My Son the Fanatic

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really loves him ✔ Bettina leaves the car ✓ Back at home Parvez drinks a lot because he is so furious at his son à attacks him but Characters Ali doesn't show any kind of reaction to protect or defend himself ✓ When Parvez stops hitting him, Ali asks :"So, who is the fanatic now?" Parvez - married (dominant in the relationship) - immigrant from Pakistan - tuned away from his religion (Islam), no religious bonds - taxi driver - assimilated to western culture, liberal way of life - has the urge to be in control of what is going on - alcoholic, drinks when feeling sad or uncomfortable - hard for him to control his emotions (throws a plate on the floor in a restaurant when feelings angry) - father of Ali - idealistic dreams for his son's future, cares about him, tries to provide his son with everything (education, entertainment etc.) - not truthful, no trust in his son - looks through his things, disturbs his privacy - Ali was like a brother to him, now Ali barely speaks to him - broken bond - Parvez is so devastated by his son's behavior that he gets violent with him (beats him) Ali - son of Parvez, young adult - second generation immigrant - turns into a religious fanatic with fundamentalist believes - turns to religion to give his life meaning - isolation - turns away from Western society (breaks up with girlfriend, stops playing sports, gives away his possessions, leaves college) - criticizes his father's Western lifestyle (drinks alcohol, eats pork etc.) and his total integration - disillusioned with western society - blames it for precarious (gefährlich/unsicher) living situations of immigrants in the UK. - seeks refuge in religion as he doesn't feel he belongs to the British nor the Muslim British Culture - radicalized second generation muslim immigrant -jihad: sacrificing life for Islam - reward in Paradise - Extremism Bettina - prostitute - good friend of Parvez - wants to help Parvez - id discriminated against by Ali - resembles Western sins Message deals with the struggle of second generation immigrants - they feel cast out of the society they grew up in due to racism / failed immigration (integration?) - seeks solace from poverty and discrimination in religion - shows how Muslims that grew up in the West radicalize themselves - clash of cultures => Parvez (though raised with Muslim culture) wants to embrace the customs (Bräuche) and the opportunities offered in England (lives a good life, drinking alcohol and eating pork - both forbidden by the Koran) - Ali rejects Western values and holds his father's lifestyle in contempt - intergenerational conflict, a son breaking from a father - differing world views between the West and the fundamentalist Islam - conflict between different forms of Integration