Homeland Elegies: A Novel

The novel comes full-circle to Ayad’s relationship with Professor Moroni. Upon visiting her as a guest speaker for one of her seminars, Ayad is accosted by a member of the Muslim student association who views him as an “arrogant asshole” (336) for daring to question why the group was involved in making pornographic videos to prove that South Asian men are well-endowed. Ayad faces heat on social media for this, many posts calling for him to return to Pakistan and take a “bullet in the head” (336).

Professor Moroni receives many emails from students demanding that she rescind her invitation to Ayad; however, her years in education taught her not to cave in to “cancel culture.” She remembers facing vitriol in the past over decisions to teach Twain, Emerson, and Whitman, all of whom faced criticism from modern students desirous to apply their modern worldview to classic texts. Though she initially saw these types of students as lacking in critical thinking skills, she now understands that the modern student faces a disparaging societal view: debt, record inflation, lack of opportunities, and struggles with anxiety and depression are ever present.

In response to the students’ emails, Professor Moroni advises them to read some of Ayad’s work and form their own impressions of him. However, this proves to be unnecessary: Someone posts superimposed photos of Ayad in front of the burning Twin Towers across campus, and the Muslim student association stands behind him in solidarity.

As Ayad speaks to Professor Moroni’s seminar class about the value of art as a vehicle to combat consumerism and politics, he remarks that “America ha[s] always evinced deep strains of anti-intellectualism” (342)—pointing out how caustic society can be to those who truly think instead of merely follow. A man in the audience is insulted by Ayad’s words and asks why he doesn’t leave America if he has so many problems with it. Though the students rise up in protest at the man’s bigotry, Ayad stops them. He responds that he is a born and raised American, and although America has its problems, he would never want to be anywhere else because it is home to him.