Status Updates From The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Page 119 shows more about Jim’s character. I think Jim represents what Changez could become if he fully adapted to American culture. They have similar jobs and backgrounds, and Jim seems professional and educated like Changez. He also appears to have little or no social life, which makes him similar to Changez.

I’m very sorry about Erica’s situation right now due to the mental problem. And I really expect to see what Changez will do next, whether he will continue communicating with Erica to sustain that relationship, or flying back to Pakistan. The business in the US is hard for him, and he still keep a strong connection with his country.

"I was disturbed when reading about how Changez pretended to be Chris while he had sex with Erica. Inviting Erica to his apartment was already a bad idea and shows a character flaw of not being able to let go. This could be traced back to his family and wanting to reclaim status. it seems that Changez having sex with Erica was selfish and really only for him and might have hurt her already deteriorating mental state.

I feel more discomfort after reading chapters 7 and 8 as Changez faces suspicion and adversity after 9/11. I felt shocked watching how quickly public fear turns into prejudice, making ordinary spaces feel unsafe. Moreover, I sympathize with Changez, who is also being isolated, stuck in a phase of self-internal conflict. I hope to see what Changez would react to later in the book.

I am worried about the relationship between Erica and Changez. Because it's his last Winter in the U.S. With Erica and is slowing staring to grow more distant with Erica and less people are acknowledging him. I wonder if Changez is ever going to talk to Erica again because it his last winter in the U.S. My prediction was wrong Changez and Erica are not drifting apart because of Ericas dad.

I thought it was interesting how Changez starts noticing subtle ways America treats him differently after 9/11. People’s glances, small comments at work, and the tension in conversations make him question where he belongs. Even though he tries to stay confident, the cracks in his identity are growing, and you can feel the quiet frustration building inside him.

Erica and Changez aren't good together. During sex, Changez was essentially pretending to be Chris. This is not healthy at all, and this is not a good time for them to be dating. Thinking about what Changez said, "I left a love too" in the cafe, maybe it was Erica's fault that things did not work out. I predict that Erica and Changez will break up, and then Changez will lose his job, leading to his return to Lahore.

Man, do I feel bad for Changez. He always worked hard and truly put his effort into making not only himself better, but his surroundings as well. I think that he will indeed return to Pakistan because of all the stress he is going through. I wonder how the relationship between Erica and him will be in the future. I wonder why America treats him like this, even though he is very beneficial to society.

I don’t understand why Changez keeps liking Erica. She is emotionally unstable and constantly talks about Chris. She doesn't explain to Changez what caused her decline, so there is no way to fix it. Even if they became a couple, she would continue talking about Chris and never give Changez her full love. If I were Changez, I would stop seeing her because I would be used as a tool to comfort her, not as her boyfriend.

I am ambivalent about the relationship between Erica and Changez. Since 9/11, Erica is struggling as she can't stop thinking about Chris, and Changez attempts to comfort her. Although they make significant progress by spending more time with each other and having sexual interactions, Erica is hesitant. Erica's story rejects Changez and it will definitely affect their relationship and Changez's future.

I wonder if Changez and Erica are becoming a little more than friends. On page 101, it talks about how they fall asleep in each other's arms. This also might be Changez's view change of America, after his strange reaction to the 9/11 tragedy.

I was surprised when Changez asked Erica to pretend that he was her dead boyfriend, Chris, so they could be together. It made me feel sad when I was reading because it showed that Changez is willing to stop being himself just to be loved. Being in a relationship that includes someone who is dead makes Changez seem very lonely. This moment shows how much he struggles to fit into a world where he is an outsider.

Changez was named by Hamid for the way he changes. The flight back from New York is what I think sparked the major change in the book. Changez feels invincible, his job in Underwood Samson and status as a "Shark" make him feel invicible. Yet as he arrives in New York his delusion crumbles as he is escorted to the secondary inspection room. Here he finds his worldview of a Meritocracy, and the American Dream collapse.

After the failed love scene on page 101, Changez and Erica fall asleep "shoulder to shoulder," not in each other's arms, like parallel lines—close, heading the same way, but never truly connecting. This reflects their relationship, more of a friendship than romance. It also mirrors Changez's changing view of America after 911, as he begins to see its vulnerability, just as he feels the distance between him and Erica.

The email Erica sends Changez about a rock pool she finds in the Hamptons stood out to me. Nothing important happens, but Changez thinks the message means a lot. I felt confused because Erica’s email seems casual while Changez gives it more meaning. The author included this to show that Changez cares more about their relationship than Erica, so I predict that the relationship will not work out in the future.

I had two thoughts about why Changez was smiling after 9/11 happened. He was not happy that people were dead or injured he was happy because America got attacked. My first thought about why Changez was smiling was he was happy because deep inside of him he had jealousy. Because his country Pakistan was a great old day but not now. My second thought was he might think that this could be the turning point of the power.

Page 119 tells me more about Jim's character. I have a suspicion that Jim in a way almost represents Changez if he were to fully assimilate to America. aside from the fact that they have the same job and beginnings that are very alike, I say this because he seems to give off a very professional and educated vibe much like Changez. He also seems to have little to no social life, similar to Changez.

I feel that the way Changez is treated is unfair, and he doesn't deserve it. Erica is now very sick, and it's almost as if Changez is losing motivation in America. I couldn't imagine how he's feeling after 9/11 and how he's getting treated because he is alone. There are only a couple of other Pakistani kids in his school, which doesn't help at all. I'm glad that in the story he said it's his last Winter in the U.S.

After reading the 9/11 incident in the book, I felt nervous for Changez's future at Underwood Samson. Being a Pakistani, it is very hard for others to not have a filter when they are looking at Changez. His different identity does not match the American dream he is trying to achieve in New York. People might think he is a terrorist or a spy from Pakistan and Changez might be planning for another terrorist attack.

I noticed a gradual but significant shift in Changez and Erica's feelings as the novel progresses. After 9/11, American patriotism surges, making Changez feel alienated and scrutinized as a Pakistani in the U.S. since he once enjoyed N.Y.C.'s unique culture. Meanwhile, the disaster intensifies Erica's fixation on Chris, leaving her lonelier and more obsessed with the past. I wonder if she will ever move forward.

On page 78, Changez says “errands…otherwise…carried out by our chauffeur our Toyota Corolla was loving the maintained but getting on its years therefore prone…to overheating.” This is a really interesting detail because to me it seems odd for a family to have a chauffeur driving an old, worn-down Toyota Corolla, but to Changez this is normal, which shows how different the culture is between Lahore and NYC.

I've felt something was off about Erica's behavior and attitude up until now. I understand that it's very sad to lose Chris she've been close to since childhood, and that it's impossible to forget. But if she can't forget Chris, and tears in front of Changez, I wonder why she doesn't stay away from Changez. If I were Changez, I think the burden would be too heavy and I think I can't bear Erica's emotion.

I was thinking about Underwood Samson's guiding principle, "Focus on the fundamentals," and it kind of alludes to the brutal capitalism in the United States, putting creativity as secondary and money as a priority. Then, Changez heard about the bombing of Afghanistan, and all these complex reasons would start to make him lose affection for living in America, with dreams starting to fade.

Changez felt a emotional pull toward his origins and identity during the complex events, and this awareness strengthens his sense that America’s acceptance of him was just simply conditional. During this period, he grew his beard as a small return to himself. Also, Erica’s decline deepens this divide, showing him that emotional belonging can break easily.

At Underwood Samson, Changez tried to have the same confidence he had, yet he felt a small separation growing between him and the people he worked with. News from Pakistan strengthened this tension, reminding him that his identity was tied to a place facing uncertainty. Erica’s growing silence added another emotional barrier. These moments made Changez realize that the life he imagined in America was an illusion.

Recently, I have started truly questioning what is wrong with America. Yes, they are allowed to feel sad and mourn, but taking their anger out on innocent people simply because they are a certain skin color is not acceptable. I wonder how Changez will respond to this. I hope that he will be able to bounce back stronger and continue his best even when facing prejudice. I was wondering if it was prejudice or racism?