The Buddha of Suburbia: Part 2, Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis

The night after the play's New York opening, Karim and the cast attend a lavish party in a tall apartment building. Karim watches Eleanor and wonders what he'd been thinking during their relationship. Dr. Bob, the man who runs the theatre, is an expert in "ethnic arts." He pulls Tracey and Karim to seats at the front of the room, shushes the crowd, and suddenly, a troupe of Haitian dancers perform what Karim terms a mating dance. Karim feels like a colonizer watching natives perform.

Later that night as Karim sits with most of the cast in a bedroom, Pyke begins a game that sets Karim on edge. He asks the actors which one of the people in the apartment they'd have sex with if they could. Karim tries to ask Eleanor to leave with him, but Pyke makes Karim stay. Pyke reads out the predictions he'd made at the beginning of rehearsals about who would sleep with whom. He reads that he predicted that Karim is bisexual and would fall for Eleanor, but that Eleanor would only have sex with Karim out of pity.

Karim leaves the room and tries to call Charlie, who's living in New York, and he asks Eleanor to leave the party with him. Eleanor tries to explain to that she'll be going home with Pyke. Karim tries to punch Pyke as he comes out of the bedroom, but he's too drunk. Karim hears an American say that the English are animals.

Karim comes to in a cab with Charlie. Charlie had come to the party late and found Karim passed out under a piano. He settles Karim onto one of his sofas and Karim wakes there the next morning. He vomits several times before going upstairs with coffee and toast. Charlie kisses Karim and rambles about how great New York is. They spend the day walking around the city, and Karim learns how famous Charlie is in America.

Karim explains that even though Charlie is still angry on stage, the image isn't as effective outside of England: America doesn't have the unemployment and strikes that made Charlie's music compelling in England. Charlie knows this and knows his music is subpar, but he insists that he can do good things in America.

Charlie invites Karim to stay with him when Karim tells him about Eleanor. Karim is fascinated to see that Charlie is both embracing his English-ness and eager to learn whatever he can from his friends and girlfriends. Karim notes that in this way, fame and wealth agree with Charlie: he no longer has anyone to envy, and he can now concentrate on becoming human. One morning, Charlie tells Karim how he came to realize that money is his one true love, but Karim cautions him that money can make him self-centered.

The play only lasts a month before the cast goes their separate ways. Karim remains in New York and works for Charlie, but his depression worsens. Karim wonders why he doesn't hurt himself and thinks of Dad. He thinks that Dad had always felt superior to the British and taught Karim that he could never experience failure in front of them. Karim feels ashamed that he's at such a low point mentally when, by Dad's standards, life is very good for Karim.

After six months, Karim decides it's time to go home. Charlie resists, and Karim wonders if it's because Karim is the one person in America who truly knows how far Charlie has come. Further, Karim discovers that fame doesn't suit Charlie as well as he initially thought. Charlie begins to chafe under the public scrutiny, and becomes moody and angry.

One day, as Charlie and Karim walk home, a journalist runs up to Charlie and begs for an interview. Charlie ignores the man, but the journalist chases Charlie and grabs his arm. Charlie brutally beats the man. Another morning, Charlie confides to Karim that there are sexual things he wants to try, and invites Karim to join him. Later that night, a woman named Frankie appears at Charlie's door. Karim feels uptight as he asks Frankie what she does, and she explains she's interested in bondage and pain.

Karim tries to catch Charlie's eye, but Charlie is intent on Frankie. Frankie suggests that Karim and Charlie might like to have sex with each other, and Karim is shocked to see that Charlie is open and enthusiastic. He remembers Dad's first appearance when he and Charlie had sex, but Charlie had been closed then.

Upstairs, Charlie lights candles in the bedroom. Charlie undresses and he and Frankie kiss. Karim asks uncomfortably if they really want him there, and Charlie snaps at Karim to stop acting so self-righteous, moral, and English. Karim settles himself in the corner. Frankie ties Charlie to the bed and puts a hood over his head. She grabs a candle and begins to drip wax on his body, and then puts clamps on his nipples. Karim realizes that he doesn't love, care for, or care about Charlie. He feels as though he's moved beyond and discovered himself by rejecting Charlie.

Karim moves around the bed to watch Frankie on top of Charlie. He later thinks that it was an excellent evening, but decides to fly home when his agent calls and says he has an important audition scheduled. Charlie tries to bribe Karim to stay and says that England is a horrible place for anyone who isn't rich, but he agrees to buy Karim's ticket anyway.