How Does Diaz's Sentiment Exude Love And Compassion?

Junot Diaz once said, “If you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves” (“Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Junot Diaz Tells Students His Story,”2009). Does Diaz’ sentiment exude love and compassion? The answer to this would probably be highly contentious. Interestingly, in Moshin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the narrator, Changez, echoes a similar sentiment when he says, “ It seemed to me- then- and to be honest, sir, seems to me still- that America was engaging only in posturing. As a society, you were unwilling to reflect upon the shared pain that united you with those who attacked you. You retreated into myths of your own difference, assumptions of your own superiority
[…] such an America had to be stopped in the interests not only of the rest of humanity, but also in your own” (Hamid 167-168). To the American stranger, whom I believe to be a symbol of American patriotism, Changez’ remarks are disrespectful, caustic, gratuitous and anti-American. However, in the beginning of the dramatic monologue, Changez says, “I am a lover of America” (Hamid 1). How can these two seemingly diametrically opposed statements be reconciled? We must bear in mind that when Changez proclaims his love for America, he has already experienced feelings of love, indifference, heartbreak and betrayal. America’s capacity to bless him with opportunities was equally matched with her ability to rob him of them.
In other words, he has experienced America’s penchant to intoxicate him with American exceptionalism. But, over time, this same American exceptionalism sobered him, and his soberness is evidenced by the following: I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time I was struck by its determination to look back” (Hamid 115). Whilst some may view his critical statements of America as hateful anti-American statements, I would postulate that his statements are actually pro-American and abounds with love. Whilst Changez recounts the events of his life, we get a sense of Changez’ appreciation for the promise America gave him, from receiving a tier one education at Princeton University, to becoming an analyst at Underwood Samson and enjoying a love with Erica; it was in America that he could enjoy the freedoms that were not necessarily available to him in Pakistan. So, when Changez criticizes America, he does not seek to deprecate and demonize America to spite her. Furthermore, his criticisms of the shortcomings of America doesn’t mean that he is anti-American. In actuality, it is through his admonitions of America, that he shows his love and devotion to America because he wants America to be a better version of
herself . But, the individual who seeks for America to continue in an insidious deterioration of humanity bestows the “deceitful kisses of an enemy” (New International Version, Prov. 27.6). In essence, Changez demonstrates that he is pro-American and is, indeed, a lover of America because his criticisms seek to cauterize the cancer of American exceptionalism, in hopes that it will heal her.