The Madman (“The Assault”)
The narrator observes, “a local madman, very tall, hair askew, talking furiously to himself.” The madman is an indication of deleterious mental ailments. His haphazard appearance in the street characterizes the omnipresence of mental sickness among humanity.
“Beards and caps” (“My Son is a Fanatic”)
Kureishi writes,” local mullahs walking around with their caps and beards, thinking they could tell people how to live.” The ‘beards and caps’ epitomize the mullahs’ devout supremacy. Ali has faith in the authority connoted by the beards that is why he endorses that his father should have a mustache.
Paradise (“My Son is a Fanatic”)
Ali informs his father, “For us the reward will be in Paradise.' Ali has confidence that taking part in Jihad is tantamount to obtaining a permit to cross the threshold of Paradise. Paradise epitomizes the fantasy that fundamentalists utilize to program followers so that they can sponsor extremism.
