Content Details | NUML Online Research Repository

Title TOWARDS A RACELESS FUTURE: A MAGICAL REALIST STUDY OF MOHSIN HAMID’S EXIT WEST (2017) AND THE LAST WHITE MAN (2022)

Author(s) Tabinda Tasaddaq

Abstract The present research examines two novels by Mohsin Hamid: Exit West (2017) and The Last White Man (2022). It focuses on the lived experiences and consequent repercussions affecting racially and ethnically marginalized individuals residing in white supremacist societies, which subject them to systemic segregation and dehumanization. The study posits a vision for a future where the concept of race is superseded, not through the erasure of individual racial or ethnic identities, but through the dismantling of race as a socially constructed paradigm that perpetuates injustice and fosters a society where individuals of color are not only scorned and deemed inferior based on their skin color, but also subjected to violence and severe psychological trauma. Since it is imperative to acknowledge the existence of a problem before its eradication, envisioning a future free from racism necessitates an initial recognition of the profound extent to which such prejudicial constructs have permeated societal structures. Therefore, the theoretical framework of the present study is informed by the underpinnings of critical race theory, magical realism, and Jeremy Griffith's propositions regarding the end of the human condition. This blend highlights the intersection of racial violence and its psychological toll on victims, while also foregrounding the subsequent journey towards acceptance and appreciation of diversity. This qualitative research employs Cathrine Belsey’s textual analysis to examine selected literary works: Exit West (2017) and The Last White Man (2022). Through this, the researcher attempts to show that despite being critical of racism, Hamid presents an optimistic view, hinting towards harmony and coexistence of people of different colors and origins. Hence, in an attempt to contribute to the existing body of knowledge, this study brings up some of the revolutionary explanations of the “human condition” presented by leading Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith in his book FREEDOM: The End of Human Condition (2019), which can aid in the eradication of racism and lead humankind towards a future free of prejudice and hatred.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2025-10-21

Subject

Publisher

Contributor(s)

Format

Identifier

Source

Relation

Coverage

Rights