Notes

Identity has been playing a big role in both short stories, beginning with "The Buddha of Suburbia", Karim Amir represents himself as a mixed race, and he is more liberal and doing his best to earn his place among society, but the identity crisis deters him and he doesn't feel the sense belonging, he is not Indian enough because he lives in England and he is not English enough, Karim is always having the feeling of being confused and whether to be here or there, he is acquainted with both perspective of outside as he is originally an Indian with a dark skin, and an insider by being multisexual with both man and woman. living a life without following rules, religion, or traditions. Differently from Karim, Jamila doesn't comply to her father Anwar like every traditional daughter does, which is such a frustrating thing for her father Anwar who still have loyal to his identity. Karim's father has that identity crisis, so he is Muslim, yet he is trying to sell quasi-Buddhist philosophy, but again this identity crisis is shown in a comic light and it becomes a source of great material success for Karim’s father.


In contrast, Ali and his father Parvez are completely different from the characters that I have mentioned, the presence of conflict is firm the same way for all of them as it is revolved around the identity crisis, but they are displaying it differently, because Ali is the one who tries to sticks his real identity obeying the rules of islam, traditional values and not be affected by western lifestyle. Ali regards Britain and the west in general as “a sink of hypocrites, adulterers, homosexuals, drug takers and prostitutes.” Ali does not identify himself as a British nor does he really sees himself as his father's son. the collision emerges when Ali begins to turn away from his father's dream, also when he got a new concept about "Britishness" which differs his father Parvez point who says: “this is England. We have to fit in!” although his father Parvez sees Ali as the fulfillment of his ‘British dream’, Parvez seems to be mixed in the English society and in doing so, he ditched his tradition, and beliefs, he usually orders his wife to cook bacon and pork sausages, which are forbidden in Islam. Instead, Ali seems to define himself in opposition to his father’s ideal: other than the “Western materialists” with which his father is “implicated”, against drinking, gambling and socializing with women, and as persecuted and oppressed by a country he has never left.


2.Generation conflict:

in "My Son the Fanatic", I think it is not only the religious aspect which makes Parvez and Ali understand each other really well. It also suggests that their situation as a clash of generations because they often have different perspectives towards life. Parvez wants his son to make the best out of his life but this life is for sure not the life Ali wants.

As an example, Parvez works hours so he can provide money for Ali’s education as an accountant, but this is not what Ali wants. Ali wants to give up his studies in accounting and he is going to work in prison with poor Muslims. And there are many more examples of these contrary attitudes: While Parvez thinks he has lived a decent life, Ali does not think so because in his opinion his fatherhas broken countless rules of the Koran. Or while Parvez thinks that they have to fit in England, Ali thinks that Parvez is “too implicated” in Western civilization.


Because of this generation conflict and their bad situation resulting from Ali’s religious behavior the situation worsened. Parvez who feels that he has lost his son loses his temper and hits the boy.



Kureishi's novel “The Buddha of Suburbia” not only presents the identity construction of a second generation immigrant. but also the generation conflict depicted around the characters such as The issue of Jamila‟s arranged marriage with the Indian Changez wonderfully depicts how the children of immigrants face a very different situation.