My Son the Fanatic

My Son the Fanatic is a novella written by Hanif Kureishi first published in The New Yorker, 1994. It was adapted into a film of the same title. The narrative deals with the problems of Parvez, who has migrated from Pakistan to Britain and his son Farid. Parvez worries about his son drifting off course because Farid’s behavior has changed significantly. Early in the story, Parvez is afraid of discussing his worries with his friends because his so... more

My Son the Fanatic is a novella written by Hanif Kureishi first published in The New Yorker, 1994. It was adapted into a film of the same title. The narrative deals with the problems of Parvez, who has migrated from Pakistan to Britain and his son Farid. Parvez worries about his son drifting off course because Farid’s behavior has changed significantly. Early in the story, Parvez is afraid of discussing his worries with his friends because his son has always been a kind of showpiece son. Eventually, Parvez breaks his silence and tells them how his son has changed, hoping to receive some advice from his friends. After having a short conversation, they come to the conclusion that his son might be addicted to drugs and that he sells his properties to earn money to buy drugs. After this meeting, Parvez goes to his taxi to drive home. But in his car he finds Bettina, a prostitute, who drives with Parvez very often and has become a confidante of Parvez. Since Parvez has defended Bettina... less