Themes

Growing up 

One of the themes of the excerpt from the novel How to get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid is growing up.

The narrator starts out the story as an inexperienced teenager. When the pretty girl tells him that he is skinny, he protests that he is strong, highlighting his insecurity about his appearance. The pretty girl replies that they are both strong, which confuses the narrator. In his mind, he cannot be both skinny and strong. It does not occur to him that the pretty girl may refer to mental strength, as well as physical strength. This shows that he is still immature and naïve. 

The narrator is in love with the pretty girl but makes no move to befriend her. He is insecure about his lack of experience and afraid to say the wrong thing. He also lacks confidence in his appearance. He is concerned that he does not look strong like his neighbor, who is a former bodybuilder. This shows that he is not yet comfortable in his own skin and looks to others for inspiration. 

Gradually, the narrator begins to discover himself more, under the guidance of the pretty girl. He makes up stories to please her and discovers his own assets, such as the imagination and creativity to make up stories. The relationsh...