Theme

The Reluctant (unwilling and hesitant) Fundamentalist (a form of a religion, especially Islam or Protestant Christianity, that upholds belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture) unfolds over the period of a day as Changez, a returned Pakistan migrant, accost an (attacca bottone) an unnamed American man in the street of Lahore.

The two man share a tea and a meal in Lahore. During this time Changez recount in detail his experience of the United States, first as student and then in international finance.

Vocab

The novel is composed of 12 chapters, and it is a framed narrative: story within a story, with the narrative shifting back and forth between the present storyteller and the story they tell.

Monologue: long, uninterrupted speech of one character directly addressing another character or the audience.

Seems as though Changez is speaking directly to the reader but ALSO silences the American point of view. Answers back to America.

Language

Changez is very specific and deliberate in the words he uses to describe himself, America, Pakistan and when addressing the America

Religion

The novel is far more concerned with the cultural, social aspects in Changez’s relationship with the United States than with religious aspects.