ESL TEXT RESPONSE ESSAY – The Reluctant Fundamentalist
The novel is presented in the form of one man’s monologue. Discuss the effects of this narrative structure.
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‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ by Mohsin Hamid uses the narrative technique monologue, which is a long uninterrupted speech of a character directly addressing another character or the audience. The use of monologue facilitates Hamid’s viewpoints to go across the reader effortlessly. The effect of the usage of monologue is that Hamid engages the reader directly drawing them into the narrative by the creation of a nameless American character who mirrors the audience. Another outcome of using monologue is that it silences American’s point of view and therefore Hamid
The use of unreliable character in the novel highlight the fact that , particularly in media representation of political events , people cannot be sure the information are motivated n by self-interest or a hidden agenda. For example, Erica’s father says “the elite has raped that place well and good, right? And fundamentalism. You guys have got some problems with fundamentalism.” Erica’s father’s prejudice represents the prejudice of America. He thinks that he knows Pakistan when his information is based on the American media and newspaper. Changez asks the American that if he cannot believe his story, how he can rely on the information from the money minded media. Changez seems bothered by his country is continually being represented in a negative way in the American media. The unreliable narrator results from the usage of monologue questions American media’s trustworthy and accuses American’s gullibility.
To sum up, Hamid utilises the technique monologue in the novel to a great extent. Monologue has three primary effects in the novel. First, by addressing the nameless American gives the impression of speaking directly to the reader. Secondly, it silences the American point of view which was common after the twin tower attack. Finally it questions the reliability of media. Overall the use of