Analysis of Hanif Kureishi's 'My Son the Fanatic'

How do you define a fanatic? Is there a bright side of fanaticism? Not in the short story “My Son the Fanatic” written by Hanif Kureishi.

The short story is about a father-son relationship and their different outlook on life. The family migrated to England from Pakistan.

Parvez, dad to Ali, is worried for his son, because his odd behavior lately. Ali had thrown many of his things out without any reason. Parvez who works as a taxi driver wants to tell his coworkers about the situation and get some advice from them, but he is afraid because his son has always been a kind of showpiece son. Eventually, Parvez breaks his silence and tells them the situation. After having a short conversation, they come to the conclusion that his son might be addicted to drugs and that he sells his things to earn money to buy drugs. Parvez finds out his son isn’t addicted to drugs, but that he only gives his things away. Parvez notices that Ali prays five times a day, although he had not been brought up to be religious. He decides to invite his son to dinner to talk to him about his recent behavior. Ali criticizes his father’s way of living. He tells him that he is "too implicated in Western civilization".