Discuss how perspective/s is used to convey an underlying idea/s in at least one text.
Throughout the last decade, people in war-torn countries have been left struggling to gain
access to basic human rights, fuelling a refugee crisis where many people have been forced to
flee to countries to seek safety. Exit West is a magic realist novel written by Mohsin Hamid
and released in 2017. Saeed and Nadia are love-struck asylum seekers who are forced to
escape from an unnamed country in search of safety, shelter and freedom from war through
magical portals. After relocating through various countries in Europe, Saeed's resistance to
change and his need to connect with religion clashes with Nadia who embraces change and
the new multicultural environment, leading to the end of their relationship. Hamid conveys
the perspectives of various groups, such as the perspective of asylum-seeking migrants,
xenophobic citizens and his own visionary perspective to convey the radical underlying idea
that society will prosper in a multicultural, borderless world. This is achieved through the use
of narrative conventions such as setting as well as language conventions such as metaphor,
allusion and symbolism.
The perspective of the migrants which is that seeking refuge is necessary to escape a war-torn
country is conveyed through the use setting and metaphor. The unnamed country is depicted
as one which has been devastated from the repercussions of war. In the exposition, the power
of the military radicals which use "large bombs [which] exploded with an awesome power
that brought to mind the might of nature itself" is established. This metaphor compares the
power the militants hold to that of mother nature and suggests that their acts of terrorism are
powerful enough to overcome the resistive force of nature. The use of diction associated with
war is repeated when the brief, fleeting moments of peace are "broken by the activities of
drones and aircraft that bombed from the heavens". The word 'heavens' has religious
connotations and insinuates that the strength of the militants are comparable to the divine
power of the Gods. The matter-of-fact tone also emphasise how common these acts of
destruction and terrorism are and imply that they have become so commonplace citizens are
now apathetic to these atrocities. Hamid emphasises the power that militants hold over the
citizens and conveys the perspective of the migrants which is that escape through the doors, a
symbol of hope, is vital in order to live a fulfilling life where the looming threat of terror
doesn't exist. This conveys the idea that if we, as a society let the developing and war-torn
countries continue to suffer and be devoured from the impacts of war, the refugee crisis will
only continue to amplify and humanity will continue to decline. Readers are invited to give a
sympathetic response to migrants and asylum seekers, as they are vulnerable and helpless
against the power of the militants.
The perspective of xenophobic citizens which is that racial diversity is detrimental to their
desire of a homogeneous society is conveyed through the use of allusion. The British
nativists, in response to refugees "filling up tents and rough shelters", begin a "major
operation... to reclaim Britain for Britain"; a movement bearing resemblance to Brexit, which
started to make headlines just one year prior to Exit West's release. Hamid conveys the
nativist perspective that homogeneity is vital for Britain and depicts the sudden influx in
refugees as a threat to it and the catalyst to the riots. Later, the nativists are described as
"forming their own legions, with a wink and a nod from the authorities, and the social media
chatter was of a coming night of shattered glass". The 'wink and a nod' implies the
government and police force side with the nativists, whilst the 'coming night of shattered
glass' is a historical allusion to Kristallnach, a pogrom fuelled by antisemitism in Nazi
Germany, where Jewish-owned businesses and synagogues were destroyed, leaving shattered
glass on the streets. Hamid compares the motives of the nativists with that of the Nazis, and
conveys their perspective that multiculturalism is detrimental to homogeneity, which is akin
to Hitler's desire of homogeneity and the Aryan race. This conveys the idea that the desire of
homogeneity will only result in violence, shown by both Nazi Germany and by the British
nativists.
Towards the end of the novel, Hamid presents the radical idea of a completely borderless
world where new culture is allowed to flourish, which conveys his perspective which is that
society will thrive when humanity embraces egalitarianism. Through the use of tonal shift,
the once apathetic tone switches to a more optimistic tone, where the refugee crisis is
described as an "apocalypse [which] had appeared to have arrived and yet it was not
apocalyptic". The word 'apocalypse' is associated with the end of the world and implies
humanity being on the brink of extinction, reflecting the beliefs of the xenophobic citizens.
However, through the use of oxymoron, Hamid suggests that surge in refugees had little
effect and was actually beneficial. The new world is referred to as "a new jazz age" where
"one could walk around Marin and see all kinds of ensembles, humans and humans... dark
skin with light skin". Hamid visualises a future where humans, regardless of race is unified as
'humanity', and ethnic diversity has created a path for a new age in music. The ensembles, a
symbol of connectedness and friendship further reinforce the optimistic tone and the theme of
unity. This conveys his own perspective which is that by embracing multiculturalism and
egalitarianism, humanity is allowed to prosper. Readers are inclined to endorse a future of
racial diversity and are invited to agree with the idea multiculturalism is vital for humanity to
advance.
Through the use of perspective, Hamid conveys the idea that if we stop ignoring people living
in war-torn countries and embrace egalitarianism rather than desire homogeneity, humanity
will be allowed to progress. He conveys his own optimistic outlook on the future and invites
readers to agree with him. Contemporary audiences are invited to reject the nativists as their
chauvinism does not align with today, where society continues to strive for complete
egalitarianism. Hamid critiques how developed countries such as Australia have turned a
blind eye to such an important issue and suggests this will remain to be a lingering burden
until we do something about it.