Fractured territories: Deterritorializing the contemporary Pakistani novel in English

Veyret, Paul

doi:10.1177/0021989418808039

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Hamid's other three novels might have been thought to stray away from the specificity of Pakistan (Mian 2019), yet this progressive loss of reference stems more from the development of the writer's allegorical style than from a wilful rejection of Pakistan in favour of the West. Indeed, there has certainly been a "deterritorialization" of Hamid's works (Veyret 2018), but this evolution seems to be a continuation of the threshold effects initiated in Moth Smoke. As Jeff Malpas explains, "the very nature of the threshold is to allow entrance and departure, but for it to do this, it must also withdraw in that allowance" (Malpas 2016: 163).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“A hazy world seen through smoke”: Threshold Effects in Mohsin Hamid’s Moth Smoke

Dot¹

2022

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In the introduction to his collection of essays, Mohsin Hamid describes himself as a "half-outsider," having lived in Lahore, New York, and London, and "considered all three home" (Hamid 2015: xiii). Since he began writing, he has repeatedly voiced his commitment to the transnational. But this global perspective does not preclude national attachment, and the writer has also used his access to Western media outlets to draw attention to Pakistan's struggles (Hamid 2018). Despite writing in English and being acclaimed in literary circles worldwide, he has also received praise in Pakistan, and was awarded the 2018 Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) by the President for his services to literature.Much criticism has been focused on the hit narratives that brought Hamid international fame, such as his post-9/11 novella The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007), or Exit West (2017), his fable-like refugee narrative. But his debut novel Moth Smoke (2000) deserves renewed attention over 20 years after its publication, if only for its compelling portrayal of contemporary Pakistan.Moth Smoke is Mohsin Hamid's most directly Pakistan-based narrative. In that novel, the writer chose to address drug dealing, corruption, and class warfare, casting a sharp gaze on 1998 Pakistan which was in the throes of its nuclear competition with India. Set entirely in Lahore, the novel intertwines the perspectives of Darashikoh Shezad, or Daru, a bank clerk who loses his job; his wealthy childhood friend Ozi, recently returned from the United States; Ozi's wife Mumtaz, who begins an affair with Daru; and Daru's dealer, Murad Badshah, a rickshaw driver. Other protagonists include Daru's servant Manucci, and his former university professor Julius Superb. The main event of the novel is a car accident in which Ozi kills a young boy, and lets Daru take the blame. The narrative alternates between Daru's perspective before, during and after the event, and that of other characters, who all speak to a second person we understand to be a "A hazy world seen through smoke": Threshold Effects in Mohsin Hamid's Moth S...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“A hazy world seen through smoke”: Threshold Effects in Mohsin Hamid’s Moth Smoke

Dot¹

2022

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“…As Nazir (2020) described the novels and stories of Nadeem Aslam, they stated that Nadeem's stories provide the core of love, piousness, misfortunes on the higher levels which can affect the political or social common. Several scholars (Veyret, 2021;Sukheeja, 2017;Shamsie, 2017;Cilano, 2009) have stated about the novels of Nadeem, that he specifically focuses on the individual characters than the other participants of the story. This novel of Nadeem Aslam shows the results of his findings related to personal relations and interconnectedness and shows the difference between the imaginary and real modern world.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concept of Nationalism Employed in the Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam

Shahzadi

Hanif

Ahmad

et al. 2021

HSSR

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Purpose of the study: The main purpose of this study is to analyze the novel The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam in the light of the concept of Nationalism given by Benedict Anderson in Imagined communities. Methodology: The entire data is evaluated by the entire text related to nationalism. This research is based on qualitative research skills. The basic resource of this research is the novel of Nadeem Aslam, named The Golden Legend. Further, the other resources used in this research are the journals or the articles regarding or reflecting the explanation of this novel (The Golden Legend). Main Findings: The findings depict a wonderful series of characters who have humanity in their hearts; they have love and respect for others, either the other person is from their religion or a different one. It is a story of sorrow and the game of religions in the world which is being played under the acts of the political authorities. Applications of this study: This study can be applied to the nationalism literature. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study is one of its kind because, after a careful analysis of the literature available, it is safe to say that no study is done up till now on analyzing the concept of nationalism in the Golden Legend.

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Centring Women of Colour: Decolonising the Literature Curriculum with Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire and Bolu Babalola’s Love in Colour

Beyer

2022

Decolonising the Literature Curriculum

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Fractured territories: Deterritorializing the contemporary Pakistani novel in English

Cited by 3 publications

References 16 publications

“A hazy world seen through smoke”: Threshold Effects in Mohsin Hamid’s Moth Smoke

“A hazy world seen through smoke”: Threshold Effects in Mohsin Hamid’s Moth Smoke

Concept of Nationalism Employed in the Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam

Centring Women of Colour: Decolonising the Literature Curriculum with Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire and Bolu Babalola’s Love in Colour

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