My Son the Fanatic

My Son the Fanatic


My Son the Fanatic
In the short story “My Son the Fanatic” written by Hanif Kureishi (published in 1994), we meet Parvez. Parvez
and his family are immigrants from Pakistan. They have left their religion; their old habits and their old life
back in Pakistan and are currently living in England. Parvez has been working as a taxi-driver for twenty years
and is trying his best to adept himself and his family in to the English culture. One day, his son Ali starts
changing. Parvez turns to his near friend Bettina – a prostitute – for advice, and together they try to find out
the reason why Ali’s behavior has changed. He becomes suspicious and frustrated, and in his frustration he
searches through Ali’s room for drugs – but drugs is not the reason why Ali has changed. Ali has taken a radically
turn from the person he used to be, and has suddenly turned to their old religion and culture. Ali has
become an orthodox Muslim. Parvez’ dream on the family – especially his son – adapting them fully in to the
English culture and living as a “normal” English family, is broken. But Ali has made up his mind. Parvez has a
hard time accepting this and along with his frustration, this drives him to hit his own son. So who is the fanatic
now?
Religion can be the answer to all your questions, your doubts and your loneliness. It can make weak people
strong and strong people weak. It can bring people together but it can also tear them apart. Religion is the one
thing that causes most wars - wars between nations, people and even between family members. In “My Son
the Fanatic” religion is an important theme. The theme of being immigrated to another country and how it
affects one another is also reoccurring throughout the story. Another theme that reoccurs throughout the
story is the relationship between a father and his son. The author uses several “under”-themes such as finding
your identity and there are many different aspects that you can look upon. In this essay I...

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