Themes
How is racial profiling and complex identity portrayed in Disgraced?
Racial profiling is used to show the impact of individuals lives who face racial prejudice. "A man, a waiter, looking at you… not seeing you. Not seeing who you really are” (Akhtar 7). Racial profiling is also used to help shape Amir’s identity which is a major theme of the play. Amir changing his name shows his complexity with his identity. "You know how much easier things are for me since I changed my name? It’s in the Quran. It says you can hide your religion if you have to” (Akhtar 13). Amir tends to experience this first hand which creates things like cultural and religious conflict between not just others but himself. "I had a meeting with a couple of the partners today... I’m in my office, red-lining a contract due at six. Steven comes in. With Jack. Sits down. Asks me where my parents were born” (Akhtar 33). Amir is also effected in the workplace by racial profiling which ultimately causes him to not be promoted over Jory.
How does symbolism occur within the novel?
This literary device is used through Emily’s painting, which embodies Amir in every aspect and is used to represent central themes in the novel. Amir was initially upset about the painting, commenting that “I know all men are not created equal” (Akhtar 7). His unwillingness to be a subject and being painted by Emily anyways already mirrors social power dynamics. Emily, white, is in control as the painter of Amir, a POC, who is forced into being painted as a slave. Even though Amir is proud and always argues with Emily as though he wants a divorce, they still stay together as Emily seems to want to stay in the relationship. Later, Isaac points out how Amir further embodies the painting at dinner. Amir works hard at his law firm to make lots of money and spends most of it on luxurious clothes, eagerly trying to impress his colleagues. Just like Amir in real life, his painting self is “adorned in the splendors of the world you’re now so clearly a part of,” that world being wealth and impressive status. However, Isaac points out how “the question remains. Of your place” (Akhtar 46). Despite Amir’s work ethic and determination to succeed, Isaac points out how Amir can never truly be seen as powerful due to his race. As a person of color, most others will racially profile him to some degree, beckoning the question of “his place” in society. Amir, no matter how hard he tries to break away from the assumptions that others will make about him from his race, can never be successful because of how deeply rooted the power dynamic is. Emily’s painting is set in stone, just like the assumptions people make about Amir. He finally realizes this at the end of the story, where he “takes a searching long look” (Akhtar 82) after Emily leaves. Even though he sacrificed so much to create a high-status life for himself, Amir still feels powerless and stuck at the bottom of society. He searched so long for validation, just for it all to be futile as he lost the law firm he worked so hard in and his wife.
What perspectives does Amir provide through his rough experiences with racism?
Amir is a key character in this story as he is the protagonist; he is a successful Pakistani-American lawyer living in New York City. "He’s always trying to prove he’s not just the Muslim guy. Like it’s a stain he has to wipe off” (Akhtar 18). Amir is seen as confident, ambitious, and career-driven. "Amir’s a man caught between worlds—never fully accepted by either side” (Akhtar 30). He often battles with finding his identity which is very central to his character and who he is in the story. "He’s denied partnership again. Because of his background, I’m sure” (Akhtar 41). He struggles throughout the story dealing with stereotypes and cultural background as he is heavily associated with religion.
What is the setting of the play?
The setting is a way for the author to express different ideas of his story throughout the book. In this case, Ayad uses the setting to express identity, prejudice, assimilation, and internalized conflict. The apartment represents how a neutral place has the ability to turn hostile that holds heated debates about religion, race, and politics. The setting also helps the reader have a understanding of certain characters current performance in life. For example, Amir and Emily’s apartment can reflect to the reader the amount of success they have gained professionally.
How can you as a student relation to Disgraced?
As students who have had to experience elementary, middle and high school, we of all people are very familiar with feeling torn in one's identity and the pressure to conform. To draw a parallel between us and Disgraced, Amir feels the same way in American society, changing his name and bending the truth about his place of birth in order to conform, or assimilate in the way he thinks he should. Amir also struggles with his own identity, rejecting parts of himself he doesn’t think American culture will except, much like many teens who change themselves in order to fit in better, but it only leads to failure, as so many of our peers have had to learn.
How are assimilation and hypocrisy revealed in Disgraced?
Amir attempts to assimilates into American society through changing his name and place of birth, as revealed through a conversation between him and Emily, stating that his boss asked Amir "'...where my parents are born.' 'Pakistan.' 'I said India.'" (Akhtar 35) which reveals how Amir is willing to lie about his origins, which is further highlighted when Emily points out "Amir. You changed your name too." (Akhtar 13). Despite all this, when Hussein changes his name to Abe, Amir refuses to acknowledge it stating “I’ve known you your whole life as Hussein. I’m not gonna start calling you Abe now.” when Abe asks Amir to show him the same respect Abe has shown Amir.
How does Akhtar utilize proper diction to manipulate main ideas efficiently?
Diction plays a crucial role in this story as it helps to shape the characters, themes, and overall setting and tone of the play. "It’s all a game. This performance of who we are. The identities we choose, the ones we hide” (Akhtar 19). Diction is used in the way how characters speak and interact with one another, reflecting their cultural background. An example of this is how Amir talks, he uses a sophisticated and formal tone when he talks which is an aspect of typical lawyers. "I’m trying to separate myself from the stereotype, from the history that follows him” (Akhtar 27). Diction is also used to help highlight the tension between characters and conflict. "I’m not the enemy. I’m just the convenient scapegoat in someone else’s war” (Akhtar 42).
How can Emily be seen as controversial?
Emily is a controversial character within Disgraced, treading the line of appreciation versus appropriation recklessly. Isaac even states that Emily will be “accused of … Orientalism.” (Akhtar 30) due to the fact she has a brown husband, and exclusively paints about the Islamic faith despite not being Islamic or experiencing Islamic culture herself. Emily also chooses to live in a world of idealism, describing Islam not by the impacts of it’s religion, but simply by the word the religion is meant to represent. For example, Emily states “I’ll grant you that the Quran sees humanity as stubborn and self interested - and it takes us to task for that. And I can’t say it’s wrong to do so.” (Akhtar 55), as seen, Emily can only see what the Quran was meant to do and meant to be, instead of seeing the negativity it may have created like many other faiths. Emily also cheats on her husband Amir with an art curator Isaac, and while Emily doesn’t necessarily jump to continue an affair, she also “doesn’t resist at first.” (Akhtar 68) which reveals her mixed emotions towards her husband, and what both Isaac and Amir represent.
What event causes Amir's career to be put in jeopardy?
The court case is used as a subtle yet effect catalyst for the main conflict of Disgraced, which stems from Amir being seen as two sided and being denied promotion and fired in his career. Because he is seen as defending an accused terrorist during the court case, Amir is prosecuted by those around him, and when he completely denies this support, he is seen as two faced and traitorous. This one court case also reveals Amir’s thoughts on Islam and those of the Islamic faith early on in the story, with Abe asking Amir to defend the Sheikh, and Amir refusing indirectly due to the man being Islamic.
How does Disgraced reflect cultural views?
Disgraced is certainly nuanced and isn’t shy to address controversial and taboo topics, like society today. Many young people face controversial issues by writing about and protesting against them, sometimes to just bring awareness to it. Akhtar does this, as Disgraced contains various topics like racial discrimination, cultural appropriation, and more. Like society today, there are still a lot of implicit biases against people of color that have almost been normalized with how common it is. Amir understands this, which is made clear when he “goes right to the agents and offers himself up” (Akhtar 55) at airports, knowing the potential danger he’s seen as by security. Furthermore, Amir’s “blush of pride” when talking about 9/11 brings up the dissonance between cultural roots and the country someone grew up in. Since immigration and loyalty is still a sensitive topic, there is still fear amongst immigrants of admitting they’re still loyal to their home country. It’s been routinely shown in the past: Japanese internment camps, German Americans during WWII, and lately Middle Eastern citizens. Disgraced braves that fear and highlights the notion that moving to another country isn’t as simple as getting there physically; rather, there comes a huge mental shift which many people may never fully complete, tied to both their past and future lives.
How is the pursuit of success and validation related to Disgraced?
This theme is explored through Amir and Emily. Amir wants to prove to himself and others that he can make it as a successful lawyer, but to do that, he feels he has to separate from his cultural identity. Thus, he feels enraged and at a loss when he reads in the newspaper that “Amir Kapoor supported the imam…” (Akhtar 24). Sacrificing even his morals for success, Amir creates a standoffish and almost ignorant persona as a lawyer. He hyper focuses on climbing higher, as seen when he explains to Jory that their bosses are “always going to remind us that we were just invited to the party” (Akhtar 41). Both him and her are POCs, so believing that they can never climb higher shows Amir’s narrow view of social ladders and racism. Amir’s determination to separate himself from Islam causes his downfall, as he’s so fixated on being as white-passing as possible that he fails to realize how other people see his actions. He thinks his shortcomings are because of his race and racial profiling from others, as he shouted “about how if the imam had been a rabbi, Steven wouldn’t have cared” (Akhtar 69). However, he finally discovers that his bosses are not pleased with how proud he’s become: instead, they think of him as “duplicitous” and “impossible to trust” (Akhtar 73). Thus, by trying too hard to feel validated by those around him in hopes of gaining more success, Amir has really been digging himself a deeper hole of hatred: disdain from those around him and a deep hatred towards himself.
Why would this book be or not be appealing to others?
I would not recommend this book for others because although there were some very sensitive societal topics discussed, there weren't enough events in the book to fully reveal the characters personalities towards the problems as well as how their backgrounds influence their opinions. This book may be appealing to those who prefer to read shorter novels with only containing 80 pages as it successfully explores themes of racism, stereotypes, discrimination, and religious identity; however, through the straightforward dialogue of the characters and lack of background depth for the reader, it felt unresolved as the motifs were only introduced in the dinner party scene. Also, I expected such a moving novel to challenge racial stereotypes instead of reinforcing them, like when Amir claimed to be proud of the events of 9/11 (Akhtar 62). As one of the main statements in this book, it would be more impactful for readers to see Amir's conflict with his identity through a discussion instead of a simple claim of being proud of his heritage at that moment.
How does Isaacs internal racism impact the dinner scene?
Isaac is an educated character who immerses himself with different cultures and confirms his Muslim appropriation, “I've been reading Rumi” (Akhtar 52), yet his exposure to diverse perspectives still fails to take into account his subconscious biases installed by his community. His comments toward Amir show the discomfort in his opinions, “you’re full of self loathing ” (Akhtar 61), as he compares Amir’s personality during the conversation to the text within the Quran. Using his current understanding of Muslim history, he tries to prove himself worthy of arguing Amir’s perspective on the discrimination he faces, “You've been patronizing me this whole conversation. You don't like organized religion?...You have a particular antipathy for the one religion you were born into? Fine.” (Akhtar 65), however he doesn't realize the severity of the racism that Amir has endured. Referring to how worthless Amir is in his personal life apart from not being able to hold the promotion which Jory was more capable of, “You’re married to a man who feels a blush when Ahmadinejad talks about wiping Jews into the ocean.” (Akhtar 69), Isaac believes that his extremist views are far from his own, but the hidden bias within Isaac illustrates that all members of society are capable of projecting their prejudice and being a part of the problem.
What happened at the end of the dinner party?
Amir beat Emily. Not only does this event accentuate how Amir’s image regressed throughout the story, but it brings to light his increased vulgarness too. Throughout the story, Amir was disrespected by many people because of his ethnicity: his coworkers, bosses, wife, and wife’s friends. Despite being upset with it, Amir stuck it out because he believed that he could prove to everyone that he could successfully become the American businessman he wanted to be despite his cultural background. However, his effort wasn’t enough to save his disintegrating image, and his breaking point was reached when he hit Emily with “uncontrolled violence as brutal as it needs to be in order to convey the discharge of a lifetime of discreetly building resentment” (Akhtar 75). Amir beating Emily symbolizes not only him at an all time low, but also the radical views some people have of Islam that he cynically claimed they should go back to since she likes Islam so much. He proves the suspicions people have of him because of his ethnicity, as slipping up as a person who’s already assumed to be dangerous is a sure way to cause permanent damage to one’s image and reputation. Especially since the beating was foreshadowed earlier when Amir brings up a Quran passage saying that if wives “don’t obey…talk to them. And if that doesn’t work…beat them” (Akhtar 58) in a sardonic means of explaining why he doesn’t associate with Islam anymore, his “torrent of rage” (Akhtar 75) proves in a way that people can never truly detach from their culture and origin.
What personal experiences set Akhtar on the path to writing this novel?
Ayad Akhtar was born in New York, NY in 1970. His love for writing began in high school as his english teacher was the one who triggered it. He says that she triggered his love for writing and calls her his mentor for this reason. Ayad went to Brown University and Columbia University, majoring in theater and religion. After college, Ayad worked as an actor in the film industry and later transferred into writing. He produced his first novel in 2012 named “American Dervish”.
Where do cycles of hatred and oppression occur in Disgraced?
A prominent pattern seen within many immigrant families is the repetition of actions, both good and bad, which are shown to people of other races. This was clearly presented in the novel through the relationship of Amir and his mother toward Jews in a negative manner. Even when he was young, Amirs views of the Jewish culture were heavily skewed negatively due to his mothers negative viewpoint. A negative personal opinion is one thing, but to a young child who is easily influenced by his parents, her action of “But she knew the name was Jewish…Then she spat in my face” (Akhtar 16) triggered something in Amir which he would carry on with him into the future. Due to their heritage of being Pakistani and Muslim, the ongoing conflict with Israel and Jews clearly set certain expectations for Amir’s mother which she carried onto her son. Although she may have had the intentions to protect him from harm and violence by staying cautious of any groups which have targeted their nation previously, this tactic clearly did not work and instead only carried on the same toxic mindset of discrimination onto Amir’s adulthood. When in a tense situation that was centered around his race and religious views being ridiculed by Isaac, his immediate reaction was “Amir spits in Isaac’s face” (Akhtar 73), showing a deep disgust and disregard towards the views of Jews, marking Isaac as insignificant in Amir’s eyes. On the other hand, suggesting he internally agrees with the stereotype of “There's a reason why they call you people animals” (Akhtar 73), showing his perspective racism toward Muslims, specifically Amir.
Is the author effective at conveying their message?
I believe Ayad Akhtar is very effective at conveying their message, doing so through repetition of themes and events rather than simple statements. Using intimate relationships in a one room setting to create heightened tensions between characters, Akhtar explores taboo themes other writers aren’t willing to explore such as racism, nationalism, appropriation, and identity. Through characters such as Emily, Abe, Amir, and Isaac, these motifs are demonstrated and we are able to observe the effect of pride and dissonance on each character, effectively communicating Ayad’s message of identity and assimilation.
How does the title of the novel connect to characters?
The book title can be connected to many of the characters, whether they disgraced others or were the ones who have been disgraced. Amir disgraced his culture several times throughout the novel by not associating with it and not helping others because of their cultural background. He initially refused to defend someone because they were Muslim, claiming that he’s “not one of his own people” (Akhtar 21). Communities are meant to support each other, and even though Amir and the prisoner were both from the same cultural community,, Amir chooses to disgrace him to save his own reputation. Thus, when he eventually does defend im in court, he’s enraged when the newspaper frames Amir as “supporting his defiant tone” because “the man’s basically an alleged terrorist” (Akhtar 24). Amir did the right thing by acting as his lawyer, as the prisoner needed someone to defend him in court. However, Amir’s frustration of the article and bold assumptions of how others will interpret it shows how quick Amir is to disrespect his own culture if it means being accepted by other races. Abe points out the futility of Amir’s determination to separate himself from his culture, pointing out that the people Amir want to impress so bad “just think [he] hates himself” (Akhtar 84). Rather than finding comfort in his own community, he chooses to “turn on [his] own people” (Akhtar 84). His choice to turn on his people instead of embracing his culture deepens the hatred not only he has for his culture, but the hatred other people have to. After all, seeing someone of their own culture wanting to remove themselves from it only encourages to view that culture with the same disdain.
What affect does marginalization have on those who experience it in the US?
Not only does this event accentuate how Amir’s image regressed throughout the story, but it brings to light his increased vulgarness too. Throughout the story, Amir was disrespected by many people because of his ethnicity: his coworkers, bosses, wife, and wife’s friends. Despite being upset with it, Amir stuck it out because he believed that he could prove to everyone that he could successfully become the American businessman he wanted to be despite his cultural background. However, his effort wasn’t enough to save his disintegrating image, and his breaking point was reached when he hit Emily with “uncontrolled violence as brutal as it needs to be in order to convey the discharge of a lifetime of discreetly building resentment” (Akhtar 75). Amir beating Emily symbolizes not only him at an all time low, but also the radical views some people have of Islam that he cynically claimed they should go back to since she likes Islam so much. He proves the suspicions people have of him because of his ethnicity, as slipping up as a person who’s already assumed to be dangerous is a sure way to cause permanent damage to one’s image and reputation. Especially since the beating was foreshadowed earlier when Amir brings up a Quran passage saying that if wives “don’t obey…talk to them. And if that doesn’t work…beat them” (Akhtar 58) in a sardonic means of explaining why he doesn’t associate with Islam anymore, his “torrent of rage” (Akhtar 75) proves in a way that people can never truly detach from their culture and origin.
Who is this text meant to have an impact on?
The audience for this novel Disgraced is a reflection of post 9/11 American society which makes it a suitable read for all ages. The theme of stereotypes should be explored by all people as it is important to reflect on important personal views and values at all ages and evaluate what one should be expressing toward others in society. Discussion about roles in society as well as injustice toward certain targeted groups should be facilitated by all ages as it can be passed down by generations, causing harm toward young kids from the previous mindsets of their parents. Apart from centering discussion on religious and racial stereotypes of the Middle Eastern and Israeli conflict, Akhtar touches on sexism, “White women have no self respect” (Akhtar 17) to broaden the audience and allow readers to be able to relate to the discrimination placed among the characters as well as how it pushes them to complete the actions they have. Incorporating gender justice issues, “What Muslims around the world say about white women” (Akhtar 18), Akhtar successfully captured a fresh perspective of how people can be affected by not only their race but also their gender, worsening the overall problem even further.