Characters

Greetings from Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor introduces a large number of characters. The main character is Sarfraz Manzoor, who presents events that cover three decades of his life in Britain. The narrative is told in the first person by Sarfraz so that readers get to understand his experiences and his struggle to find his identity as a British Pakistani. The relationships that Sarfraz has with the rest of the characters change over time and help shape his identity.

One of the most important characters is Mohammed Manzoor, Sarfraz’s father, to whom Sarfraz dedicates the memoir posthumously. Feeling that he has spent his life rejecting his father and his beliefs, Sarfraz uses his memoir as a way of reconnecting with his father and understanding his legacy.

 Rasool Bibi, Sarfraz’s mother, is another important character in the book. She is portrayed as a hardworking and religious woman, who loves her children. Sarfraz’s relationship with his mother becomes tense after his father’s death when she has a stroke and Sarfraz chooses to live away from his family. 

Amolak – Sarfraz’s best friend – plays an important role in the memoir as he is the one who introduces Sarfraz to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Amolak is Sikh but shares many of his best friend’s interests and concerns despite the cultural differences between him and Sarfraz.

Sarfraz’s siblings – Navela, Sohail, and Uzma – are other characters who shape his life. The memoir particularly focuses on the different expectations that Pakistani families have from boys and girls, and on the impact of Pakistani traditions on Sarfraz’s siblings.