The Buddha of Suburbia: Part 1, Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis

Karim cycles madly through London, thinking he's ready to retire. He thinks about school and how the teachers believe the students can't deal with books. Karim regularly comes home covered in spit or with another boy's urine on his shoes, and he feels fed up with everything. Karim thinks of what Jamila might do. He thinks that Eva is the only objective person he could talk to about this, but he reasons that he's supposed to hate her for ruining his family.

Karim wonders why Anwar is literally staking his life on Muslim beliefs, when he's never seemed very Muslim. Karim wonders if Dad's move towards Buddhism is at all similar, and he thinks that both men seem to be returning internally to India. Suddenly, Karim thinks he sees Dad trying to make a phone call from a public phone. When Dad hangs up, he notices Karim approaching. Karim asks after Eva, and Dad affirms he was talking to her. Karim asks if Dad is in love with Eva. Dad tries to sidestep the question, but looks distraught when Karim asks if he's going to leave his family for Eva. Dad only says that he's feeling things he's never felt before, and feels as though he misses Eva whenever they're not together.

Dad confides that Eva is seeing other men, specifically Shadwell, whom she believes is going to be a wildly successful theatre director. Karim insists that Eva is blackmailing Dad by telling him she's seeing other men, but asks if Dad has told Mum everything. Dad admits that he can't tell Mum because she'll suffer, and he'd rather suffer himself than make Mum, Allie, and Karim suffer. Suddenly, Dad grabs Karim and starts to kiss his face. Karim pulls away and starts to run as Dad, bewildered, asks if he's at the right bus stop.

Karim and Jamila talk daily and eventually call a meeting to decide what to do about her situation. On the day of the meeting, Karim leaves school to find Helen waiting for him. She kisses him. Charlie is hanging around, and he and Helen somehow know each other. Karim interrupts their flirtations by asking about Charlie's dad, but Charlie says that there will be space at his house for Haroon. Karim is floored and thinks that he and Charlie will have committed incest.

Suddenly, a car turns onto the street blasting music extremely loudly. The Fish, Charlie's band manager, is driving. Charlie offers Helen a ride, but she refuses. After Charlie leaves, Helen apologizes to Karim for the Great Dane, but he cuts her off and rudely asks why she's at his school. He's surprised to hear that she came to see him, and they walk off together. Helen talks about wanting to join the youth liberation movements in California, and Karim feels as though everyone has plans but him.

Karim looks up and sees Jamila hurrying towards them. Karim fills Helen in on what's going on with Anwar. Jamila adds that nothing is getting better. The three sit in a bus stop and brainstorm what Jamila should do, and Helen suggests that they talk to Haroon. Jamila agrees, though when they arrive at Karim's house, she stares off as though she doesn't care about her father. Helen attempts to engage Mum in conversation about Buddhism, and Karim finds the whole conversation absurd.

Dad is lying on his bed listening to the radio when Karim, Jamila, and Helen enter the bedroom. Dad confirms Karim's theory that old Indian men return to "an imagined India" and sends the teenagers away for 95 minutes so he can meditate on the matter. They walk around the neighborhood before finally stopping in at a bar. Jamila drinks silently, but Helen rambles on about Charlie and his new record deal. Karim wonders if Charlie's life is as perplexing as his own.

Later, when Karim, Jamila, and Helen knock on Dad's door again, they can hear Dad snoring. Helen suggests Dad's still meditating, but Jamila bangs on the door until Dad opens it. Dad tells Jamila that she must follow her true feelings, and that she should try to be aware of what's happening. Karim and Helen walk Jamila home, and Jamila is subdued as she says goodbye. Helen thinks that Jamila will marry the boy, but Karim disagrees. They have sex in a nearby park, and Karim wonders if they're both thinking of Charlie.