Nostalgia In The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Based on the effects and aftermath of the World Trade Centre bombings, The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) by Mohsin Hamid uses an engaging monologue to tell thought provoking story of a young Pakistani man’s journey to self discovery and addresses the ramifications of the controversial nature of nostalgia inflicted upon characters and nations. The novel explores the notion of nostalgia in various ways. Through the characterization of Erica, Hamid conveys the self-destructive nature of nostalgia. Hamid furthermore uses Erica as an allegory for America; both entangled in a web to recreate the past due to the unpleasant dilemma of the present, and further present a comparison between the two contradictory adoptions of nostalgia in the lives of Changez and Jim. Through the individual approaches of nostalgia, Hamid successfully manages to convey to the reader the hazards of holding on to the past and its traditions and the inevitable change that must be embraced.

We are initially introduced to the dangers of nostalgia through Erica, Changez’s love interest and a symbolic representation of America. Erica is depicted from the get go as a rather emotionally unstable character who’s spiritually disintegrating and left mourning after the death of her former soulmate Chris. Although appearing assertive on the surface, she is slowly deteriorating from within, as Changez describes “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” (Hamid: 2007, p. 59). As the relationship between the two characters grows stronger, Erica is drawn into a notion of guilt, encrypting her to believe by moving on with her life, she is betraying the memory of Chris. The memory of Chris a...

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...n the grasping of the past. Through the contrasting perceptions of victims, Hamid successfully portrays how neither the country nor characters can resist the changes that occur in the dynamic cycle of life. At one end of the spectrum are America and Erica who’re depicted as candidates of extreme nostalgia; embarking to recreate past memories as a result of the unpleasant predicament of the present. On the opposite end lies Jim, who possesses the ability to embrace and adapt to change in a favorable manner, using his past as a catalyst for future success. Changez on the contrary lies seemingly in the middle – aware of the addictive nature of nostalgia yet unable to withhold its pull and let go of past traditions. Combining all the aspects mentioned Hamid was able to skillfully create a story that depicts the dangers of submerging in the past and its traditions.