Tuesday, March 3, 2009

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Changez has experienced two lives. Growing up in Lahore he learned the several traditions related to the culture, and a few years later moved to the United States. He brings up more than once how similar Lahore is to New York. As an outside perspective, I think most of us will never understand the similarities he thinks about because from our perspective there probably isn't anything that would seem alike in the two cities. Changez's different lifestyles have contributed to his unfailing work ethic and persona. New York is busy and caught up in the lifestyle of technology and work while Lahore seems to focus more on the traditions and culture that it encompasses. All of which is shown in Changez's mellow personality. The setting is kind of at his work, while relating back to Lahore. It deals with his past and present experiences.

10 comments:

  1. I love your comment on how the setting "deals with Changez's past and present experiences"! Without the specific "past" experiences that Changez has had, his responses to the present would be incredibly different. The fact that the Pakistani culture is so ingrained in Changez explains many of his decisions in the New York scene.

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  2. You make a good point Michaela. Pakistani life and culture really plays a huge role in Changez's life. When he moves to New York City, he really allows himself to become a part of the city because he feels it relates to his city of Lahore. I am fascinated that Changez is able to draw so many connections between New York and Lahore.

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  3. I think that its wonderful that Changez makes these connections, because it helps us as Americans to understand Pakistani culture better! To me, the author was SO creative in how he presented his ideas. With a simple story he told his audience what the average Pakistani felt in regard to 911, and the US in general.

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  4. I completely agree Michaela, the author really did an incredible job integrating a Pakistani man into American culture and then pointing out the connections. When Changez heard about the attacks, I was shocked and stunned that he laughed. I think a lot of Americans would feel the same as me about his reaction, but by the next page or so I really felt I understood where Changez was coming from. America really became a lot more racist after the attacks, and I really felt I learned a lot about what it may have been like to be in Changez's position.

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  5. That's totally true! I loved that the author was able to tell his story while integrating culture, but not by saying we did this...we did that. You can really read betweeen the lines and seen how it completely effects his lifestlye and self.

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  6. Margaret, I think what you're talking about is exactly what made this book so good. In my opinion at least, A good author is someone who can describe something indirectly, they shouldn't have to say "Changez was scared of a racist America post 9/11" for us to know how Changez felt after the attacks. Hamid does this with both setting and characterization. We learn so much about Pakistani culture, as well as the life of a Pakistani in America before and 9/11 through this book, yet it's not a boring book of facts.

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  7. Margaret, I definitely agree with you about how Hamid intended for the reader to read between the lines. I know that sounds obvious, but I really feel like Hamid really wanted the reader to uncover these racial barriers by themselves. The voice that Changez speaks with is so strong and passionate, and that allows Changez to teach the American about what it's like be Pakistani.

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  8. I think what makes Changez most interesting is his passion, just like you said Julie. I'm curious to know more about his family from Lahore because I would like to know if that also influenced his passionate nature as well.

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  9. I would like to learn more about Changez's family also! From what I have read so far, Changez hasn't really described his family, except for the fact that they had wealth and then lost it. Not only does a person's surroundings play a big role in someone's life, but so does family. I feel like a part of Changez is missing because of the lack of enrolement his family has in his story.

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  10. To tell you the truth, I never really thought about his family. He refers to it every once in a while, like the aunt who went crazy, or random tidbits about his mom and dad, but I feel like his family has less of an influence on him than a typical person's. Now that I think about it, most people talk about their family a lot, and tell anecdotes about them, or at least talk to them on a regular basis, but Changez does none of that. It makes him seem much more independent, but in a weird way.

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