THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST FUNCTION OF THE CHAPTERS MOHSIN HAMID

TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six Chapter seven Chapter eight Chapter nine Chapter ten Chapter eleven Chapter twelve

CHAPTER ONE To introduce the protagonist To set the narrative structure To offer the reader a key to read the novel To show racism and prejudice

CHAPTER TWO To introduce Erica To show the differences between Islamic and American costumes and cultures To put into evidence the differences between social classes To underline Pakistanis and Americans' common aspects To show the different costumes in Lahore between old and new generation

CHAPTER THREE To put into evidence American culture and technology To show American economic power To show American mentality (meritocracy) To make a comparison between America and Pakistan: open mind versus strict mentality To underline Pakistani are strictly connected with their history and traditions

CHAPTER FOUR To present the theme of prejudice To show the cosmopolitan nature of New York To make a comparison between the poor class and the rich one To underline the differences between Pakistani sobriety and American costumes To introduce Chris To put into evidence American patriotism To introduce the theme of racism

CHAPTER FIVE To show negative aspects of industrialisation (pollution) To compare American and Pakistani attitudes and mentalities To underline American economical fundamentalism To deal with prejudice To denounce discrimination and racism To show the fear of terrorism To underline Islamic fundamentalism

CHAPTER SIX To compare Pakistan and America To make considerations about human nature To show some emotions: love, jealously, sadness, nostalgia To put the fear of terrorism into evidence To compare social classes To make a comparison between the male and female gender

CHAPTER SEVEN To show American economical and cultural power (economical fundamentalism) To compare America and Pakistan: food and language To present the protagonist's identity crisis To show some emotions: love, jealousy, nostalgia

CHAPTER EIGHT To analyse some aspects of the human mind: feeling of nostalgia and identity crisis To deal with racism and discrimination To show American economical fundamentalism To deal with prejudice

CHAPTER NINE To show the protagonist 's confusion: he lives between two cultures To underline the importance of the family in the Pakistani culture To introduce the theme of patriotism To compare American and Pakistani problems: terrorism versus a war on national territory To show some emotions: love, jealousy, nostalgia, sense of inferiority, sadness, and sense of loss

CHAPTER TEN To show the problem of stereotypes To underline some aspects of the human mind: need of love and interior conflict To show American economical fundamentalism

CHAPTER ELEVEN To deal with meritocracy To denounce the problem of racism To put patriotism into evidence To exalt the choice to refuse every kind of fundamentalism To show some emotions: contrast between hope and desperation

CHAPTER TWELVE To denounce prejudice and discrimination To denounce war and terrorism To illustrate American policy To focus on the power of education