The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Changez’s facial hair is a symbol that defines him from the very first page of the novel. In fact, he suggests that his beard is the reason that the American stranger is taken aback by his appearance. When Changez relates the story of his time in America, he notes that he did not have a beard then; he was a clean-shaven young man doing his best to fit into corporate America. After the attacks on the twin towers, a beard was the last thing he wanted, as public abuse was becoming more and more rampant for Muslims. When Changez returns home to Pakistan, he decides not to shave when it comes time for his return to New York. The marked contrast in his appearance immediately causes his coworkers alarm and he is even verbally abused while on the subway. Changez’s beard grows alongside his growing disillusionment with American economic and political systems. 

Geography plays an important role in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, most notably in the form of cities. Lahore, where the novel begins, is Changez’s birthplace. Lahore is a city very much affected by class-consciousness, but the wealth of its upper and middle class is in decline, so much so that