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Forum Forum The details of language clarify the exact emotions that Changez has on his way home. The break from the unusual monologue, to dialogue, with his family highlights the inner conflict that troubles Changez. When he asks his brother about the situation at home, he talks about the challenges they experience, and finishes by saying, “…so things are not good.” Through this dialogue with his brother, the reader gets another experience of the challenges in Pakistan.
The use of first person narration in the section encourages the reader to relate with Changez. The reader hears of his experiences and that of other characters in the story directly. He tells the American, “ It will perhaps be odd for you—coming, as you do, from a country that has not fought a war on its own soil in living memory…” (Hamid, 2007). Changez reflects on the world and informs the American of the gravity of the situation at home, as compared to America.
Changez is unhappy with his American experiences, and on his visit home, he is visibly depressed. He refers to America as “… a city not of his birth”, because of its unusual environment. He feels familiar at home and seems happy to see his brother, who ruffles his hair with his hand.
In addition, Changez uses similes in his comparison of America and his home country, Pakistan. When his mother and brother question him about New York, America, he says, “ It was odd to speak of that world here, as it would be odd to sing in a mosque” (Hamid, 2007). He highlights the cultural differences between the two regions and does not want to present any story that may seem ‘ unusual’. He uses the word unusual to characterize the contrast of the two regions.
Reference
Hamid, M. (2007). The Reluctant Fundamentalist. New York: Harcourt, Inc.