The Reluctant Fundamentalist: Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis

Changez justifies dispensing with the fork because he and the Stranger have spent time with each other. That the Stranger agrees to use his hands suggests that he feels trust and connection with Changez, despite some reservations.

American culture and propaganda are so successful that they transform Changez into an entitled American in less than a year. Changez begins to realize that he is an immature man, who lacks the courage to make his own choices. This is the first step in his becoming a more mature person.

After spending time in the United States, Changez is surprised and shocked to see the state of things in his country. His family’s description of America’s alliance with India begins to convince Changez that, in a sense, he is fighting against Pakistan by working for Underwood Samson.

Changez wants to stay in Pakistan, but he doesn’t protest when his parents tell him to return — he still enjoys his job. His parents seem wiser and more perceptive about racism than he is, telling him to shave his beard, perhaps to avoid discrimination. That Changez grew the beard, though, suggests his sense of –re-connection with Pakistan. Changez also begins to think about America in broader terms, noting the harm that the departure of so many young men, himself included, for America does to his own country, and how American soft power lures people from foreign countries to join it even when those people are negatively affected by American military strategy or action.

The Stranger seems almost comfortable with Changez; he seems to divulge that he has been involved in the military, where before he was unwilling to answer any of the Stanger’s questions.

Changez begins to experience racism in America first-hand. At the same time, he starts to lose his best friend in the office, Wainwright. Though Wainwright in non-white, he encourages Changez to fit in at the American office, which Changez pointedly refuses to do. America’s complacency at war is a sign of its power, but also the way it is lost in its own past.

Erica’s treatment seems counter-productive. Where she needs to move on from Chris’s death, the clinic seems to encourage her to stay the same. It also seems that Erica still thinks of Changez as an exotic foreigner, as evidenced by her description of him having long eyelashes.

Erica’s religious appearance seems to mirror America’s turn toward Christian neo-conservatism during the War on Terror. Changez becomes angry with Erica where before he had been gentle and understanding. He also shows some awareness that, to Erica, he’s an exotic novelty.

Jim becomes Changez’s “last hope.” Changez is separated from his family, Wainwright, and Erica; only Jim, the representation of pure meritocracy and capitalist success, claims to understand what he’s going through. Whether he does or not is unclear, but already, Changez now shows few signs of genuine interest in the sort of success Underwood Samson offers.

Changez no longer has to find elaborate links between Pakistan and New York as an excuse to continue his story; the Stranger seems willing to listen to it.