The original quotation expresses the protagonist reaction to the World Trade Center Attack and in the use of language is sense of the bewilderment and perplexity come to surface.
“Possibly”, “it seems to me”, “I have always though” are some examples of Changez’s inner confusion and his difficulties to come to turns with the new reality of America.
To give oneself over expresser the ironic idea of the protagonist towards the American attitude after the attack. It literally means to spend all one’s doing feeling to create a defensive barrier against the fear of terrorism. At the same time, the protagonist judges the American attitude as “dangerous nostalgia”.
The semantic choice implies a step backwards of the common American trend to world’s progress. The idea is highlighted and reinforced by the adjective “retro” perceived by the adverb “undeniable”, one that doesn’t admit contradiction.
Flags and uniforms are more than simple lexical choice: they become a vehicle of criticism of the patriotic rituals American rhetory still hangs to.
Even the values of “duty” and “honor” sound rhetorical in their graphitic writing and use. In addiction they are set in i-position.
What’s more Changez use of the past perfect expresses the protagonist’s disillusionment and lack of hope in change in front of his initial dream about America.
The contrast between “look forward” and “look back”, symbolically at the end of the sentence, are divided by the word “determination”. It refers to American’s strict decision to find an escape in front of tragedy.
To Changez’s eyes “living in New York” reminds life in the Second World War or better his idea of it.
The simile unveils the perception of the new atmosphere and makes of New York an almost “unreal city”.
It sounds as if the protagonist could not believe his eyes in front of the new scenery. He seems to be “staring out at the set”.
The speaking voice communicates the feeling of something unnatural in the world of surrounding. Such image is conveyed by the phrase “not in Technicolor” but in “grainy black and white”. Grainy is technical language. It is generally used by the new generation since it refers to Photoshop users and, last but not least it conveys the perception of confusion introduced at the beginning of the conception. Changez finds no rational understanding in American reaction.
The following question in syntax add in the protagonist puzzlement.
The reader is strongly involved in the narration thanks to the language used that creates an intimate relationship of closing. Everything turns “unclear to me”.
However the question implies a negative judgment of the reaction attitude and behaviour.
“Dominance”, “safety” and “moral certainty” anticipated by the moral clearly provide the new scenery. Again, the choice of “I did not know” brings to surface Changez’s feeling of being in front of something it cannot makes sense of it. The feeling of a parade where Americans were dressing in the shape of an old era. And, even worse, it feels “treacherous”. All the quotation rests on the expression of Changez’s mood, feelings and emotions.
The intelligent reader therefore is involved in the sharing of the speaking voices situation where reality and fiction looked and sound the double face of one single reality.
The idea of reaction as a scenery concludes the quotation and conveys the totally new feeling of the protagonist whose detachment becomes therefore perceptible of analysis.