The Question of Identity in Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist from Hegel's Perspective of 'Self and Other'

Abstract

The present study aims to explore and analyze the Question of Identity in Mohsin Hamid's novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) from Hegel's perspective of 'Self and Other' by using textual analysis. A qualitative method has been used to interpret the novel by applying Hegel's concept of 'Self and Other' as a framework. Hegel's concept of 'Self and Other' further clarifies the process of Self-consciousness involving the factors of Desire, Recognition, Thinking and Reason. In The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the protagonist, Changez becomes the victim of questionable identity after the 9/11 event in America. He gets a series of untoward incidents during his stay in America. In the present research work, the researcher has become able to explore and analyze Changez’s process of getting self-realization in resolving the question of identity through Hegel’s perspective of ‘Self and Other’.