ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: catnus on March 06, 2013, 06:59:18 pm

Title: The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Post by: catnus on March 06, 2013, 06:59:18 pm

Hi everyone :)

Could anyone help me with either of these prompts?

'The word ‘fundamentalism’ is redefined in many ways in the novel. Discuss.'
or
‘Beware the dark side, young Skywalker.’ In the novel, cultural identity is mainly a matter of appearance. Discuss.’

Thanks so much!

Title: Re: The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Post by: Checkmate on March 07, 2013, 11:10:19 pm

I'm...effectively stumped pretty hard by the second prompt; I'm finding difficulty linking the pop culture reference into the cultural identity, but for the first one some key things I believe you need to address in there is the distinction between the fundamentalism that Underwood Samson displays as a servant for the American Empire and the fundamentalism Changez demonstrates with his beard and to some extent thoughts of home. Also remember how Erica's father states how Changez and Pakistanis have "got a serious problem with fundamentalism."

Anyway those are just my quick thoughts about it with my primary points being the difference in what the US and Changez demonstrate as fundamentalism. Hopefully that might get you started on something.