This week in Intro to Religion we presented projects we’ve been working on since the beginning of class. Some people did book reports, other picture presentations, and the rest did presentations or documentaries connected to certain vocabulary words or concepts discussed in class. One of the books people did for their reports was The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Moshin Hamid. While listening to the presentations about this book I found ties to another popular fictional story, Forrest Gump. The similarities and differences between these two pieces of fiction allow us to analyze and understand them. DISCLAIMER: If you haven’t seen Forrest Gump or read The Reluctant Fundamentalist this blog may give away some spoilers.
I’d like to start by saying, I did not read the book for my project and thus I am not anywhere near an expert in the story. The general plot line for The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a man from Pakistan tells a story to an American tourist about his life. He grew up in Pakistan and decided to go to college in the United States. After college he began to work for a company as an analyst. After 9-11 he went back to Pakistan because he was worried about his family. He returned and was treated very differently due to his heritage. Although he was been a rich, hard working man in America that didn’t matter as much as how he looked. Because of how he was treated upon his return he decided it was better to return back to Pakistan for good. It is in Pakistan that he tells the American about his life.
The story of Forrest Gump is a heartfelt one. Forrest never had an easy life. He grew up with a mental handicap and a leg brace. Because of his friend Jenny and his Mama, Forrest perseveres. He loses the leg brace and starts to think more in-depth. He plays football in college, ends up in the Vietnam War, becomes a ping-pong champion, becomes rich, and never stops loving Jenny. His story is one with many twists, turns, and excitement. He tells his story at a bus stop to whoever is sitting there waiting with him.
Similarly throughout both stories, Forrest and Changez (the man in The Reluctant Fundamentalist) tell their story to someone else. They take breaks along the way; Changez and the American go to the café for some water and Forrest changes people depending on which bus stops while he is talking. Forrest and Changez are also men who take advantage of things they have worked for. Forrest plays football and is more accepted and Changez comes to school in America where he can succeed as well. Both men become wealthy in America. Forrest becomes wealthy with the help of the shrimping business and Lt. Dan’s advice in investing in Apple. Changez is one of the best analysts in the company he works for and succeeds.
Both men have women they love. Changez has Ericka and Forrest has Jenny unfortunately they both lose their women. Both men have historical ties even though these stories are fictional. Forrest is in the Vietnam War, sees the Watergate scandal, meets various presidents, and so on. Changez’s story is very much influenced by the events and treatment that followed September 11th. Finally, both men are seriously impacted by what they have been through. When Forrest loses his Mama and eventually when he loses Jenny it changes him. He becomes a single father after Jenny dies and he has to raise little Forrest without a Mama. Likewise, Changez is totally changed by the events of September 11th to the point where he knows Pakistan is his true home and he feels even though he has a better life in the states, he need to be with his own kind.
Some of the differences include the timing, settings, personality, and how the story is told. Forrest Gump is set around the time of Vietnam and Watergate. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is set around the time of September 11th. All of Forrest Gump is set in the United States with the exception of the Vietnam War that Forrest fights in. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is in both Pakistan and America. In his story he begins in Pakistan, travels to America, travels back to Pakistan, comes back to America and finally goes back to Pakistan forever.
Forrest’s personality and Changez’s are very different. While both men realize who they really are, Forrest is more of a happy-go-lucky, and happy to be alive, kind of person. Changez seems to me to be the kind of person who has realized his mistakes and resents the Americans who have helped him realize it. The story of The Reluctant Fundamentalist is told in a first person narrative where you never hear the other party speak. Forrest Gump, on the other hand, is a first person narrative for the story portion where the listening party chimes in, and the rest is like it is just happening. The nationality of the men differs as well because Forrest is an American and Changez is a Pakistani.
As shown, it is pretty obvious that there are similarities and differences between these two fictional stories. While they are in different setting and times they both show how pilgrimages are necessary in order to understand yourself and your surroundings. While I would say there are more similarities than there are differences the differences are very important to understanding these stories. After tying this connection I feel I should actually read the book. If you haven’t you might want to too. I think making connections really allows us to understand what we have seen or read.
I thought that The Reluctant Fundamentalist was an interesting story to hear people present. It offered a perspective of America and Religion that we don't often see because of our culture. Although I did not agree with Changez's opinions about America, I can see how they would have formed due to how he would have been treated in America after September 11th.
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