Estimated Reading Time: 11 min
My Son the Fanatic MCQs
1. What initially bewildered Parvez about Ali’s room?
A. It was covered in religious texts.
B. It was becoming surprisingly neat.
C. It was full of new friends.
D. It was locked constantly.
2. What items did Parvez find in a torn bag by the dustbin?
A. Cash and envelopes.
B. Old alcohol bottles.
C. Torn religious scriptures.
D. Old toys and computer disks.
3. What relationship did Ali end abruptly a few months prior?
A. His taxi driver friendships.
B. His mother’s friendship.
C. His college tutoring.
D. His English girlfriend.
4. What did Ali stop playing, saying, ‘There are more important things to be done’?
A. His video games.
B. His guitar.
C. His sound system.
D. His computer.
5. What profession had Parvez paid for Ali to pursue?
A. A doctor.
B. An accountant.
C. A lawyer.
D. A politician.
6. What items were removed from the ‘unhappy walls’ of Ali’s room?
A. Posters of pop stars.
B. Religious paintings.
C. Ali’s pictures.
D. College certificates.
7. Why was Parvez initially unable to discuss Ali with his Punjabi friends?
A. He felt they would not care.
B. He feared they would report Ali.
C. He was ashamed and feared blame.
D. They were too busy working.
8. The cabbies initially guessed Ali’s strange behavior was due to:
A. Joining a political gang.
B. Taking drugs and selling.
C. Secretly planning marriage.
D. Moving abroad.
9. Parvez’s friends advised him to watch Ali scrupulously and then be:
A. Understanding.
B. Severe with him.
C. Patient.
D. Silent.
10. What is Bettina’s profession?
A. A nurse.
B. A waitress.
C. A próstitute (‘brass’).
D. A taxi dispatcher.
11. How long had Parvez known Bettina?
A. Six months.
B. One year.
C. Three years.
D. Five years.
12. According to Bettina, what specific features should Parvez check for drug use?
A. Weight loss.
B. Bloodshot/dilated pupils.
C. Constant thirst.
D. New scars.
13. After observation, Parvez noted Ali was healthy but was also growing a:
A. Moustache.
B. Beard.
C. Long hair.
D. Taller.
14. Parvez and Bettina abandoned the drug theory because Ali was disposing of things by:
A. Selling them for high prices.
B. Secretly packing them.
C. Giving away/donating/throwing out.
D. Burning them in the garden.
15. What sound did Parvez hear coming from Ali’s room through the door crack?
A. Singing.
B. Muttering sound.
C. Loud music.
D. Crying.
16. How often did Parvez discover Ali praying when he was home?
A. Once a day.
B. Twice a day.
C. Five times a day.
D. Seven times a day.
17. The religious teacher kept young Parvez awake while studying the Koran by:
A. Whipping his hand.
B. Tying string to his hair.
C. Making him stand.
D. Using cold water.
18. When Parvez took Ali out, what did the waiter bring Parvez as his ‘usual’?
A. Beer.
B. Wine.
C. Whisky and water.
D. Coffee.
19. What forbidden food did Ali accuse Parvez of relishing for breakfast?
A. Beef burgers.
B. Lamb kidneys.
C. Pork pies with fried bread.
D. Spicy curries.
20. Ali’s central accusation was that Parvez was too implicated in what?
A. Money-making schemes.
B. Indian politics.
C. Western civilisation.
D. The taxi office.
21. Ali claimed that the ‘skin of the infidel’ would do what?
A. Be reformed.
B. Be cleansed.
C. Burn off again and again.
D. Turn pale and wither.
22. If the ‘persecution doesn’t stop,’ Ali claimed he and millions would gladly give their lives for:
A. Their education.
B. Their parents.
C. The city of Lahore.
D. The cause (Jihad).
23. Ali sarcastically claimed he quit accountancy because Western education fosters this attitude:
A. Capitalist.
B. Materialist.
C. Anti-religious.
D. Secular.
24. Which forbidden Islamic practice did Ali say was usual in the world of accountants?
A. Gambling.
B. Usury (lending money at interest).
C. Stealing.
D. Lying.
25. Where did Ali intend to start working instead of pursuing accountancy?
A. The taxi office.
B. In a bank overseas.
C. Prisons, with poor Muslims.
D. A local school.
26. What did Ali question his father about having, when Ali was going to bed?
A. A clean shirt.
B. A beard or moustache.
C. A new prayer mat.
D. Enough money.
27. What was Parvez’s haltingly stated core philosophy, which momentarily affected Ali?
A. Loving God above all.
B. Treating one another with respect.
C. Earning wealth is freedom.
D. Dying means rotting in earth.
28. What gesture by Bettina triggered Ali’s look of ‘cold fury’ in the taxi?
A. She spoke to him rudely.
B. She criticized his devotion.
C. She laid her hand on Parvez’s shoulder.
D. She offered him a cigarette.
29. Parvez dreamed Ali would get a good job, marry the right girl, and:
A. Move back to Lahore.
B. Become a Muslim scholar.
C. Start a family.
D. Buy his own cab.
30. What happened immediately after Ali told Parvez, ‘So who’s the fanatic now?’
A. Parvez drove the car home.
B. Parvez ordered Ali out of the cab.
C. Parvez began to cry.
D. Parvez beat Ali savagely.
Brief Overview
My Son the Fanatic is a short story by Hanif Kureishi. It explores the conflicts between a traditional Pakistani father and his son who embraces a strict form of Islam. The story is set in a small, northern English town.
Parvez is the father. He is a secular man who has worked hard to live a comfortable English life. He is a taxi driver who enjoys Western music, drinking, and dating an English próstitute named Bettina. He is proud that his son, Ali, is getting a good education.
The story begins as Parvez notices a sudden, disturbing change in Ali. Ali gives away his Western clothes and records. He quits his studies, grows a beard, and becomes intensely serious about his religion, constantly criticizing his father’s lifestyle as sinful.
Parvez is afraid that his son has become involved in drugs or crime. He asks Bettina and his friends for advice, and they conclude that Ali is simply becoming a fanatic. Parvez struggles to understand why Ali would reject the freedom and opportunities he worked so hard to provide.
The climax occurs when Parvez and Ali have a huge, violent argument. Parvez tries to force his son back to the old ways physically, but Ali strikes him. Parvez finally realizes he cannot connect with his son. The story ends with Parvez weeping as Ali stands over him, silently judging his father.
