and speak, as much as my dignity would
permit, more like an American”.

4.7 RISING OF PATRIOTIC FEELINGS:

Hamid in his novel “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” elucidates Changez’s experiences of
American patriotism of his being in America. While at Princeton University, he was sensing
hidden patriotic feeling. He realizes that how Americans taught intelligent students of US and
rest of the world, to love America and after graduation lend their services to American
companies. During university time Changez was not consciously aware of the American
Patriotic feelings. However, in the wake of 9/11 incident, he witnessed a patriotic surge of
obsession in the United States. A wave of patriotism enfolded every part of United States. “They
all seemed to proclaim: We are America — not New York, which, in my opinion, means
something quite different — the mightiest civilization the world has ever known; you have
slighted us, beware our wrath”.

These patriotic sentiments have excluded Changez from the country for which Changez
has been struggled to get its identity. He tried hard to create his place in-between them but after
this 9/11 event Changez lost that place and identified as ‘other’ Americans after 9/11 got
nostalgic, which greatly symbolizes with Erica’s past that how she was obsessed with her past,
notably her dead boyfriend.“America, too, was descending into a dangerous nostalgia at that
time. There was something undeniably retro about the flags and uniforms, about generals
addressing cameras in war rooms and newspaper headlines featuring such words
as duty and honour. I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the
first time I was struck by its determination to look back”.

4.8 SHIFT IN CHANGEZ’S IDENTITY:

The portrayal of the event 9/11 in "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" gives the nature of
dramatic shift in the identity of Changez. 9/11 incident is like “bridge” separating two identities
of Changez; one is Pakistani and the other his self-constructed idealized ‘American identity’.
However, this sudden shift has dismissed the illusion of Changez in which he was lingering for
long.“I recall the Americannes of my own gaze when I returned to Lahore… I was ashamed. This
was where I came from, this was my provenance, and it smacked of lowliness… I had changed; I
 16

was looking about me with the eyes of a foreigner, and not just the particular type entitled and
unsympathetic American”. (124)

Changez’s quest for American identity and his services for America, Hamid refers to the
janissaries, who cut off from their own cultural identity and trained in Ottoman Empire to fight
against their own culture. When Changez realizes that he has been jannisary, who have been
fighting against his own culture by working into Underwood Samson Company.“I had not
shaved my two-week-old beard. It was, perhaps a form of protest on my past, a symbol of my
identity”. (pg 150)

Reconstruction of the identity of the Changez can be seen through his positions; between
past and present, tradition and modernity and between Pakistan and US. Bhabha says;"Memory
as the necessary and hazardous bridge between colonialism and cultural identity. It is never a
quiet act of introspections or retrospections. It is a painful remembering, a putting together of
the dismembered past to make sense of the trauma of the present”.
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Chapter 5
CONCLUSION
After detailed textual analysis, the researcher minutely sums up the study of identity
crisis in Mohsin Hamid’s novel “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” in post 9/11 scenario. This
research has fulfilled the gaps in highlighting the issue identity crisis under the umbrella of
incident of 9/11 milieu, which was not previously fulfilled. This research also aims to open new
aspects of discussions and recommendations for upcoming researchers.

This study of identity crisis in post 9/11 scenario pave way for readers and researchers to
discover different aspects of event 9/11 and how this incident socially and morally affected lives
of individuals and their identities.

Furthermore, Mohsin Hamid, a contemporary writer, through the lens of character

Changez, gives insights on the issues and also teaches that how individuals and their cultural
identities get endangered when they engrossed themselves into the dominant culture and how
their identity faces major dilemma by cutting up between two worlds. Therefore, in that 9/11
menace situation, it was difficult to proclaim individuals identity, while surrounded by various
conflicting groups. In that menace, individual from subaltern culture considered as ‘other’ and
humiliated

Along with this deliberate investigation, this research does not proclaim of final truth. It
may have left certain gaps hereby open for critical and literary criticism.
 18

REFERENCES

 _ Darda, J. (2014). Precarious World: Rethinking Global Fiction in Mohsin Hamid’s The

Reluctant Fundamentalist. Mosaic: a journal for the interdisciplinary study of

literature 47(3), 107-122. Mosaic, an interdisciplinary critical journal. Retrieved January

28, 2018, from Project MUSE database.

 Hamid, Mohsin (2007). The Reluctant Fundamentalist. London: Penguin Books.

 Huddy, Leonie (2001). “From Social to Political Identity: A Critical Examination of

 Social Identity Theory.” Political Psychology 22.1: 127-156.

 Cainkar, Louise (2009). Homeland Insecurity: the Arab American and Muslim

 Adesoji, A. O. (2011). Between Maitatsine and Boko Haram: Islamic Fundamentalism

and the Response of the Nigerian State. Africa Today 57(4), 98-119. Indiana University

Press. Retrieved January 28, 2018, from Project MUSE database.

 Duvall, J. N. & Marzec, R. P. (2011). Narrating 9/11. MFS Modern Fiction Studies 57(3),

381-400. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved January 28, 2018, from Project

MUSE database.