A SURREALIST READING OF MOHSIN HAMID'S EXIT WEST

Abstract

The study aims at exploring the surrealist elements in Mohsin Hamid's novel Exit West. It analyzes the motifs and a technique employed by Hamid, and discusses how they contribute to the overall themes of displacement, migration, and identity in the novel. The study also examines how Hamid uses surrealist imagery, dream-like sequences, and unconventional perspectives to depict the characters' experiences of dislocation and otherness. The knowledge of the elements of surrealism will add depth and nuance to the novel's exploration of complex and timely issues. Using a close reading approach to the selected passages, the paper evaluates the ways in which the author employs surrealist techniques to challenge conventional notions of time, space, and reality, and to convey the experiences of displacement, migration, and the erosion of identity. Through the knowledge of surrealism in the context of the novel, the readers can gain a greater understanding of the power of the imagination to shape their understanding of the world and human experience.