PROTAGONISTS' NEGOTIATION OF IDENTITY WITHIN NEO-ORIENTALIST FRAMEWORKS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST AND THE KITE RUNNER

Abstract

This paper explores the complex negotiation of identity undertaken by the protagonists of Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner within the context of Neo-Orientalist frameworks. Both novels depict characters Changez and Amir who navigate shifting cultural, political, and personal landscapes shaped by post-9/11 anxieties and deep-rooted East-West binaries. The study investigates how these characters confront stereotypes, internalize trauma, and ultimately redefine their sense of self in the face of cultural alienation, displacement, and moral conflict. Drawing on postcolonial and cultural studies theories, the analysis focuses on how pivotal moments—such as the aftermath of 9/11 for Changez and the betrayal of Hassan for Amir—serve as catalysts for identity transformation. These events force the protagonists to grapple with the realities of cultural hybridity, societal rejection, and personal guilt. The paper argues that their resistance to imposed identities, especially those constructed through Neo-Orientalist discourse, becomes an act of reclaiming agency. By comparing their journeys, this study highlights the intersections between personal identity and global political narratives, illustrating how Eastern protagonists in Western literary spaces resist being reduced to monolithic representations. Ultimately, the paper contributes to broader discussions on postcolonial identity, cultural hybridity, and the politics of representation in contemporary literature.

Keywords: Neo-Orientalism, identity negotiation, cultural hybridity, post-9/11 literature, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, The Kite Runner, resistance, postcolonial identity, East-West dynamics, narrative agency