Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Changez

My favorite part about Changez is he lets both Pakistani and American, cultures shape who he is. Growing up in Pakistan has changed his whole persona in dealing with other people and staying true to himself. I found it incredibly interesting the way he described how men look at women and all the different customs. And yet, he loves the hustle and bustle of everyday life in America. Changez shows a unique way of portraying himself confidently, maybe a little cocky, but always secure with who he is. Also, he's open, but quite mysterious. It's as if he enjoys the simple things in life and see through different eyes. When I read The Reluctant Fundamentalist, I don't exactly relate like I would other books, but I see a whole other point of view that I don't think I would have personally seen. I hope throughout the book, Changez presents new ideas to think about and his own twist on what you wouldn't expect.

8 comments:

  1. I like that Changez lets Pakistani and American culture mold who he is. It really shows that he is open to things foreign to him, and doesn't completely judge on appearances. I think it's interesting how many similarities that Changez finds between New York City and Lahore, and I doubt that many New Yorkers would even admit that the city they live in is so similar to a city in Pakistan.

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  2. That's quite true. Just like Maya said in her previous post, he is humble. And I think that plays a part in how he sees the world. So many people not just from New York, but all over the U.S. seem to get too caught up in their personal lives and don't mind me being cliche, but they don't stop to smell the roses. It makes you wonder, there really are more important things in life, what have we missed all along?

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  3. I think if there's anyone who 'stops and smells the roses,' it's Changez. It seems like he just understands everything in the world, yet he is still so curious and eager to understand more about everyone and everything. I personally love New York Ciy, and all the hustle and bustle of the city, but it seems to me like Changez is living it in slow motion. Do you guys notice that at all? Everything he does is so thought out and it seems like he doesn't make any impulsive decisions. In a way I think that's a part of the whole politeness and his maturity, but I also think it might have something to do with the fact that he seems to understand everything, so he knows what to do in any situation.

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  4. Maya, to answer your question: I do notice that Changez seems to live life in slow motion. New York City is such a fast paced city, and it's refreshing to read about someone living there who doesn't let himself get completely caught up in it all. New York is filled with everything from ridiculously expensive stuff to gang
    fights in the street, but Changez seems to take it all in stride.

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  5. Maya, I can definitely see where you would say that Changez is mature and knows what to do in different situations. I think this is really shown with his relationship with Erica. Yes, there were times when he didn't seem to understand that she was still in love with someone else, but he also let her go when leaving the hospital. To me, this shows his strength in overcoming his "wants" and instead focusing on what the appropriate thing to do is.

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  6. I agree Michaela, Changez is extremely mature. He just shows so much self control in many different situations. For example, in the parking lot in New Jersey when the man comes up to him and says very racist things to Changez. Changez gets very angry and upset, but he never does anything to try and 'get back' at that man. He just tries to let it go. I think a lot of other people would have reacted in violent ways, and I think a lot of people could learn from Changez's actions.

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  7. Julie, I completely agree with you when you say that a lot of people could learn from Changez's actions. To me, Changez is a strong, powerful character. His politeness and maturity make him handle dangerous situations calmly and collectively. I wish I could handel myself as calmly as Changez! Changez is a charcter to look up too!

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  8. However Julie, I think in other ways, like his interactions with Erica he can be very immature. This seems to be more due to the way he grew up culturally in Pakistan, where boys and girls don't mix that much when they are younger, and not necessarily due to his personality specifically. But in some ways he seems more like a teenage boy than an adult.

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