Metamorphosis and Societal shift: Analyzing ‘The Last White Man’

Iman Iftikhar

Metamorphosis refers to a profound and often dramatic change in form, structure, or character. This term is commonly used in both biological and literary contexts. In a literary or metaphorical context, metamorphosis is used to describe a significant and transformative change in character, circumstances, or appearance. This concept is frequently explored in literature, where characters may undergo personal or psychological metamorphoses that alter their fundamental nature or perspectives. One of the most famous examples of literary metamorphosis is Franz Kafka's novella "Metamorphosis," in which the protagonist wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect, leading to a profound and symbolic shift in his life. 

In the novel, The last White Man, the protagonist, in a society undergoing rapid transformation, experiences a profound metamorphosis in terms of identity and belonging.  His struggles and interactions serve as a metaphorical metamorphosis, reflecting the broader changes occurring within the globalized and interconnected world presented in the narrative. 

The novel begins with the concept of Metamorphosis: “One morning Anders, a white man, woke up to find he had turned a deep and undeniable brown.” This sudden change triggers his racial prejudices, leading him to feel anger and a desire to harm the person who confronts him in his home. He was overtaken by emotion, not so much shock,or sorrow, though these things were there too but above all the face replacing his filled him with anger, or rather, more than anger, an unexpected, murderous rage. He wanted to kill the colored man who confronted him here in his home.  

With the passage of time, everyone turning dark. People couldn’t bare this transformation. They started to hate themselves and their friends, relatives because of this color discrimination. This novel is the description of post 9/11. White People started to treat brown people differently considering them terrorist. Mohsin Hamid portrays how people of certain races,like himself, were treated differently in American society,facing discrimination at airports, shopping malls, offices and also at traffic signals.  

The novel also raises concerns about the elimination of the white race. As Oona’s mother fears that their race will cease to exit if their white daughters turn into dark-skinned individuals. We see the world is divided on the basis of skin tone. This adds another layer to the exploration of racial prejudices and the impact they have on individuals’ lives.  

“The last White Man” is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that tackles the sensitive issues of racial prejudices and discrimination. Afer reading this novel I felt that everyone should be treated with fairness and equality, regardless of their skin color. Discrimination on the basis of color is not right, and it goes against the values and respect of humanity. One should not consider others inferior just on the basis of color. Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. By embracing diversity and promoting inclusiveness we can create a more harmonious and peaceful society. 

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