Caught In World of Conflict: Identity and Alienation in The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Abstract

This research paper explores the experiences of marginalized individual grappling with identity crises, and the emergence of cultural hybridity, leading to feelings of alienation. Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid, in The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) portrays protagonist, who confronts inner conflicts related to his identity, that significantly disrupts personal life. An analysis of the work is conducted to examine how the novelist presents the psychological and cultural struggles of character. The study highlights the character’ estrangement from authentic self and the ideological void inhabited by the persona. Drawing on relevant secondary sources, this research investigates the compartmentalization of societies and the development of identity within postcolonial contexts. Furthermore, it probes into the internal tensions that exist between imperial and Third World nations, emphasizing how the political dimensions of novel reflect these conflicts. Finally, diasporic elements are analyzed to reveal the lasting impact of colonial histories on postcolonial identity formation.