Brief biography of mohsin hamid was born in Pakistan, but he spent much of his
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| It’s worth noting that, although she and Saeed have been flung into a wildly unfamiliar context, Nadia proves that she’s capable of quickly adjusting to her current circumstances. Indeed, rather than irresolutely marveling at the strange mansion and all its treasures, she recognizes the opportunity to clean and even enjoy herself fora iimoment during an otherwise emotionally difficult period of her life. This aligns with Hamid’s previous assertion hat Nadia is somebody who always remains open and even excited by change, rendering her fit for the emotionally complex process of migration. Saeed, on the other hand, is clearly perturbed and overwhelmed by having been thrust into the mansion, rendering him unable to go along with Nadia’s easygoing acceptance of their new surroundings. When Nadia shuts the bathroom door again, the extraordinary satisfactions of the steamy bathroom have evaporated Upon finishing washing her clothes, she goes into the bedroom with a towel around her body and another on her head, prepared to let the little confrontation with Saeed go. But then he opens his mouth, saying, You can’t stand here like that In response, she says, “Don’t tell me what I can do a statement that stuns and frustrates Saeed, who goes into the bathroom and bathes and washes his own clothes before lying down on the single bed with Nadia for the night, who remain cramped and unwilling to touch one another like a couple that is long and unhappily married, a couple that makes out of opportunities for joy, misery.” Once again, Saeed and Nadia’s relationship seems to suffer as result of their migration. In fact, it’s as if each time they step through one of the doors—each time they make migrate—they invite new troubles into their romantic bond. Friction, it seems, arises when they go from one place to the next, perhaps because they have different attitudes when it comes to change whereas Nadia welcomes new experiences with excitement, Saeed remains skeptical and hesitant. As such, Hamid showcases the difficulties that arise when a couple transplants itself into anew culture. Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com ©2018 LitCharts LLC www.LitCharts.com Page 39 Two days later, a housekeeper comes to the mansion and is shocked to find migrants camped throughout the house. The police come not long thereafter, vans of officers in riot gear and bulletproof vests. As the officers shout threats over a bullhorn, imploring the migrants to leave the house, a sort of camaraderie forms amongst the refugees, a connection that would perhaps not take place if they were simply in the streets together. And although some migrants decide to leave, most stay inside. What’s even more extraordinary is that people arrive in large numbers to stand behind the officers, a diverse crowd that bangs pots and pans and chants in many different languages until the police relent and withdraw. The next morning, Nadia is awoken by a call to prayer and finds herself disoriented and wondering where she is, especially as Saeed gets out of bed to pray. Although the migrants in the mansion come from many different countries, they unite in response to the adversity of the police officers trying to break them up and take them out of the house. This is an important moment, as it marks the first time in the novel in which a migrant community actually comes together in a meaningful way, connecting with one another rather than breaking themselves into factions according to their respective cultural and national affiliations. On another note, when Saeed gets out of bed to pray, he once again demonstrates his renewed interest in religion, an Download 0.56 Mb. Share with your friends:
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