My Son the Fanatic,

by Hanif Kureishi

i. The mirror stage

I shall start with the mirror stage, as argued by Lacan, where the child's emergentsense of self was always formed in reference to some 'other', for instance its own image inthe mirror, a friend, a sibling or any other alternative model which the child associates itselfwith (narcissistic identification, according to Freud). Lacan accounts the mirror stage as anorigin of alienation in the individual sense of self. Because that self is oriented to the'fictional direction' of an other who is perceived as omnipotent and thus as a potential rival tothe self, the ego that emerges from this stage inevitably bears within it a hostility or'aggressivity that threatens the very stability attributed to it.

In the short story "My Son the Fanatic" there is a clear manifestation where the son'sindividuality is radically different from the role model ne associated wim during me mirrorstage: the father's only ambition is to see his son as an emancipated Englishman and for thatcause he provides him clothes, gadgets, education very common to his English peers. But hisvision is completely ruined by his son's behaviour as an Islamic fundamentalist.

"The law of Islam would rule the world: the skin of the infidel would burn off againand again: the Jews and Christers would be routed".

So, the image of Ali as an English boy goes down the drain when he turns towardshis Punjabi roots. The manifestation of alienation is clearly visible in those scenes where Aliharshly criticizes Parvez for his infidel way of life. Parvez drinks alcohol, eats pork, has aprostitute for a friend.

"Each time Parvez took a drink, the boy winced, or made some kind of fastidiousface...In a low, monotonous voice, the boy explained that Parvez had not, in fact, lived a goodlife. He had broken countless rules of the Koran... As if Ali had been waiting for this moment,he asked his father if he hadn't relish pork pies...?"

From such scenes, Ali's character can be clearly seen: He's independent, selfconfident, determined, harsh towards what his dictionary defines as paganism. Analyzed froma different perspective, he's acting like a stubborn teenager. He doesn't care whether he'llhurt his parents, embarrass them or cause them trouble. He's blind towards everything asidefrom his religious cause.

And the father is determined, self-critical, proud and worried, even afraid, for hisson's future.

"But Parvez had been unable to discuss the subject of Ali with his friends. He was tooashamed. And he was afraid, too, that they would blame him for the wrong turning his boyhad taken...While I'm here on earth I want to make the best of it. And I want you too, aswell. You should enjoy yourself... Yes, enjoy yourself without hurting others. Life is forliving".

Parvez insists on his son living his life as a Westerner. He encourages him to playcricket, football, to go swimming to play an electric guitar and most of all, to study as anaccountant. As if Parvez wants to accomlich his European dreams via his son. And his desireis threatened by his son's independence.

1. a) Theme of religion.

Two radically opposing views on this matter: Parvez, who's been avoiding allreligions since, while in Lahore, studying the Koran, the maulvies would attach a piece of

string to the ceiling and tie it to Parvez's hair, so if his head fell forward, he would instantlyjerk away, and Ali, who prays five times a day, gives all his possessions in charity or justthlOWS them away, grows a beard and lives his life entirely to tk=- K.oro». *AJI .~&~a~ it -~ j-the verbal divine guidance and moral direction for mankind.

These rather confronting views are a clear image of the alienation of the son from thealternative model it associated itself with during the mirror stage.

_2. The intertextual elements are also visible. The author himself identifies with

Parvez. Pakistani origin, implicated into Western civilization to that extend that bothmarginalize the Islam from their way of life. For instance, Parvez eats pork, drinks alcoholand Kureishi started his career as a pornography writer.

Furthermore, both Parvez and Kureishi use members of their families to accomplishtheir personal goals.

a) Parvez wants his son to be an accountant (Contrary to a taxi driver, accountant is arespectable and well paid job).

"I will continue in you and in your grandchildren."

Whereas,

b) Kureishi fabricated the history of his family to become a successful playwright,screenwriter, filmmaker, novelist and short story writer.

3. Theme of nationalism.

Ali strongly identifies himself with a group of Islamic fundamentalists who aredetermined to fight against the rotten, corrupted and profaned infidel way of life.

"All over the world our people are oppressed...The West is a sink of hypocrites,adulterers, homosexuals, drug users and prostitutes...My people have taken enough. If thepersecution doesn't stop, there will be jihad. I, and millions of others, will gladly give ourlives for the cause..."

On the other hand, Parvez isn't quite sure who "his people" are. This is another strongimplication that the father is so much into Western culture that he regards himself, in a way,as a European.

3. a) Stream of unconsciousness.

Parvez is Punjabi, his origin is from Lahore, Pakistan, he is dark-tanned, patriarchallybred Muslim who immigrated in England. Yet, he isn't quite sure who his people are. His liferoutines of alcohol, pork, non-praying aren't the ones of a Muslim. On the contrary, he actsmore like a blue-collar Westerner.

'"All over the world our people are oppressed, was the boy's reply.' I know,' Parvezanswered not entirely sure who 'our people' were."

3. b) Theme of feminism and patriarchy.

Parvez's wife is mentioned only twice in the short story. And, as a backgroundcharacter, she doesn't utter a word. She is mentioned to be sewing.

"Parvez hurried into his bedroom, where his wife, still awake, was sewing in bed. Heordered her to sit down and keep quiet, though she had neither stood up, nor said a word."

I believe that "HIS bedroom" says a lot: it's not theirs, but his. His own privatekingdom where he's the absolute dictator, who orders her to keep quiet. He implies his figureas the primary authority central to social organization and holds authority over women,children and property.

He never discusses with his wife the problems he is facing. Instead, he is much moreopen towards Bettina, a local prostitute. She's his friend, therapist, a trusty companion whoknows all of his secrets and problems.

4. Theme of race and immigration

Most of the characters are dark-tanned: Parvez, Ali, Parvez's co-workers at the taxifirm, Parvez's wife. And the main protagonists fell as if they alienated, marginalized,humiliated in the new environment in which they immigrated.

Parvez is trying hard to fit in the new society. Prays, Lent, beard are all in the pastnow.

"He ordered his wife to cook pork sausages, saying to her, 'You're not in the villagenow. This is England. We have to fit in.'"

Parvez is aware that the skin colour can be an obstacle to a normal life in England.The Oriental people, uneducated and discriminated, are working at the worst posts in thecountry. Realizing that, he wants his son to become fully emancipated in the British society.And Ali followed his father's advice: studied accounting, played an electric guitar, wentswimming, played cricket, football, had an English girl for a girlfriend, but eventually his lifecame to a sudden twist: he throws away or gives to charity all of his possessions, breaks upthe relationship with his girlfriend, puts an end to all contacts with his friends and replaces allthat with the Koran canons.

5. Fanaticism

Ali intends to dedicate his life to fight against the infidels in order to stop them fromoppressing his people and Parvez is ready to agree on anything just to make Ali live his lifethe way he never got the chance to live it. Both of them are in a pursuit of different dreamsare extremely persistent in that race. Both of them are ready to give up on family,

"I'm going to tell him to pick up on his prayer mat and get out of my house. It will bethe hardest thing I've ever done, but tonight I'm going to do it " ooyc. Pat-war?

and Ali is ready to give up even on his life:

"I, and millions of others are ready to give our lives for the cause."

None of them gives space for compromise and their fanaticism culminates when thefather, powerless to change his son's mind and so obsessed to bring him back to what hebelieves is the right path strikes him several times and Ali is neither evading the blows norretaliating. He doesn't feel fear, pain or suffering. He's above all that. Nothing can change hismind. His belief and obsession in the religious cause is so strong that absolutely nothing candistract him.

Stevo Bozinov

Index number, 83