It was all familiarity and endurance: security and safety were the reward of dullness.
After Karim catches his father cheating with Eva, he begins to think about the nature of long-term relationships and their ubiquity in society. In this quote, he considers how many people choose to remain in a marriage not because it is fulfilling, but rather because it is stable and easier logistically. Although Karim is upset about his father's affair, he also feels that it is finally an honest acknowledgment of his dissatisfaction with his relationship with Mum.
"I'm the intellectual type, not one of those uneducated immigrant types who come here to slave all day and night and look dirty."
Throughout the novel, Kureishi explores subjects of immigration and social class. In this quote, we see these two themes intersect. Changez, the husband that Anwar has arranged for Jamila to marry, comes from an upper-class family in India. Upon his relocation to the UK, Changez struggles and outright refuses to identify with other immigrants who do not have the same financial privileges as he does. Although Changez is targeted by white British hate groups for his race, he holds onto an air of elitism that is central to his notion of self-worth.
I saw she wanted to scour that suburban stigma right off her body. She didn't realize it was in the blood and not on the skin.
In this quote, Karim comments on Eva's desire to associate with the wealthy, culturally elite crowd upon her move to London. Eva attempts to deny and hide where she comes from in order to assimilate as best as she can. Karim, however, realizes that her endeavor is futile. Although it is possible to jump social classes in a lifetime, the attitude, nonchalance, and rooted privilege of the people Eva associates with is, at its core, irreplicable.
I couldn't answer his questions. I could barely speak at all; the muscles in my face seemed to have gone rigid. I was shaking with embarrassment that he could talk to me in this way at all, as if he knew me, as if he had the right to question me. Fortunately he didn't wait for any reply.
This quote describes how Karim feels following his conversation with Shadwell, a well-respected theater director in London. Shadwell has just given Karim his first-ever role; he's set to play Mowgli in the director's adaptation of The Jungle Book. In Shadwell's vision, he tells Karim that he must speak in an exaggerated Indian accent in order to play the part. Karim protests, explaining that doing so is both ungenuine and humiliating. After Karim expresses his hesitations to the director, Shadwell belittles and bullies him. This demonstrates the racist and selfish attitudes of those in positions of power.
Eva was unfolding the world for me. It was through her that I became interested in life.
Although Karim is occasionally critical of Eva, he ultimately is very grateful for her and her ambitiousness. In the suburbs, Karim had often spent his time daydreaming of escaping to the big city and meeting people more aligned with his bohemian values. Eva helps make this dream a reality. She introduces Karim to a variety of characters that offer broader perspectives and genuine opportunities for the protagonist.
It was strange, the conversation Dad and I had, because when I saw him at home later and over the next few days he behaved as if it had never happened, as if he hadn't told me he'd fallen in love with someone else.
Haroon is at a crossroads about what to do in his life. Should he choose the more uncomfortable path and pursue a relationship with Eva, thus leaving his family behind? Or should he stay with Mum for the comfort and stability? Ultimately, Haroon seeks his son's advice on the matter. Although Karim understands his father's hesitations and his desire to seek counsel, he also sees it as a clear change in their parent/child dynamic. When Haroon reverts to his "old ways," i.e., keeping his personal matters more to himself, Karim is unable to understand the shift.
It was unusual, I knew, the way I wanted to sleep with boys as well as girls.
The Buddha of Suburbia is a coming-of-age novel, and Karim is in the process of realizing his sexual desires. In the way that Kureishi approaches many other themes in the book, Karim chooses to lean into the fluid and ambiguous nature of his urges instead of forcing them to fit into molds.
"If you like? I'm offering you something, man, and you say if you like. You used to be up for anything."
This quote occurs when Karim and Charlie reconnect in New York towards the end of the novel. Their exchange is quite loaded, since they are reacquainting themselves with one another after many years apart. Charlie is now a rock superstar, and Karim's acting career has grown in its own right. In this moment, Charlie recognizes that he and Karim do not have the same relationship that they once had, and he feels somewhat frustrated by the changes.
"Pah. Truth. Who defines it? What truth? Iť's white truth you're defending here. It's white truth we're discussing."
Tracey is a member of Pyke's theater troupe, and in this scene, the actors are workshopping characters that they have been developing. Karim has based a character off of Changez, and Tracey finds Karim's portrayal to be problematic in its perpetuation of nonwhite stereotypes. Tracey is Black, and she feels that representation of nonwhite characters in British theater is essentially nonexistent. She encourages Karim to consider how he can represent himself in a way that is less of a mockery and more of a celebration of diversity.
"She says you're the kind of innocent boy that André Gide would have gone for. And I s'pose, as Gide is no longer alive, you'll have to be satisfied with her, eh?"
Pyke approaches Karim to let him know that his wife, Marlene, is interested in him. The exchange underscores the power dynamics between the two parties. In the use of the word "innocent," Pyke alludes to the age difference between his wife and Karim. Ultimately, Karim feels that the pursuit is twisted—although he doesn't really feel attracted to Marlene, he ultimately feels pressured to reciprocate her advance because Pyke is his boss.
