CAPITOLO 5

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‘Observe, sir: bats have begun to appear in the air above this square. Creepy, you say?”

‘’Guardi, signore: sono comparsi dei pipistrelli nell’aria sopra questa piazza. Le danno i brividi, dice?’’

The translation appears to be highly faithful to the original.

Reason for choice:  Contradictions of the average American

Analysis:  The co-protagonist of the novel is afraid of bats, highlighting the fragility inherent in American society, capable of getting scared arrival of a thing so suddenly. A probable reference to the WTC’s attack.

Possible conclusion:  Probably Changez comes to mind the episode of the Twin Towers thanks to this fact.

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‘[...] you are well-traveled for an American.’”

‘’Lei ha viaggiato molto per essere un americano [...]’’”

The Italian version turns the adjective active in liabilities.

Reason for choice: Similarity between the characters

Analysis: The protagonist finds himself in the interlocutor a resemblance to himself. Changez has also traveled extensively, especially for America.

Possible conclusion:  The protagonist finds himself in the interlocutor a resemblance to himself.

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‘So I learned to tell executives my father’s age, “I need it now’

‘‘Così imparai a dire «Mi serve adesso» a un dirigente dell’età di mio padre’’

In the Italian version the comma is eclipsed, allowing a faster reading of the extract but by losing relevance to the quotation of the speech.

Reason for choice: existential contrast in the protagonist

Analysis:  Changez notices a contrast inherent itself. On the one side, he continues to have strict moral values​​, on the other is forced to obscure them to allow to be truly inserted into American society.

Possible conclusion:  Changez notices a contrast inherent itself.

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‘[...]and thought, you are so foreign’

“[...] e pensai: come sei straniero”

The introduction of the colon in the Italian version tends to give greater importance to the definition of foreigner.

Reason for choice: "Tilting" of the situation

Analysis:  Changez at this time, "immersed" in the most absolute luxury, seems to forget that he was a foreigner, not the person who defines it, which is not foreign (as in your country).

Possible conclusion: Changez seems to forget that he was a foreigner.

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‘And then I smiled’

‘’E allora sorrisi’’

The phrase, translated in Italian, does not lose its drama and its form of judgment.

Reason for choice:  Improbability of  Changez’s reaction

Analysis:  The reaction of Changez intended to disrupt, as well as the other party, even (and especially) the player, showing the continuing inner contradiction of the personality of Changez, divided between homeland and adopted country.

Possible conclusion: Changez  showing the continuing inner contradiction of his personality.

CAPITOLO 6

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‘We are America’

“Noi siamo l’America”

The sententiousness of the sentence, along with his power, is maintained.

Reason for choice: American arrogance

Analysis:  The United States, after the attack on the Twin Towers, and discover an outmoded nationalism, while showing their fragility.

Possible conclusion:  With this sentence the author wants to emphasize the characters dramatic - and dangerous - of American nationalism.

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Other forms of reprimand were noisier.

Altre forme di rimprovero erano più chiassose.

The sententiousness of the sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: American nationalism

Analysis:  The protagonist laments the fact that the Americans, in a time of difficulty, "dust off" their nationalism, reaching even to extreme forms.

Possible conclusion: Americans are so nationalists.

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His demeanor leads me to rule out the possibility that you are a tourist.

Il suo contegno mi porta ad escludere l'eventualità che lei sia un turista.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: Changez experience and intuition

Analysis:  Changez has now learned about the American. You know, also, what it means to travel for work, and is able to recognize someone who does it.

Possible conclusion: The co-protagonist is not a tourist.

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Go to the Hamptons.

Andarcene agli Hamptons.

While in the English version the Hamptons are expressed as an anthropic place, in the Italian one seems to recall a natural place.

Reason for choice:  Introduction of Erica’s family’s income.

Analysis:  With the use of the term Hamptons, Changez makes us understand the economic status of the family of Erica, a likely reference to the widespread wealth in America, with respect to Pakistan. Only material wealth, though.

Possible conclusion:

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[…] is an occasion of some importance.

[…] è un'occasione di una certa importanza.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice:  Changez realizes the importance of his interlocutor.

Analysis:  Changez realizes the importance of his interlocutor. Therefore, to justify with it, proving to understand the people.

Possible conclusion: Changez is able to understand people.

CAPITOLO 8

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[…] In the newspaper headlines containing words like duty and honor.

Nei titoli di giornale che contenevano parole come dovere e onore.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: "Something undeniably retro"

Analysis: Changez notes that while Americans consider Pakistan a backward country, are themselves coming back. Two countries, therefore, not very different.

Possible conclusion:

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‘Fucking arab’

“Arabo del cazzo”

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice:  Different = enemy

Analysis: With what the writer wants us to notice the decreasing intelligence of the average American in front of the other, which now appears as an enemy.

Possible conclusion: Americans are ignorant.

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Negli ultimi tempi non sei più tu.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: Changez’s Pakistani side.

Analysis:  Changez is becoming indeed, returning, Pakistani.

Possible conclusion:

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He needs a friend

Ha bisogno di un amico

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice:

Analysis:  Changez, seeing Erica as the transposition of America, cannot be regarded as a boyfriend, or be fully integrated, but just a friend, then detached.

Possible conclusion:

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Twoanalystscamewithmewere dismissed.

Due degli analisti entrati con me furono licenziati.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: The financial fundamentalism strikes again.

Analysis: The financial fundamentalism, despite the difficulties of the USA after 9/11, do not stop the thirst of gain, so much so that two young people are being laid off.

Possible conclusion:

CAPITOLO 7

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Of courseI wanted tobelieve;

Di sicuro volevo crederci;

The emphasis of the subject in the English version allows us to understand better the inner struggle to Changez.

Reason for choice: Changez want to believe in America.

Analysis:  Changez want to continue to believe in the American dream, but realizes it can no longer do.

Possible conclusion:  Henceforth his job performance will continue to decline.

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Economy is an animal.

L’economia è un animale.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice:

Analysis: Con questa frase Jim, il capo di Changez, dimostra come esistano anche i fondamentalisti finanziari, non solo quelli islamici.

Possible conclusion:

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The seatsnext to ouralways remainedempty.

I posti accanto ai nostri rimanevano sempre vuoti.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: Popular distrust toward high finance.

Analysis: Note, in this excerpt, as Changez is aware of the fact of being part of a very powerful, yet marginalized. The exclusion, therefore, is not provoked (in this case) ethnicity, but by the economy.

Possible conclusion:

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Focus on the fundamentals.

Concentrati sui fondamenti.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice: Recall to fundamentalism

Analysis: This sentence leads to the essential concept of the book: the economic fundamentalism in the USA.

Possible conclusion: Economic fundamentalism is the faith of USA

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I apologize.

Me ne scuso.

The structure of sentence is maintained.

Reason for choice:  Changez resentment towards his behavior.

Analysis: This behavior is in sharp contrast with what happened in the Philippines, a sign that Changez has now abandoned the only final way of behaving "American."

Possible conclusion:  Changez has now abandoned the American way.