Portrayal of Muslim characters in the 3 Eastern Novels after 9/11

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the portrayal of Muslims in novels after the 9/11 attacks. This paper highlights the American narrative about Muslims after the destruction of the Twin Towers. This study is qualitative and descriptive in nature. A purposive sampling technique is applied for data collection. Data is taken from primary sources, for example: The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, Home Boy by H. M. Naqvi. The results depict that Muslim characters faced several crises following a shift in Western narratives towards them. The study highlights that the Western world began to focus on the collective identity of Muslims as terrorists, and individual Muslim identity was completely ignored. It is concluded that Muslims are seen as terrorists through the Western lens, and that is how they are treated in Western society and portrayed in literature as well.  The findings have implications in the field of psychology, where society shapes a perspective of an individual with reference to their position in society, so Muslims are viewed through the same lens no matter what perspectives and opinions they have as individuals. The present research also contributes to an ongoing struggle of Muslim characters to prove their loyalty and innocence.