Ahmad Ashmawy Mulloy and the American Image of ‘Terrorist’

            As I began reading John Updike’s Terrorist over the weekend I was quite disappointed to be faced with many common stereotypical descriptions and definitions of what many Americans think of as a terrorist in this day and age. John Updike’s novel looks to give insight into the life of an Muslim American high school student, born in the United States, who has become distraught with what he finds to be the corrupt American society. While Ahmad is described as an angry, isolated student fully engulfed in his Muslim faith, fitting within the American definition of a terrorist, Updike also seemingly also manages to describe Ahmad as an outcast American teenager. I was surprised to see both of these caricatures describe the same person. Ahmad is looked negatively upon and seen as different despite his American roots because of his devotion to Islam, yet he could also be potentially sympathized with because of his struggle to be accepted by his peers and his feelings of being divided over his beliefs and his desires. These two conflicting images stuck out to me as I began to feel that perhaps Updike’s novel might be looking to go beyond simple stereotypes that fit within pre-existing societal beliefs.

            Rereading through some of the opening sections of the book I discovered how much Updike seems to feed into the stereotypical American definition of what makes a terrorist. Ahmad uses extreme language in regards to everyone else describing his classmates as “devils” who want to take away his God and criticizes many of the young woman who go to his high school for being promiscuous and dressing in a provocative manner (p. 3). Ahmad also is very involved in his Islamic faith; he is learning Arabic and constantly quotes ideas that the Koran promotes. For example, before attending his guidance meeting he comments that guidance should only come from Allah. Even adults are surprised by how prim and proper Ahmad is and how he dresses in stark white shirts and black pants (p. 34). These ideas of devoted Muslims who hate America and feel different and hateful towards Americans are just some of the stereotypical definitions that have come to define a terrorist in this day and age. Updike seems to just embody these ideas in Ahmad to make his novel fit with societal expectations.

            Yet, upon further analysis and based off of what we mentioned briefly in class today, I can only question whether Updike writes based off of his own beliefs in this stereotypical image or if this caricature is only a bigger comment on America in the post 9/11 period. Updike continually is understood as critiquing American society; he negatively comments upon the breakdown of cities, the disillusioned youth and the disintegration of traditional marriage. Thus, I can only wonder if Updike is almost commenting upon America’s disturbing and somewhat newly formed fear of terrorism by creating a character so that fits within these stereotypes. Updike seems to be attempting to show the American public the ridiculousness of such a fear and attempting to get his readers to question their assumptions. This novel either feeds directly into the orientalist discourse or it looks to critic how common these assumptions are made in the age of fear that has only continued to grow in the 21^st century.