Terrorist (novel)
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| Author | John Updike |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Philisophical, War |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Released | 2006 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardcover) and (audio-CD) |
| Pages | 310 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-307-26465-3 |
Terrorist is the 22nd novel written by lauded author John Updike. The story revolves around two protagonists; a radical Islamist teenager named Ahmad Ashmawy Malloy and his Guidance Counselor Jack Levy. The novel seeks to explore the paradigm and motivation of religious fundamentalists (specifically Islam) while at the same time dissecting the lament of morals and chastity in the fictional New Jersey suburb of "New Prospect".
[edit] Plot Summary
Terrorist begins with a brief monologue by Ahmad on the condition of the American youth vibrating in the halls of his High-School. He gets into a fight with an older boy named Tylenol who thinks Ahmad is flirting with his girlfriend Joryleen. While Ahmad does have sexual impulses towards the girl he represses them as his religion instructs. After a brief altercation with Tylenol, Ahmad retreats to his mosque (which is located in an abandoned dance studio above a bail bonds office) to study the Qu'ran with his imam Shaihk Rashid. Ahmad believes his conviction to be stronger than that of his teacher because of the Shaikh's tendency to interpret the Prophet’s suras as allegory. After the session Ahmad returns home where he lives with his mother Teresa Malloy. Teresa is a third generation Irish-American woman who, while raised catholic, has abandoned her religious beliefs and because of her religious infidelity she has become one of the many objects of Ahmad's hatred. Ahmad instead idolizes his absent father, an Egyptian immigrant who abandoned him and his mother when Ahmad was three years old.
A few days later Ahmad meets with his guidance counselor Jack Levy. Levy is an American Jew who has abandoned practicing his religion yet (as many characters in the novel note) still maintains the stereotypical Jewish stoicism and depression. Like Ahmad, Jack notices the decline of morals and optimism in their neighborhood and seeks an attachment to something larger than himself.
[edit] Character List
- Ahmad Ashmway Malloy-A 18 year old radical islamst who seeks jihad and to follow the "Straight Path". After taking the voke courses in high school, Ahmad is hired as a truck driver for Excellency Home Furnishings. He is coerced by his mentor and friend Charlie into driving a truck and detonating a massive explosive device in the Lincoln tunnel in the name of Allah.
- Teresa Malloy-Ahmad's secular liberal mother whose laissez-faire parenting style allows her son's blinding religious fanaticism to fester inside him and eventually erupt. Teresa has an affair with Jack Levy which lasts roughly three months.
- Jack Levy-A Guidance Counselor at New Prospect High School who strives to get Ahmad enrolled in community college. Jack Levy represents to typical Updikian character of a middle class American who futilely attempts to escape his mundane prison of daily life.
- Beth Levy-Jack's overweight wife who has become a constant reminder of Jack's own mediocrity.
- Charlie Chehab-Ahmad's partner at Excellency Home Furnishings who recruits him for a bombing plot.
- Shaihk Rashid-Ahmad's imam and mentor. He secures him the job at Excellency and manipulates him into assisting in a bombing plot.
- Hermione Fogel-Beth's sister who works as an assistant to the chairman of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
