The Buddha of Suburbia is a modern bildungsroman, or in other words ‘novel of formation’, ‘novel of education’ or ‘coming-of-age novel’. This work which was first created as a novel and later on adapted as a miniseries, illustrates young Karim’s journey towards self-discovery. Not only can we see Karim developing as an individual, but his father Haroon as well. In The Buddha of Suburbia, we see the mind and character of the protagonist Karim develop, as he moves from childhood to adulthood. Karim begins to discover his identity and role in the world through various experiences and crises he goes through spiritually. When it comes to Haroon, we see his character changing several times throughout The Buddha of Suburbia and one that takes on different roles; this is evident as one reads and watches the miniseries. By The Buddha of Suburbia being written in first person, the audience is able to identify with Karim who is the protagonist. From the very…show more content… In New York, Karim goes under a number of revelations and this is where he escapes the immigrant condition he finds himself in. His love affair with Eleanor and his relationship with Pyke reach an ending when he finally realizes the true meaning of relationships and acknowledges that he does not fit in their world. In The Buddha of Suburbia, the city is portrayed as a place filled with opportunity and chance. In respect to this, two cities are important, London and New York. To Karim, London is waiting to be conquered. In London, Karim obtains his new ‘education’ in the theatre world; and also where he finds real love. When Karim goes to New York, he is once again faced with leaving his home and well-known surroundings. By physically distancing himself from London, he isolates himself from the stereotypes which living in Britain forced upon him. This distance from home gives him space to discover new sides to