![]() Amir, growing agitated, asks Isaac if he’s ever read the Qur’an. Isaac says that the problem isn’t Islam itself, but its political agenda. Emily thinks that the authorities are trying hard not to be racist, and she and Isaac scold Amir for being passive-aggressive. He usually volunteers to be searched to avoid being racially profiled. The conversation pivots to Isaac’s upcoming trip to India, and Amir admits that he finds airport security awful. Amir prefers Emily’s earlier work, which didn’t use Islamic imagery, but Isaac doesn’t think that’s a lucrative direction for Emily’s career. Isaac shares the news that he’s going to feature Emily’s art in his show-he thinks that her use of Islamic patterns is innovative and important, and that she has a bright future ahead. In the middle of this conversation, Isaac and his wife Jory (Amir’s work colleague) arrive early for a dinner party. Amir is terrified about his future at the firm, but Emily still thinks that Amir is being ridiculous. When Emily asks what’s wrong, he tells her that his boss read the newspaper article, ran a background check on Amir, and discovered that Amir’s changed his last name from Abdullah (an Arabic Muslim name) to Kapoor (an Indian Hindu name). Suddenly, he throws his glass on the ground, smashing it. Three months later, Amir is drinking on the apartment terrace as he seethes with anger. However, he still thinks that people will accuse her of Orientalism (depicting non-Western cultures in a patronizing, exploitative way). Isaac originally suggested that it was inappropriate for a non-Muslim person to use Islamic imagery, but he changed his mind after reading a review praising Emily’s work. Just then, an art curator named Isaac arrives to look at Emily’s paintings, many of which feature Islamic patterns. Amir angrily leaves the room and slams around their bedroom. Amir is distraught that this article will threaten his career, but Emily thinks he’s overreacting. The newspaper article makes it sound like Amir was legally representing the imam, even though he was only commenting on the case. Two weeks later, Emily reads aloud from a newspaper article that quotes Amir as supporting Imam Fareed. Emily says that Imam Fareed needs his own people around him, but Amir doesn’t feel like one of those people. He thinks that he was right to renounce his faith years ago. ![]() This led Amir to spit on the girl the next time he saw her. Amir doesn’t think much of Islam-he tells Emily and Abe about a time when his mother spat on him because he had a crush on a Jewish girl at school. Emily urges Amir to help, which agitates him. Now, he wants Amir to help Imam Fareed, a Muslim cleric who’s been wrongfully charged with funding the terrorist organization Hamas with the charity money he collected for his mosque. Abe changed his name from Hussein to Abe Jensen to make his life easier after he moved to the United States. He imagines himself making partner and seeing his name above the firm’s door-even if that name is “Kapoor” instead of his real last name.Īmir’s nephew Abe arrives at the apartment. Amir, who’s a high-powered attorney, takes a work call while he poses for Emily. She’s painting him in the image of a Diego Velázquez painting of his former slave, dressed to show that he’s now rich-though Amir finds it unsettling that Emily is portraying him this way. In summer 2011, in an upscale apartment on New York’s Upper East side, Emily (who’s white) sketches a portrait of her husband Amir (who’s South Asian).
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