Kureishi, Hanif: *1954

My Son the Fanatic, 1997 - Information about the Book

  • General Information
    • The novel deals with Parvez, a Pakistani immigrant in England, and his problems with his son Ali. Parvez worries about Ali's behaviour which has changed significantly.
  • Facts
    • "My Son the Fanatic" appeared in 1994 in the "New Yorker." In 1997 it was published as part of the collection of short stories "Love in a Blue Time." The script and the movie followed the same year.
      All three versions differ considerably. The Fingerhuts, the Maulvi, as well as Herr Schitz do not appear in the short story, which is the shortest version.
      The most complex version is the script: the sexual complications are openly shown. In the short story they are only hinted at.
      Ali, the fanatic son in the short story, is much more cold, militant and humorless than Farid, his counterpart in the script. Farid's conversion to fundamentalism is based on the contemptuous treatment of his family by the white society.
    • Characters
    • Characters Analysis
    • Character Map
  • Articles
    • Author Hanif Kureishi talks about "My Son the Fanatic"; April 20, 2007