Lesson Objective

1. Lesson Objective To understand the concept of nostalgia and how it is a theme in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’.

2. A warning: This will stray a little into ‘Whose Reality?’ territory, but remember that this is a text response and whenever you mention nostalgia in a text response essay, it must be when directly discussing the text. NO general discussion of the concept is allowed!

3. Definition The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealised form. Nostalgia is often triggered by something reminding the individual of an event or item from their past. The resulting emotion can vary from happiness to sorrow. The term of "feeling nostalgic" is more commonly used to describe pleasurable emotions associated with and/or a longing to go back to a particular period of time.

4. We have all had to listen to someone being nostalgic for something they once had, eg: a beautiful home. Over time, this vision of the past can become idealised.

5. The reality might not be as far away as this, but we know that some people forget to recall the unpleasant aspects of the past.

6. Nostalgia The destruction of the World Trade Centre had, as she had said, churned up old thoughts that had settled in the manner of sediment to the bottom of a pond; now the waters of her mind were murky with what previously had been ignored. I did not know if the same was true of me.” Think about the above quote, then complete the table below, how does nostalgia affect each of the following after 9/11?

7. Nostalgia After the bombing and invasion of Afghanistan “our friend and a fellow Muslim nation besides”, Changez is deeply troubled and drinks himself to sleep. “I was reminded of the film Terminator, but with the roles reversed so that the machines were cast as heroes.” Changez struggles to remain focussed on the “fundamentals” rather he recalls that, “I remained aware of the embers glowing within me.” Using the purple text as a starter, complete the paragraph answering the following question: What are “the embers” symbolic of?

8. Nostalgia Changez relates to the American that Pakistan has not always been reliant on “foreign aid and handouts”. We see his nostalgia for Pakistan’s past is a powerful force in his life. “We built the Royal Mosque and the Shalimar Gardens in this city… we did these things when your county was still a collection of thirteen small colonies, gnawing away at the edge of a continent.” Where else in the novel have we seen Changez angered at the actions of the young being rude and disrespectful to an older generation?

9. “but I think I knew even then that she was disappearing into a powerful nostalgia” Use the above quote in a paragraph with a point, evidence and an explanation.

10. Nostalgia Changez finds America in the grip of “a dangerous nostalgia” not dissimilar to that of Erica, pining for the deceased but not forgotten Chris.

11. I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time I was struck by its determination to look back. Living in New York was suddenly like living in a film about the Second World War. (p130-131) 3. Considering the first two questions, why does America ‘look back’ to events such as the Second World War? 1. How might Americans have felt immediately after the events of 9/11? 2. How was the Second World War different to 9/11 and the “War on Terror”?

12. Despite upwards of 70 million people dying during the six years of the Second World War, only 6 deaths (from Japanese balloon bombs), occurred on mainland USA. 6 2996 The number of people killed on 11 September, 200.

13. “Your country’s flag invaded New York after the attacks; it was everywhere.”

14. Using the notes and quotes you have taken down, complete a mind map on the theme of nostalgia Nostalgia Erica Changez America