The Right Passengers
The Right Passengers
Integration is an important issue in contemporary politics all around the world. Integration entails issues such as, who and how many should be let into the country, how does these people feel most welcome and, to which degree do they have to adapt the new lifestyle they’re facing. Furthermore, integration leads to a lot of prejudices and lack of understanding from the surroundings as well as of the surroundings. These main issues lead thoroughly to the themes: integration, adaption and prejudices, which Waqar Ahmed depicts in his short story “The Right Passengers” (2008).
The title of the short story, “The Right Passengers”, is mentioned in the text, where Nadeem Riaz is looking for ‘the right passengers’ that will make up for the time he has spent not picking up passengers. He is therefore referring to the wealthy people as being the right passengers. The Pakistani guy, Faisal, he picks up shows to be the right passenger for Nadeem Riaz to get another perspective of his issue with integration.
The title can also relate to one of the big issues integration leads to: who are “the right passengers” to let into the country - if those even exist? Having the society’s best interest at heart is a common thing for each country. Therefor are immigrants, who can contribute with something to the society, the preferable ones and perhaps even called the right passengers (immigrants).
The story takes place on Manhattan’s so called ‘Meatpacking District’, where mostly wealthy people live. The whole story takes place in Nadeem Riaz’s taxi, and lasts for a couple of hours - starting of past midnight. Nadeem Riaz’s occupation indicates that he is from the lower social class – hence, he is out of his comfort zone, by driving around the Meatpacking District. Manhattan symbolises the outside world, which Nadeem Riaz has been cut off from and does not belong to. Other symbolism, like the taxi, portrays Nadeem Riaz’s distance to the outside world.
Integration is an important issue in contemporary politics all around the world. Integration entails issues such as, who and how many should be let into the country, how does these people feel most welcome and, to which degree do they have to adapt the new lifestyle they’re facing. Furthermore, integration leads to a lot of prejudices and lack of understanding from the surroundings as well as of the surroundings. These main issues lead thoroughly to the themes: integration, adaption and prejudices, which Waqar Ahmed depicts in his short story “The Right Passengers” (2008).
The title of the short story, “The Right Passengers”, is mentioned in the text, where Nadeem Riaz is looking for ‘the right passengers’ that will make up for the time he has spent not picking up passengers. He is therefore referring to the wealthy people as being the right passengers. The Pakistani guy, Faisal, he picks up shows to be the right passenger for Nadeem Riaz to get another perspective of his issue with integration.
The title can also relate to one of the big issues integration leads to: who are “the right passengers” to let into the country - if those even exist? Having the society’s best interest at heart is a common thing for each country. Therefor are immigrants, who can contribute with something to the society, the preferable ones and perhaps even called the right passengers (immigrants).
The story takes place on Manhattan’s so called ‘Meatpacking District’, where mostly wealthy people live. The whole story takes place in Nadeem Riaz’s taxi, and lasts for a couple of hours - starting of past midnight. Nadeem Riaz’s occupation indicates that he is from the lower social class – hence, he is out of his comfort zone, by driving around the Meatpacking District. Manhattan symbolises the outside world, which Nadeem Riaz has been cut off from and does not belong to. Other symbolism, like the taxi, portrays Nadeem Riaz’s distance to the outside world.