A Study Of Ahmad As "The Other" In John Updike's Terrorist

The impact of 911 event not only has an everlasting impact on American society,but greatly influences the literary creations in America. As a response to 911 attack,John Updike wrote Terrorist, which describes an American teenager Ahmad who under the pressure of the rejection from the mainstream society and bewitched by some religious extremists, fosters firm belief in Islam and becomes a truck driver,intent to launch an attack on Lincoln Tunnel in New York. This thesis studies Ahmad's special status of being "the other" in terms of ethnicity, religion and portraits of terrorists, with an emphasis on an analysis of the growth of Ahmad, as well as on the subtle change of his mind. Through an exploration of American people's polarized concern for "others", this thesis also discusses Updike's divergence from the mainstream American thoughts as well as his subtle criticism towards American society.