ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: lovatic on August 15, 2013, 05:02:43 pm

Title: How is Changez an unreliable narrator in The Reluctant Fundamentalist? (help!)
Post by: lovatic on August 15, 2013, 05:02:43 pm

How is Changez an unreliable narrator and what are some examples of that???

Title: Re: How is Changez an unreliable narrator in The Reluctant Fundamentalist? (help!)
Post by: robertcalder on August 22, 2013, 11:22:18 am

Changez is an unreliable narrator because of what he says at the start. He says to the American that he is a "lover of America" then he contradicts this statement with his review of events after 9/11 and when he says that he is an activist AGAINST America.
He is also unreliable as he doesn't let anyone else talk. It's a monologue from his point of view and everything that is said by anyone, including the American, is said through him. This creates bias on events that occurred because he might not recite the events exactly as they happened. Furthermore, he is an unreliable narrator as provides two of his views of America. Erica, the girl he loved, is allegory for America (as you probably already know). Throughout the novel he states that his love for America as a country is changing from good to bad but his love for Erica stays true. He has two conflicting interests towards America and this creates unreliability.
I hope this helped you a bit :)