The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Quest for Identity

ABSTRACT: During the colonial days, the colonized would copy

their colonial masters to achieve acceptance, especially by singing the
praises of them. But they would soon know and see, that in spite of their
mimicry, they were still considered as the cheaper, lesser, to be subjugated
and inferior_ Other. In other words, the colonized would return towards their
own roots, culture, language, literature, art, and indigenous identity and
personality. Mohsin Hamid in The Reluctant Fundamentalist has dealt with
the issues of mimicry and the desire for identity on the part of people from
the so called developing cultures in the present day context. Hamid has
shown that America has assumed the status of neo-colonial power, and
behaves like a colonialist country and culture. The people from developing
cultures mimic and adopt the American culture in order to gain acceptance,
but are treated as lesser and inferior Other. In the reckless misery, they
espouse and pour down extremist ideas and assume extreme shades of
indigenous identity. This article explores the issues of mimicry and identity
in the context of American and Pakistani interaction, through the analysis of
the novel in the light of Postcolonial critical approaches. The novel is
pregnant with meanings and ideas regarding identity, the most discussed
issue in the modern era. In this novel Mohsin Hamid depicts the clear and
transparent , a crystal-clear picture of the society in respect of identity.

Key words: identity, hybridity, subaltern culture, indigenous, colonialist,

mimicry, superiority.

Introduction

Mohsin Hamid, a postcolonial Pakistani writer, has tackled the

problems of identity in The Reluctant Fundamentalist. These issues result
from the interaction among Erica, a white American woman, Changez, a
Pakistani Muslim and Chris, an ex-boyfriend of Erica in the background,
and also due to larger social, economic, political and cultural and even
ethnic factors. Hamid believes in the enclosed nature of the personal and
the political (Hamish Hamilton,2007). Erica and Changez, at one stage,
stand for their respective cultures and countries. Hamid handles these
issues from the perspective of the so called subaltern culture and therefore
writes back to the empire. He conveys to America, the present neo-colonial
power, through Changez, the major character of the novel, that everything
is not perfect without its culture, religion, literature, art, and policies.

The study knocks up to show that the so called superior American

culture and the “bearing” of America and Americans affect individuals and
their identities in a very negative way, with very grave aftermaths. Hamid
shows that cultures and countries like Pakistan are not the only subject for
developing, exploitation, extremism and intolerance. Hamid presents the
splendid past civilization of this area, with the end to convey that the culture
and civilization of present day Pakistan is not lesser to that of American
culture.
Through Changez he presents the discernment and approach about
America and its key role in the international politics and affairs from the
perspective of cultures considered and classed as lesser and inferior.
Hamid further shows that the neo-colonial attitude and conduct of America
presents hatred for it around the world and is against its own interests,
social and cultural.

II.Literature Review:

The novel has been commented upon by many critics.

Saeed-ur-Rehman in The News
(April 29, 2007), praises Mohsin Hamid for his skill in “the art of
understatement. He believes that Hamid has presented a situation in The
Reluctant Fundamentalist, where the American listens to the disgruntled
Pakistani for such a long time, emphasizing that in real life it is the
Americans and America who dictate to Pakistan and Pakistanis. Saeed
asserts that Changez rejects America, because he is not happy serving a
civilization which does not respect his culture and background. According to
Saeed, Changez’s growing uneasiness with America intensifies when he
becomes target of racial discrimination.” Paula Bock in The Seattle Times
(April 10, 2007) views the changes in the character of Changez, in the wake
of9/11, as Hamid. “seething commentary” on America’s image inthe non-
Western world today. Alastair Sooke in The Daily Telegraph(April 18, 2007)
finds the second novel of Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist more
autobiographical than his first, Moth Smoke. According to Sooke, as the
“war on terror” continues, this is quite a relevant book, handled perfectly. It
portrays the cancerous suspicions between the East and the West.
Trevor Lewis in The Observer (March 11, 2007) has commented upon The
Reluctant Fundamentalist. Lewis finds Changez’s mixture of flattery and
anger producing the fatal tension, between himself and his American
companion and raising many questions. Hamid’s novel, in the opinion of
Lewis, poses more questions than it answers, and gives the impression of a
certain theatrical trick. According to Lewis, the book stimulates the mind
and quickens the pulse as it overpowers the imagination.

These reviews and comments have not dealt with the major issue of
identity, being presented by personal, cultural and political factors, in the
context of interaction between Pakistani and American cultures. The
present study intends to fill this gap. Therefore the novel relates an
cumbersome and compact analysis, which has not been undertaken so far.
The present study aims at taking care of the core problem of the longing for
identity on the part of a Pakistani living in America, in response to his
experiences and observations, in the light of postcolonial theory.

III.Discussion and Analysis:

The Portrayal of the Superior Status of American Culture and

Mimicry on the part of Changez:
Hamid in The Reluctant Fundamentalist presents the relation between
American and Pakistani cultures in the perspective proud of the ancient
civilization and cultural inheritance of Pakistan (6).His attraction towards
Erica stands for the great attraction Pakistani culture experiences towards
American culture. Erica at the personal level is extremely pretty, charming
and attractive personality, presented in the novel. She has a forest of
praises due to her charm and beauty. Erica at the symbolic level stands for
America. she presents a clear picture of American society, a cruel and so
called superior. Her charm, attraction, attitude, affection for Changez, and
towards Pakistan, and Pakistani culture, and presence reflect the world
status and power of America. Even her name not only rhymes with
America, but is actually a part of the name of America. Changiz, in his
intense need for acceptance, has started hiding his Asian/Pakistani identity.
He would present himself as a New Yorker and would behave and speak
like an American (38).This is the presentation of mimicry on the part of
Changez. The condition of Changez can be compared to Sri Ram,the
protagonist of Waiting for the Mahatmaby R. K. Narayan.
There is a indicated symmetry between the early stages of these two
protagonists in search of their respective identities.they both are the men
suppressed and subjugated by a White girl, an attractive , an influencing,
but having influence to influence other. They both are from the sub-
continent, and are both infatuated by the white Christian women.they fall a
prey to the women and hide their identity, and even forget their identity and
culture, split culture and split identity and personality. Sri Ram prefers the
picture of the white queen to that of his dead mother. He wants his mother
to be as beautiful as the British queen (6). Similarly, Changez is grave and
calm, but I call him an ardent lover, to be accepted and to be loved by
Erica, even at the cost of his own identity. In a sense he marries “white
culture, white beauty, and white whiteness” (Fanon, Black Skin white
Masks, 45, 88).

But even his mimicry cannot grant him acceptance and equality in the
American society. Because of his Asiatic background and painful colonial
history, subjugated society, he became an easy prey for her, Erica. He is
still classed as “Other” (40). His being Pakistani cannot be camouflaged by
his expensive suit, expensive car or even by the company of his American
friends (42). Everything he adopts to accept her goes against his identity.
Changez assimilates American culture, and falls in love head over heels
with Erica. And forgets his Asiatic background, to be called Other, in taking
her at any cost_ which is paid by him later in the form of identity and
personality loss. Like a text book subject, Changez adopts the neo-colonial
American culture in total, as a whole, as it is his own. But he can never be
like white Christian American, Chris, an ex-boyfriend of Erica. Chris, even
after his death, has an impact upon the identity of Erica. Because these
both characters belong to the same culture_ which they take as usual. It is
not a chance that Erica is wearing the T-shirt of her dead lover, when
Changes visits her for the first time. This shows the bond that exists
between Chris and Erica, for belonging to the same culture. Changez is
treated as a lesser Other by Erica’s family, in spite of his enormous
achievements (33) and also by the interviewer, from Underwood Samson,
for his job when he refers to his financial aid status at Princeton (5). the
affectionate bonds between the two, Erica and Chris, never separates
them. they are same in culture, religion, language, art, personality and
identity, and even have same political, social, moral, ethnic values. All these
mentioned things attract them to each other, and repel Changez from both
of them, despite all his attempts and bests. The cost they ,Erica and Chris,
pay for their love and affection is paid by the sincerity and affection of
Changez towards Erica.

Hamid shows that Erica fails to come out of her past love affair with
Chris and fails to respond to the passionate love of Changez or rather his
obsession with her. This the thing that repels Changez from her, and he
wants to be loved and honored but cannot. The reason behind this is the
only his Asian culture and a language. In the result of this relation he
forgets even his personality perspectives, and is ignored, gained his
cultures and national values shattered and battered. Her refusal to come
out of her nostalgia for Chris and live in the present, has a negative impact
upon the present bond of love between Changez and Erica. Hamid shows
that the affection between Changez and Erica does not blossom, because
their racial origins and cultural identities pull them apart. Their mutual
relationship remains shallow and mechanical, in spite of Changez’
obsession for Erica. Erica at the unconscious level withholds her body and
soul from Changez, a kind of denial of the identity of Changez, because she
feels that she belongs to her. They make an attempt at love making which
also fails (54). Changez’ infatuation with Erica does not let him give up his
mimicry of the American culture. This reaches its culmination when one day
he offers to become Chris, in his desperation to overcome the dilemma of
dysfunctional love on the part of Erica. Hamid shows that Changez, who
is regarded as a citizen of a subject culture, resorts to the ultimate
mimicry of surrendering his identity, to be accepted by his beloved
belonging to the superior culture of the neo-colonial super power.
In answer to the question Mohsin says: “I am a strong believer in the
intertwined nature of the personal and the political; I think they move
together. In the case of Changez, his political situation as a Pakistani
immigrant fuels his love for Erica, and his abandonment by Erica fuels
his political break with America. Similarly, I think countries are like
people. Not that countries are monolithic -- even people have fractured
identities and conflicting impulses -- but notions of pride, passion,
nostalgia, and envy shape the behaviour of countries more than is
sometimes acknowledged. In the Muslim world, one sees love for
things American co-exist with anger towards America. Which is
stronger, politics or love, is like asking which is stronger, exhaling or
inhaling? They are two sides of the same thing.”
He gives up his name, his identity, his values and culture and
becomes Chris.The beloved accepts him. The implicit message is that
the non-Europeans are acceptable to America and its culture only when
they give up their identity and culture and “marry” the American dominant
culture. This conditional acceptance of Changez on the part of Erica
transports him into a world of momentary bliss and ecstasy (63). It works for
the time being. But it leaves an indelible impact upon his identity. He
experiences satiation and shame simultaneously. This is the turning point in
his search for his identity At the symbolic level Erica stands for the
American culture, therefore, Hamid points his finger at the American culture
for its negative impact upon individuals. Living in the past is not the only
fault of Erica and America. Hamid shows that American culture suffers from
very serious malaise. He shows that American individuals, the society and
the government are guilty of displaying arrogance, prejudice and
discrimination on cultural and racial grounds.
In the beginning Changez is loyal and a supporter of America and its
views and values, as America has boundless opportunities to offer, and
upholds his view of wealth and status, in order to achieve the American
Dream. Working for Underwood Samson, Changez is much more exposed
to the fundamentals, and policies of America of which he experiences inner
conflict with. It is through his work assignments sending him Manilla, and
Valparaiso, as well as his experiences in the post 9/11 climate of America,
that Changez comes to find his true identity and views towards America.
Coming to terms with his place of belonging, especially through the
influence and enlightenment of Juan Bautista, Changez quits his job and
Underwood and Samson, cutting of his loyalties with America, and returns
to his chosen city, Lahore. It is in Lahore where Changez advocates the
disengagement from America, by Pakistan, and vindicates the notion of
returning Pakistan to its “former greatness” by promoting “greater
independence in [its] domestic and international affairs” by participating in
demonstrations that become to be labelled “anti-American”.
Changez recognizes the American, in Lahore, not by the colour of his
skin, dress or fashion and style but by his bearing. “Instead, it was your
bearing that allowed me identify you” (1). Sidhwa in her novel, (An
American Brat, 174) also portrays an American with the same arrogant
attitude. Hamid makes it clear that it is the “bearing” or the neo-colonial role
of America around the world that has bred tension between American and
Pakistani individuals and cultures. Hamid shows that American culture
breeds a sense of superiority among the Americans and their attitude of
arrogance towards non-whites offends and annoys them. This breeds
resentment against America and its culture. Hamid portrays the racial
discrimination to which non-Europeansare subjected to by the American
culture and society. He shows that American culture and society or not
flawless and they are as intolerant towards the racial and cultural
differences as any other culture or society. Jim, Changez’ interviewer for
the job, cannot accept that a man from Third World Muslim country like
Pakistan could be that smart and intelligent. The father of Changez’
beloved, Erica, has the similar condescending attitude towards Changez.
He finds the attitude of the father of Erica offensive and insulting.Her father
reminds Changez that he comes from a backward culture with its inherent
problems of corruption, dictatorship, the class differences, poverty and
fundamentalism (33). Hamid offers his explanation on the issue of tension
between American and Pakistani cultures. Jim Ottewill in The Observer
(March 11, 2007) review rightly maintains that “

IV. The Presentation of the Darker Side of American Culture and

Society and Changez’ Disillusionment with it:

It is portrayed by Hamid in the novel that American society is replete

with racial, ethnic and cultural biases ,conflicts, frustrations and prejudices
against the people from non-European countries especially countries with
Asian backgrounds. He shows that racial and cultural Othering of Changez
by American culture makes him different ,and pushes him on to a path
towards his search for his identity, the lost identity. He is never accepted as
an equal member of American society and is always made to realize that he
is an outsider in that culture (69), just because of his being Pakistani,
having subcontinent history, and so called the colonized. His academic,
social, moral achievements, his polished and superior manners, his talent
and potential are immaterial and irrelevant in this regard, and it is all beyond
the boundaries whether it is of America or of other European countries. This
is why he jerks the circle of his friends with his joke to become one day the
dictator president of an Islamic republic with nuclear capability (17).This
constructs the paradigm of love-hate for Changez, towards American
culture and society. The fact that his American friends fail to take it only as
a joke and appear shocked, shows the lack of understanding between two
respective cultures. Hamid shows that America and its society are not free
from the responsibility of promoting the monster of hatred, extremism and
intolerance. He shows that non-Americans are subjected to discrimination
and maltreatment by American culture and society on the racial and cultural
grounds (56). These instances of discrimination and humiliation in America
make Changez conscious of being an Other in American culture and
society. The cumulative impact of his unpleasant experiences in America on
his identity and psyche manifests itself in his unconscious smile at the fall of
the twin towers, which he suppresses consciously (43). Though, Changez
himself does not approve of this kind of sick response, he shows that the
racial and cultural discrimination breeds alienation among the non-
Europeans. Paula Bock in The Seattle Times(April 10, 2007), also holds
America and its culture responsible for the response of Changez, a
Princeton soccer star, to the fall of the twin towers. Bock rightly terms this
portrayal as a “seething commentary on America’s reputation in thenon-
western world today”. The fact that his mimicry is of no use, gets itself
revealed to him at the Manila airport (44). Hamid suggests that Changez’
mask of “whiteness” is soon torn apart when he is subjected to indignities
and racial discrimination, on the basis of his racial and cultural origin, at the
airport and immigration counters (44). Changez’ position is not different
from that of the Negro physician, discussed by Fanon (Black Skin, White
Masks,89)who was treated as ugly, dirty, nigger, in spite of his refined
manners, knowledge of literature, or understanding of the quantum theory.
At his return from Manila, he is separated from his colleagues at the
immigration counter. He is made to join the queue for the foreigners. He is
treated like a criminal and is made to sit next to a tattooed criminal, at the
New York airport. His American friends do not wait for him and he rides to
Manhattan that evening very much alone (45). Hamid shows that Pakistanis
and Asian Americans after 9/11 were subjected to a similar humiliation and
even worse (56). He is singled out as an Other due to racial and cultural
differences. Trevor Lewis in the Sunday Times also contends that
discrimination and suspicions fuel Changez’ disliking and alienation and as
he frees himself from the influence of the West, he questions the injustices
perpetrated by America abroad. Fawzia Afzal in her book, (Cultural
Imperialism,118), refers to a similar love affair between Mira and Richard in
Some Inner Fury by Kamala Markandayya, where the racial difference
strips away the mythical illusion that there can be any kind of
rapprochement between the colonizer and the colonized. Hamid points his
finger at America and American society and shows that everything is not
perfect with it. He identifies the problems and flaws of the American culture.
In the context of colonizer and colonized equation, even E.M. Forster(A
Passage to India) shows that love or friendship is not possible between the
masters and subjects. Due to similar reasons, Dr. Aziz finally returns
towards his own Indian identity. However, Hamid still believes in the
possibility of a meaningful, positive relationship between America and the
non-European world. Hamid’s narrative holds American culture and political
policies responsible for pushing Changez on to the journey to
disillusionment. Finally Changez drifts away from America, therefore, the
title of the novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist. He finally frees himself
from the dual situation of love-hate for American culture and society. Hamid
also shows that American capitalism, with its focus upon the so called
“fundamentals”, is actually a cruel and inhuman system. This is another
aspect of American that disillusions from America and pushes him on to his
quest for his identity and his roots. Hamid is critical of the American
capitalism as well. He shows that the driving force behind American culture
is capitalism and the only concern of capitalism is “to determine how much
fat could be cut” (57). Changez is distressed at the callous disregard of this
culture to the people, which are thrown out of job due to the cyclical
movement of capitalist economy (58). Dr Javed Qazi, another postcolonial
writer, in his short story titled Laid off Man, also hi ghlights the cultural and
economic problems of America with disastrous consequence for the
individuals. Postcolonial Hamid blames America for its persistence to live in
the past and continue to pursue imperialistic policies. He is also critical of
America for its refusal to accept the cultural, political realities of the present
day world. He shows that America has failed to take into account the
national and cultural aspirations and identities of other people. Hamid in
The Reluctant Fundamentalistshows that America conducts its affairs
around the world like a neo-colonial power. This conduct is marked by
constant interferences, interventions and even occupation of other
countries. This has alienated Changez from America, in spite of the fact that
he was the product of American system, as propounded by Bhabha (Sexual
Subjects, 312-23). This shows the impact of American political policies
upon people like Changez. Hamid portrays the American neo-colonial
conduct and its interference in Muslim countries like Afghanistan (59).
Hamid further blames America for its assumptions of superiority and its
insistence to treat cultures and people as “others” with their own cultural
and political identities. “Such an America had to be stopped in the interests
not only of the rest of humanity, but also in your own” (101). Ziauddin
Sardar in the preface (Black Skin White Masks, xix) also contends that the
“war on terror” has become a license to violate international law and any
concept of human values and rights (xix). In these circumstances, the
mental condition of Changez is very similar to that of Hardyal in Indigoby
Weston (1943). Hardyal was deeply wounded by the racist statement of
Aubrey Wall that he treats his dogs and horses better thanIndians. Hardyal
turned to his own people for friendship andrefused to go back to England
(233). Changez is also conscious of the failures of America in coming to the
help of Pakistan in times of crises (76, 78, 86). He also gives his response
to American attack on Iraq (108).

V.The Portrayal of Changes’ Rejection of American Culture and

the Growth of His Indigenous identity:
The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a telescopic reflection of the malaise,
American culture and society suffers from and its rejected and reactionary
influence upon the personalities of people like Changez. living in the longing
for identity on the part of Changez, Hamid refers to the janissaries and
other aspects in the context of Pakistani and American relationship.
Janissaries were recruited by past empires (Ottoman) and were totally cut
off from their own culture and identity. After their training, they were sent to
trouble and defeat the cultures of their origins. Hamid labels himself a
janissary, cuts off from his culture, stripped off his own identity and fighting
for the preservation and protection of American Imperialism and culture.
Hamid suggests that Pakistan and Pakistanis in their zest for the adoption
of American culture, are actually working against their national and cultural
interests (92). The Pakistanis, he suggests, should not be provoked by the
occidental cultures in gaining a sense of love or in worldly pursuits, by
working in business organization like Changez did.
Changez regrets that even after all the sacrifices and services of
Pakistan and Pakistanis America has never treated Pakistan as its ally or
friend, but considered inferior. Pakistanis and Pakistan have doubts that
America even encouraged India to threaten Pakistan with invasion (76),
instead of warning India, a great investor in the world, to behave. Even the
facility of bases provided to America for the conduct of Afghan war is of no
use (86). Amir Javed in Modern Soap has also portrayed the same
connection between America and Pakistan at the political and ethnic level.
Amir shows that even the Pakistani president could not visit these American
bases (88). Ziring also throws light on the relationship between America
and Pakistan (Pakistan in the Twentieth Century, 296). This shows the
impact of politics upon the personal identity. Hamid is conscious of the fact
that despite “the janissary like duties” done by Pakistan for America,
America has never accepted Pakistan as a true friend. It is treated only like
a box of tissue papers (91). Changez is extremely critical of American
intervention in other countries on one pretext or the other. He also recalls
the unreliability of America as an ally or friend (94). Hamid shows that
intolerance on racial grounds by American culture and the unilateral political
policies of America spoil the relations between America and Pakistan and
affect Changez at the personal level. Such considerations finally convert
Changez, a product of American system in the real sense of the word into a
reluctant fundamentalist.
Postcolonial Mohsin Hamid shows America the weaknesses of its
own culture and points out wrong political policies which breed ill will
against America and its culture. He wants America and its people to review
the situation and accept the responsibility for the tension and confrontation
in the world. He wishes to highlight the causes for this resentment against
America. People like Changez are treated as belonging to a subject race
and therefore are discriminated against on the basis of their racial and
cultural origin.
Hamid in the spirit of a postcolonial writer blames America and its
society for their failure to accept the people with different cultural, religious
and racial backgrounds with the openness of mind. Changez grows a beard
in protest at the discrimination and humiliation he experiences while living in
America to register his deep anger (78).This is a protest against American
“bearing” and political policies. He comes back to his country and takes up
a teaching position to create awareness among the Pakistanis against
American designes. . Hamid warns that the current egocentric approach of
America has the seeds of self-destruction very similar to that of Erica, who
refused to come out of her past and perished. Before Erica committed
suicide, she looked “diminished”, was not her usual self and confidant.
Changez was“horrified” to look at the appalling and “fragile” condition of
Erica (62). Since, at one level Erica stands for America, Hamid already is
seeing the impact of America’s current approach on its image, with
indications of its entanglements with a “maze of psychosis” (63). Hamid, in
The Reluctant Fundamentalist wants America to review its policy towards
the Third World, especially towards Muslim countries like Pakistan.
Otherwise the fate of America cannot be different from that of Erica (99).
Hamid is critical of the neo-colonial conduct and attitude of America towards
Third World countries, especially the Muslim countries, because it
negatively affects people and they develop extremist ideas and identities .
However, Hamid, through Changez also shows that the hybridity of culture
and identity is unavoidable in the face of global interaction of individuals
and cultures. Changez, even after his return to Lahore, still lives with the
residual impact of American culture (104). His involvement with Erica has
permanently become part of his identity (105).

VI. Conclusion:

The study has shown that Mohsin Hamid, has shown the impact of
politics, religion, language, ethnicity, and personality and culture upon
individual identities. He has cooped with the problems and isues of
colonialist ideology, neo-colonialist “bearing” the internalization of this
ideology, the mimicry and the resultant hybridity and its impact upon the
identity of the people from the so called, countries with Asiatic background,
developing (lesser) cultures. Hamid has presented that unlike the troubles
of white American personality to a whole, it has very grave and crucial
problems, that have been urgent to be solved and seen, also that have
plagued Asian countries. He relates that the colonialist culture is as
extremist, as intolerant of the racial, cultural and ideological differences as
any so called Third World culture. The intolerant American culture is having
its negative impact upon the Non-Europeans and is also breeding hatred
and hindrances against American policies around the world. Hamid rejects
and ignores the cause of disturbance that only the so called developing
cultures produce and breed extremism. He points his finger at America and
its culture for producing extremism, hatred and international tensions and
confrontations and frustrations. Hamid shows that disregard and lack of
acceptance, and to be loved, honored and accepted by American culture of
the people from other cultures is the biggest barrier in the way of natural
and mutually compromised interaction among various cultures and
countries. The discriminatory and insulting attitude of America and its
culture makes people reactionary and extremist like was the case with
Changez who inspite of his education from Princeton, his love for a white
American girl, his job and status in America becomes the fundamentalist.
All this has become due to the rude and supreme behavior of America, its
culture, and calls him a fundamentalist. Changez rejects all these benefits,
in the form of love, in the form of wealth, in the form of prosperity, in the
form of relation with other people, and also in the form of his worldly
pursuits, along with American culture and comes back to the culture of his
origin, discards his hybrid identity and invents his new identity which is
shaped by extremist ideology. Similarly, Hamid has proved that
American nullification and intervention in the internal affairs of other
countries is neither in the interest of America nor in the interest of
international peace and cooperation, because it breeds ill will and
encourages people from developing cultures like Pakistan to embrace
extremist ideologies.

References
1.Bock, P. Rev. of The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin
Hamid. The Seattle Times.10April, 2007.
2.Cassirer, E. Symbol, Myth and Culture. New Haven: Yale University M
Press.1979.
3.Fanon, F. Black Skin, White Masks. Trans. Charles Lam Markman.
London: Pluto Press.2008.
4.Forster, E.M. A Passage to India. London: Penguin. rpt, 1981.
5.Hamid, M. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Karachi: Oxford
University Press.2007.
6.Homi K. B. ed., The Sexual Subjects. New York: Routledge.1990.
7.Khan, F. A. Cultural Imperialism and the Indo-English
Novel. Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press.1993.
8.Lewis, T. Ripe for the Picking The Sunday Times.18March,2007.
9.Markandaya, K. Some Inner Fury. New York: John Day.1956.
10.Narayan,R.K.Waitingfor theMahatma.London:Vintage.2000.
11.Otte will, J. Mistaken Identities, The Observer.11March,2007.
12.Qazi, J. Unlikely Stories. Karachi: Oxford University Press.1998.
13. Sidhwa, B. An American Brat. New Delhi: Penguin Books.1994.
14. Singh, M.I. V.S. Naipaul: Writers of the Indin Diaspora. New
Delhi: Rawat Publications.2002.
15. Sooke, A. Rev. of The Reluctant Fundamentalistby Mohsin Hamid, The
Daily Telegraph.18April, 2007.
16. Weston, C. Indigo. New York: Scribner ’s Sons.1943.
17. Ziring, L. Pakistan in the Twentieth Century: A Political History. Karachi:
Oxford University Press.1997.