In response to Diana's post on the target audience of "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"

Perhaps Mohsin chose to focus on America because of the role America has played on the world stage since 9/11. I'm not incredibly well-versed in international politics, but America has been following its own agenda in direct opposition to the UN for quite some time now, and that seems to be the main thrust of the symbolism behind Erica and her writing. To clarify, Erica disregards Changez, doesn't even mention him in her work, and instead chooses to focus on the craft of writing itself by creating detailed portraits of crayfish and leaves. Her motives are self-centered; her writing is an outlet to improve her abilities as a writer, not an attempt to cope with the loss of Chris. To illustrate the symbolic parallel that I think Hamid is making, America (Erica) has used 9/11 (Chris' death) and the guise of a "war on terror" (writing as a way to cope with the pain of losing Chris) to pursue other political agendas abroad (crayfish and leaves). America (Erica) simultaneously entertains and disregards countries like Pakistan (Changez) that can serve its (her) political (emotional) needs, all the while using 9/11 (Chris' death) as a justification for unjust behavior.