“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by Mohsin Hamid is an intriguing story of questionable identities and betrayal. The protagonist, Changez, finds himself in a teahouse in Lahore, Pakistan, where he engages in a long monologue describing his life journey, in the company of an American stranger. Readers learn about the exciting and fascinating life of the young Pakistani man, but are also able to observe how Changez's actions and choices are, to some extent, influenced by the protagonist's relationship with Erica. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay In the first part of the story, Changez is considered a very successful person, graduating “summa cum laude” from the prestigious university from Princeton, and being employed as an analyst at Underwood Samson, one of the top appraisal firms in New York. Furthermore, during his vacation in Greece, he meets Erica, an “incredibly royal” girl from a “wealthy” family who seems to impose a “magnetism” on Changez. At this early point in the novel, Hamid positions readers to contemplate Changez's apparent realization of the American dream, while also building on the positive impact that the "lioness" has on the protagonist, as his social life is growing strongly, due to Erica's continued invitations to various events, while her work performance is better than ever, with Changez ranked first among all junior analysts in the firm. However, the protagonist soon discovers that despite Erica's magnetism and "charming" personality, "something in her eyes (is) broken". At this point, readers can sense that Changez is starting to worry about Erica's situation. Nonetheless, her worries have yet to negatively impact her life, and although she is "lost in her own world", the two still manage to maintain their relationship. Except for the fact that Changez is "ashamed", even the fact that the protagonist must pretend to be Chris to satisfy Erica does not upset their relationship and does not strongly affect the two lovers. However, the unquantifiable tragedy of September 11 surprises the two lovers and acts as a catalyst for the decline of Changez and Erica. The collapse of the World Trade Center is considered by readers to be one of the major turning points in history. Changez's life, as he suddenly finds himself in a new, unfamiliar environment. He was subjected to racial discrimination at the airports of Manila and New York and was insulted on the train and in the parking lot of the New Jersey company. Additionally, Hamid positions readers to observe Erica's mental breakdown, which appears to be caused primarily by the theme of death present in New York at this time. Her breakdown is obvious to readers, as she is very fragile and brittle, and nostalgia seems to have taken over her life. Consequently, his relationship with Changez slowly deteriorates and contributes to the protagonist's frustration and renunciation, and perhaps adds to the list of countless reasons why he decides to take a trip to Lahore. Upon his return, however, he finds Erica living in a clinic, on the verge of psychological collapse, and Hamid points out, through Changez's words, that it "hurts" him to see her so "detached" from the real world . At this point, readers sense that Changez is greatly affected by his broken relationship with Erica, as he feels he has lost her. With these thoughts in mind, he travels to Valparaiso for the purpose of a work assignment, but upon returning and subsequently losing his job at Underwood Samson, he is told.