A POST-COLONIAL STUDY OF EXODUS IN THE EXIT WEST BY MOHSIN HAMID

Abstract

This study examines the representation of exodus in Mohsin Hamid's Exit West (2017) from a postcolonial perspective using Homi K. Bhabha's theory of hybridity and the Third Space. The novel presents the experiences of Nadia and Saeed, two young individuals who are compelled to flee their war-torn homeland through mysterious doors that symbolize contemporary global migration. Rather than depicting migration merely as a physical journey, Hamid explores the emotional, psychological, and cultural transformations that accompany forced displacement. The study aims to (1) examine the representation of exodus in Exit West, (2) analyze how exodus shapes the hybrid identities of the major characters, and (3) explore how cultural displacement and the Third Space influence the characters' sense of belonging.

A qualitative research design was employed, using close textual analysis as the primary method of investigation. The novel served as the primary source of data, while relevant books and scholarly articles on postcolonial theory and migration studies were consulted as secondary sources. Bhabha's concepts of hybridity and the Third Space provided the theoretical framework for interpreting the selected textual evidence.

The findings reveal that Hamid portrays exodus as a transformative process that extends beyond geographical relocation. The experiences of Nadia and Saeed demonstrate that migration reshapes cultural identity through continuous negotiation between the values of the homeland and those of the host society. The study further shows that the characters inhabit a Third Space in which fixed notions of identity, nationality, and belonging are challenged and reconstructed. Their identities become hybrid as they adapt to new cultural environments while maintaining connections with their past. The novel also challenges stereotypical representations of refugees by portraying displaced individuals as resilient, adaptable, and capable of creating meaningful lives despite uncertainty and loss.

The study concludes that Exit West offers a significant postcolonial critique of contemporary migration by presenting exodus as a dynamic process of identity formation and cultural negotiation. It contributes to the understanding of migration literature by demonstrating the continued relevance of Bhabha's postcolonial theory in interpreting issues of displacement, hybridity, and belonging in contemporary fiction.