Racial Identity and The "In-Between"
Racial identity is evident as a theme in the opening lines of the novel, when Karim describes himself as "an Englishman born and bred, almost." This makeshift addendum refers to the fact that Karim's father, Haroon, is from India and thus Karim is mixed-race. Although Karim has been born and raised in the suburbs of London, he finds that there is a part of him that doesn't fully belong in British culture, nor in Indian culture. Karim's characterization of Haroon further underscores his more generationally-oriented thoughts surrounding race and conformation. Karim explains that Haroon has lived in the UK for over twenty years, and he has zero desire to return to India or adhere to the status quo of his native country. Despite his intention to root himself in the UK, there are many aspects of Haroon's character that are inevitably "Indian" and seem unchanging regardless of how many formative years he passes abroad. Interestingly enough, Haroon sees an opportunity to capitalize upon his identity. He leads philosophical, yoga, and meditation workshops that appeal to white and wealthy individuals, like Eva. During his classes, both Haroon and Karim witness the racism and ignorance of the attendees. Haroon is tokenized, and it becomes clear that the clientele have an extremely elementary understanding of Eastern tradition. They seem to view the geographic region as a monolithic realm of the "Other." Although Haroon's ability to monetize his Otherness can be seen as an attempt to take control of his identity, it is also evident that it is a painful and damaging experience for both father and son. The idea of identity and marketability is further explored when Karim begins his acting career. After Eva introduces Karim to Shadwell and he is cast as Mowgli in The Jungle Book, Karim must face how Shadwell wants to leverage Karim's race in order to tell what he thinks is a more "authentic" story. Ultimately, Karim feels humiliated when he is forced to put on an Indian accent, thus feeding into Shadwell's extremely problematic vision of an Indian caricature. Karim's role as Mowgli leads to further roles, which thus leads to further financial success. However, Karim's discussions with the critically and radically-minded Jamila force him to consider what it really means to "play the part." By the novel's conclusion, Karim has a major deal with a British soap opera to play a recurring Indian character in a new series. While Karim is once again frustrated by being type-casted, he also chooses to accept financial success and somewhat deny his more critical thoughts on the matter. In this way, we can see how capitalism and racism can go hand-in-hand.
Class Commentary
Karim's thoughts surrounding British class structure are present from the novel's beginning. However, they change as the novel progresses and Karim moves from the suburbs to the center of London. Prior to his move, Karim was under the impression that all people in the suburbs are of a lower class, while urban dwellers are clearly from a higher social class. When he moves with Eva and his father, Karim realizes that class is more nuanced and that London has a mix of residents from different social classes. He also realizes that certain upper-class people can have social influence, which is powerful and different from mere financial influence.
Before his move, Karim idealizes life in London. He sees it as an opportunity to be his true self—more bohemian and carefree. When Karim does move, he observes as Eva strategically climbs society. Eva's choices prove financially viable for both Karim and for herself. Ultimately, she is able to get Karim his first acting role due to her networking skills. However, Karim recognizes that there is something about Eva that is characteristically suburban, and she'll never truly fit in with the people she tries so hard to associate with.
When Karim enters into a relationship with Eleanor, he must navigate class differences in a new way. Eleanor often poses that she is working class, which Karim does not understand and detests. To describe Eleanor's behavior, he coins the phrase "unforced bohemia," which he defines as an immersion in and subsequent indifference to culture, money, and education. Karim notices the similarities between Eleanor and the crowd Eva invites around for her social gatherings. Karim realizes that this attitude is untransferable, and only those who are born into the upper class can have this air of nonchalance. Neither he nor Eva will ever truly be a part of the elite world that they associate with.
At the conclusion of the novel, it is clear that Karim now has more money and connections than he has ever had before. Although he has been given a wealth of opportunities, he is ultimately unable to shed who he is and where he comes from. While he spent so many years trying to hide and usurp his suburban identity, he recognizes that he possesses a sense of authenticity and understanding that are, at the end of the day, invaluable.
Family & Departures from the Nuclear Familial Structure
At the beginning of the novel, Karim is a part of a nuclear family, defined as a "basic social unit that encompasses a couple and their dependent children." When Karim's father begins his affair with Eva, we begin to see the dissolution of this conventional family structure and the complications and opportunities therein. Although Karim is initially averse to his father's budding relationship with Eva, he grows to recognize its benefits—the couple is clearly happy, which strongly contrasts Haroon's relationship with Mum. Karim learns that his father's affair is quite complex, and he is often unsure what he truly thinks is "correct." While leaning into Haroon's new relationship symbolizes growth and a reemergence of passion, it also means betrayal and "departing" from the family he currently has. As Haroon confides in Karim about his own indecisiveness and confusion, the traditional roles of parent and child are flipped. Ultimately, Karim sees the merits in his father's choices, and he is supportive of Haroon's decision to follow his heart. At the same time that Karim's nuclear family is dissolving, his childhood best friend and right-hand woman, Jamila, is forced to contend with stereotypical familial social pressures and her own politics. Jamila's father, Anwar, is convinced that she must enter into an arranged marriage and have children in order to have a fulfilling life. Although Jamila would much prefer to dismantle the institution of marriage, she concedes to Anwar's wishes following his hunger strike. Interestingly enough, Jamila is able to carve out a space for herself and have a marriage on her own terms. Though under the guise of the arrangement, Jamila and Changez learn to respect one another's boundaries and create a bond that they themselves define as familial. The transcendence of the nuclear family structure is particularly evident when, following Anwar's death, Jamila and Changez move into a communal home and welcome a baby that Jamila has with another housemate. At the end of the novel, Karim is able to see different examples of love and how they respectively function. Mum, once heartbroken, is now well-adjusted and dating again. Haroon and Eva are happy together, as are Jamila and Changez. In looking at these people, Karim is able to see that time changes individuals and, in turn, changes relationships. He seems to conclude that love is the most important thing, and that departing from tradition can open the door to new bonds and possibilities.
The Novel as a Bildungsroman
A bildungsroman is a narrative genre characterized by the explicit evolution of the story's protagonist. In The Buddha of Suburbia, the reader follows Karim over nearly a decade. In these formative years, Karim witnesses first-hand his parents' divorce, the blossoming of his own career, and the changing trajectories of his friends' lives. At the novel's beginning, Karim can be described as energetic and innocent, with an idealistic worldview filled with idols, fantasies, and dreams. Through his various experiences, Karim develops a more nuanced understanding of the world. He realizes that many of the things he once idealized are riddled with flaws and challenges.
The moment that catapults Karim's coming-of-age story is when he witnesses his father have sex with Eva. In this experience, the parent and child boundary becomes blurred. Karim is forced to understand that Haroon has desires that clash with his current familial responsibilities, and Karim is directly implicated. The same night as Haroon and Eva's affair, Karim has a sexual experience with Eva's son, Charlie. Charlie is a rockstar and lives a life that Karim aspires to—he's fashionable, talented, and popular. When the two share an intimate moment, Charlie's intrigue and illusion begin to fade—he is, after all, a regular person.
On Karim's journey, he continues to confront things that he once idealized only to realize that they are not as glamorous as he believed. Karim's entry into the theater world prompts him to realize that many influential directors, actors, and playwrights are power-hungry, racist, and narcissistic. While he enjoys acting and performing, there are many complicated social dynamics in the theater world that detract from the initial awe-inspiring element that Karim once held onto.
One of the final chapters of Karim's journey into adulthood occurs during his trip to New York. After Karim decides to stay in the city to work for Charlie, the two share an evening that changes the course of their relationship. Charlie has a dominatrix come to his home, and he forces Karim to watch as he is injured and made powerless. When Karim sees Charlie in this vulnerable position, Charlie's superstardom and Karim's own ambitions for fame fade. After this experience, Charlie is no longer an idol from Karim's youth. Karim makes the decision to move back to London and begin a new chapter of his life on his own terms.
The novel's final scene is a true full-circle moment. Gathered around the table are all of the people that Karim cares about, and he is able to recognize their respective personalities and choices. Even Karim's younger brother Allie, an essentially absent character throughout the novel, reemerges as a more well-rounded and mature figure with his own opinions. Ultimately, Karim is able to recognize his growth by reflecting upon the growth of the loved ones that surround him.
1970s Britain
The Buddha of Suburbia takes place throughout the decade of the 1970s. This period is popularly remembered as a time of crisis for the nation, characterized by stagflation, strikes, and power cuts. It's interesting that Karim comes of age in this decade, especially when considering the idealism and free love that so pointedly marked the 1960s. Karim's narration paints a picture of a distressed nation that, to a certain extent, mirrors his own inner turmoil.
Karim and his peers often vocalize their distrust of the government. As unemployment rates in the 1970s mounted, many youths were critical of the government's ability to fix the ever-growing problems faced by British citizens. In contrast to the depravity he depicts, Karim's personal anecdotes underscore his path of upward financial mobility. Jeeta and Anwar's grocery store fares well despite the economic crisis, and Eva is able to launch a successful interior design business. While none of Karim's close friends seem to struggle financially throughout the novel, he often discusses their encounters with racial violence, which he connects to Britain's swing towards conservatism throughout the decade.
In his narration, Karim mentions that Jeeta and Anwar have buckets of water available in case they are firebombed by racist attackers. Additionally, there is an omnipresent fear of the growing National Front, a far-right fascist political party that reached the height of its electoral support during the mid-1970s. During this time, the National Front capitalized on growing concern about South Asian migration to Britain, which often manifested in hate crimes and violent attacks. This group was responsible for the pig head that was thrown through Anwar's store window. In addition, people claiming to be from the National Front party attack Changez violently in the street.
The novel culminates in 1979, on the evening that Margaret Thatcher is elected as Prime Minister. Known as the Iron Lady, Thatcher is often remembered as a promoter of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility—she cut numerous welfare programs and other government-aid resources. It is no coincidence that Karim begins to double down on his own definitions of financial success and independence within this changing political environment.
The Generational "Trickle-Down" Effect
Throughout the novel, there are numerous references to generations and generational attitudes that predate and influence characters in the present. Although Mum is very seldom mentioned in the novel, there is one particular moment following her separation with Haroon in which Karim provides further insight into the difficulties (both personal and generational) that she has faced. He explains, "For Mum, life was fundamentally hell. You went blind, you got raped, people forgot your birthday, Nixon got elected, your husband fled with a blonde from Beckenham, and then you got old, you couldn't walk and you died. Nothing good could come of things here below." In this way, the reader can interpret how Mum's traumas have played out in her familial relationships.
Additionally, Karim discusses what he knows about Haroon's upbringing and relates it to his father's current behavior. Haroon was raised in an upper-class Indian family, and many of his responsibilities were diminished and instead delegated to servants and domestic workers. As an adult, Haroon is unable to care for himself in a way that Karim finds unrelatable. There is a certain air of entitlement and a level of immaturity that Haroon possesses, which perhaps manifests in his decision to leave Mum and the family. Ultimately, Haroon's behavior affects the generation that follows him—Karim and Allie.
Jamila is another character that struggles with a difference in generational attitudes. Similar to Haroon, Jamila's father, Anwar, was raised in an upper-class Indian household. The values that he holds onto are strongly rooted in the values of his generation and the generations that preceded him, and Jamila is far more critical and radical. Anwar has a very conventional and patriarchal understanding of family, and he wants Jamila to marry a man and quickly assume the role of a docile mother. It is ultimately up to Jamila to honor her father's wishes and attempt to reconcile the dissimilarities in their generational values.
Sex and Sexuality
Sex and sexuality are central themes in any coming-of-age story, and their prevalence in The Buddha of Suburbia is unquestionable. Kureishi often addresses these topics explicitly in order to break conventions and turn a somewhat "taboo" subject on its head. It's important to note that the author uses sex to mobilize characters to confront and navigate pertinent social class issues.
Haroon leaves his working-class wife for Eva, who is upper-middle class. Karim follows suit, developing a sexual relationship with the wealthy and bohemian Eleanor. As the novel continues, Karim struggles to define his sexual identity, though he seems relatively unbothered by his attraction to both men and women. This characterization challenges traditional views of masculinity and sexuality, perhaps reflecting the criticism of heteronormativity that was gaining momentum in the latter part of the 1970s. Sex is also an outlet for Karim to work out his social frustrations. He often describes sex with Helen as a way of having revenge against her racist father, while Karim's unpleasant sexual encounter with Pyke and his wife Marlene can be analyzed as an exploitation of power and cultural capital.
Ultimately, Kureishi represents sex as fluid and messy, thus underscoring how essential it is to the human experience.
