From Literal to Layered: Mapping Representational Depths in Mohsin Hamid’s Discontent and Its Civilizations through a Barthesian Lens

Abstract

The study enquires into the transformation of ostensibly neutral linguistic expressions into ideologically and emotionally charged constructs in Mohsin Hamid’s Discontent and its Civilizations: Dispatches from Lahore, New York and London (2014). Grounded in Barthes’s (1972) three-tier (denotaion-connotation-myth) semiotic framework and the contemporary application proposed by Barus et al. (2025), the research situates language as a ideological site for the naturalization of cultural hierarchies and dominant binaries such as East/West and Self/Other. Through interpretive thematic qualitative analysis, the scrutiny is conducted on the selected textual fragments mapping out the layered transition from literal articulation to symbolic depth and mythic naturalization.The findings unfold Hamid’s emphasize on plural identities and hybridity to destabilize essentialist narratives and challenge ideologically entrenched assumptions. The study advocates for fostering critical thinking and recommends cultivating reflective literacy practices to challenge mythic narratives and delve into more postcolonial research that will dismantle rigid cultural demarcation and endorse inclusively hybrid frameworks of identity.