Hanif Kureishi’s short story “My Son the Fanatic” is an exquisite piece about a Pakistani father-son relationship and their conflicting ideas regarding their identity. Set in London, the story follows Parvez, a hardworking taxi driver that emigrated from his native country to London, England twenty years prior in hopes of providing a better life for him and his family. Parvez finds it easy to assimilate to western culture by drinking alcohol and eating “pork pies”. His son Ali, however, soon traces his roots back to fundamental Islam and refuses to adapt this new culture.
In this story, Kureishi examines the contradictory opinions of British culture between father and son. Through the actions and dialogue of the main characters, Kureishi delivers his message regarding the struggle of adapting to a new society and uses his writing style to provide his opinion on the situation. Most of the story revolves around the conflicting views of father and son. Parvez idolizes the British lifestyle and culture and wants his son to become a part of it. He wants Ali to “get a good job now, marry the right girl and start a family” (120).
Making it big in London would please Parvez, “His dreams of doing well in England would have come true” (120). The father-son struggle soon starts when Ali starts to fray from his father’s dreams. Parvez goes through many hardships to assimilate into Western culture. He left his native country into a new land where he works day and night driving around a taxi in order to provide for his family. His lifestyle changes completely. However, Parvez does not mind this at all. He is somewhat blinded by his concept “Western Culture”. Ali, on the other hand, is sickened by his father’s love for his new way of life.
He traces his roots back to Islam, a religion that does not allow him to enjoy the social and cultural aspects of British cultures, such as drinking or eating pork. Kureishi uses this central conflict to explain how living in a different culture can affect cause one to forget about their traditional views and values, something that has strained the father-son relationship As the narrative continues, the flowing nature of the passage changes as the clash between father and son develops. The author modifies his writing style by using selective words and statements in particular scenes of the story.
Kureishi specifically mentions Parvez’s drinking and how he identifies drinking with Western culture. Ali dislikes his behavior and chooses to lash out for doing so. Kureishi writes, “Each time Parvez took a drink, the boy winced... This made Parvez drink more quickly” (124-125). Ali is also concerned with his father’s relationship with the prostitute Betina. Rather than talk to his wife about his issues with Ali, Parvez chooses to open up to Betina. At first, readers are repelled by Parvez’s character however Kureishi forces readers to sympathize with Parvez. Kureshi reveals Parvez’s past experiences to explain why he behaves in such a way.
Although a man with shortcomings, he is just an ordinary man wanting the best for his family. As the story continues, readers are continuously reminded about this clash of identities between father and son. The cultural and social conflict between father and son continues through the ending of the short story. Although an unresolved conflict, Kureishi ends the short story with a powerful climax that leaves readers to ponder their beliefs and pick a side in the father-son argument. After a heated argument between father and son, Parvez is not able to cope with Ali’s behavior anymore.
In a drunken haze, Parvez goes over to Ali and repeatedly hits him without justification. With a split lip and bleeding all over, Ali ask his father “‘So who’s the fanatic now? ’” (131). As the story ends, readers are left with a huge decision in order to come to a conclusion regarding the conflict. At one corner there is Ali, a young man who, in a sort of rebellious way, decides to live his life according to his native beliefs and culture. At the other corner there is Parvez, an ordinary man, although with vices of his own, wanting to assimilate to Western culture to allow his son to experience what he wasn’t able to.
Kureishi leaves it up to readers to take a stance on the issue. The structure of the story would suggest that Kureishi would side with Parvez. After all, the title is “My Son the Fanatic”. This story examines the declining relationship of Parvez and Ali. Parvez fixation on assimilating to Western culture causes Ali to rebel against his father. Parvez only wants his son to feel accepted in society and have a successful future. His determination to do so only results in Ali lashing out against his father. Kureishi leaves it up to readers to decide who exactly the fanatic is.
