Migration and Identity in Mohsin Hamid's Exit West.

Abstract

Certainly, migration plays an important role in the life of a huge number of people around the world. It can be even said that it has become a part of their everyday life. Migration is, first and foremost, a normal human activity because every minute, many people decide to move from one country, locality, or place of residence to settle down in another one. Of course, this migration can be full of positive issues to these people, but at the same time, it is also associated with various negative points, among which we can talk about identity constructions. The present paper explores, on the one hand, the complex relationship between migration and identity transformation as depicted in Mohsin’s Hamid's novel Exit West, and, on the other hand, it attempts to introduce migration not only as a physical journey, but as a profound emotional and psychological experience that reshapes the identities of its protagonists, Nadia and Saeed as well. Further, the paper also tends to shed some light on the possible opportunities for human reformation together with the feelings of loss and dislocation caused by migration.

Keywords: Migration, Adaptation, Assimilation, Borders, Identity Challenges.