Introduction
“My Son the Fanatic,” written by Hanif Kureishi, is a short story, which explores the issue of a father-son relationship and the issue of religion and cultural identity. The father, Parvez, is one of the main characters of the story. He is an immigrant from Pakistan, living in London, and making every effort to ensure that his son, Ali, gets the best education, and becomes a respectable member of British society. The character traits, which the father exhibits, provide insights into the changes undergone by his son. Despite Parvez’s undeniably good intentions, his overall attitude contributes to Ali’s vulnerability to religious fundamentalism.
Caring Father
Parvez, a hard-working taxi driver, is a character eliciting the reader’s sympathy from the very beginning of the story. Overwhelmed by the changes in his son’s behavior, he tries desperately to determine the underlying cause. He is rather emotional in his approach, as well as impressionable. Parvez displays the latter quality in his interactions with the colleagues, who easily convince him that his son must have a drug abuse problem. Having worked hard to provide for his son, he feels that Ali’s rebellious behavior is rather ungrateful: “Yet Parvez felt his son eccentricity as an injustice” (Kureishi 693). He feels as if it is Ali’s intention to inflict pain on his father: “Why is he torturing me!” (Kureishi 694).
Despite being afraid of his son’s odd gaze, as a truly caring parent, Parvez attempts to reconnect with Ali, and to understand the transformation he is undergoing. It is crucial for him to remain in the boy’s life, and possibly help him with any difficulties he encounters. Upon discovering the actual cause of the problem, he is puzzled, but not at all discouraged. Parvez desperately wants to understand the spiritual transformation of his son: “he yearned to understand how Ali had discovered the ‘spiritual dimension’” (Kureishi 696). He is rather open-minded and willing to adjust to new circumstances if it means preserving the bond: “We were not father and son – we were brothers! Where has he gone?” (Kureishi 694).
In fact, the first time Parvez exhibits strictness is after Ali’s refusal to spend time with his father. He is hurt and feels disrespected, which leads him to force his company on Ali. However, he displays patience, later on, wisely trying to withstand Ali’s insolence in an effort to reconnect with the boy to regain his trust.
We sympathize with Parvez because of his patient and caring nature, and willingness to endure the disrespectful treatment of his son if it means a chance for their reconnection. It is only after Ali expresses his extremist outlook that Parvez feels as though Ali disappeared: “Ali sounded as if he’d swallowed someone else’s voice” (Kureishi 697). Even after Ali reveals the source of his transformation, Parvez is still willing to reevaluate his parenting approach: “’What has made you like this?’ Parvez asked him, afraid that somehow he was to blame for all this” (Kureishi 697). All the desperate attempts to reconnect with Ali cumulated in the last scene of violence. “He knew that the boy was unreachable, but he struck him nonetheless” (Kureishi 699). As an emotional and impressionable man and having lost all hope, Parvez succumbs to the instinct of aggression.
The last scene provides deep insights into the characters’ minds. By resorting to violence, Parvez understands that he might have made a mistake. Ali’s distorted perception of faith is a result of the complete assimilation of their family into British society. If they had not neglected their cultural heritage, Ali would not have been as vulnerable to the assertions of the fundamentalists.
The Question of Faith
Throughout the story, we learn more about faith and religion in Parvez’s life and the changes that happened due to their immigration to England. By analyzing the father’s perception of faith, we can understand the causes of his son’ spiritual transformation and find the reason for the contempt Ali feels for his father, resulting eventually in outright aggression.
Kureishi describes Parvez as a Pakistani immigrant who had a certain degree of contact with Islam. Parvez grew up in Lahore, where he was taught the Koran. The Moulvi tied a string to the students’ hair to ensure they would not sleep instead of studying. To Parvez’s mind, such treatment was hurtful and disrespectful. As a result, he refrained from engaging in any religion, focusing on ethical values dictated by common sense. Parvez sees himself as a decent man and a caring father, which he futilely attempts to explain to his son. The happiness and well-being of his family are crucial to him, far more important than any religion. This is why he insists on complete assimilation into British society, and this is the reason for his lenient treatment of the Koran prescriptions, causing indignation of his son. Respecting each other and leading a joyful life without inflicting pain on others is important to Parvez, but explaining it to Ali came too late, for, in search of his identity, the latter turned to those who offered a more spiritual perspective than his father did.
Inadvertent Mistake
Parvez’s life priority is his family’s well-being, as well as providing for his son and ensuring he got the best education and became a respectable member of society. These goals give him a sense of purpose. He insists on the assimilation into society in order to protect his son. Parvez is a person who would do nearly everything to ensure his family’s happiness. He shows that will throughout the story in all his attempts to reconnect with Ali, by enduring his disrespect, by following his rules, and by making every effort to understand him. However, Ali’s final observation, although inaccurate in a literal meaning, is not without merit. The radicalism exhibited by Ali would not have developed if the family had cherished, or at least acknowledged their cultural heritage. From his son’s point of view, Parvez is fanatically assimilating into British society, betraying the religion of his ancestors. Despite Parvez’s best intentions, his attitude is the major cause of Ali’s interest in Islamism. Nevertheless, we cannot but sympathize with Parvez because, in an effort to shield his son, he exposed him to Islamic fundamentalism, and his family to a tragedy.
One could argue that the majority of extremists come from religious families. Nonetheless, given Ali’s educational background, and his father’s caring approach, a moderate appreciation of their religious heritage could have provided Ali with a rich feeling of special identity. This could have prevented the distorted perception of religion fed by the fundamentalists.
Conclusion
Parvez is a character displaying all the necessary qualities that parents should possess in a Western society. He is caring and thoughtful, hard working, dedicated, and willing to make every effort to ensure his son’s happiness. However, while striving to fit into the British society and protect his son, he consciously neglected his family’s heritage, which led to a disastrous outcome. His good intentions, however noble, tragically backfired. With this story, the author makes us wonder whether the fundamentalists are the only ones to be prone to extreme actions, ignorance, and pursuing unreasonable goals.
Work Cited
Kureishi, Hanif. “My Son, the Fanatic.” Short Fiction. Classic and Contemporary. Ed. Charles Bohner and Lyman Grant. Upper Saddle River: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2006. 693-701. Print.