The Unsettling Journeys: Exploring Uncanny Liminality in Selected South Asian Migrant Fiction

Abstract

This study analyzes liminal characters in the selected two novels by focusing on the Uncanny and liminality and its impact on the characters. The selected novels for the current study are, “When the Moon is Low” by Nadia Hashimi and “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid. The present research work explores the elements of uncanny liminality in the selected novels by using Victor Turner’s theory of liminality (1969) and Sigmund Freud’s concept of “Uncanniness” (2003) as theoretical framework. It also looks into the impact of uncanny liminality on the personality of characters because characters have undergone a serious change and transition which ultimately lead to severe changes in the life and personality of characters. Furthermore it evaluates the relationship between liminality and uncanny and the impact of its interplay on character’s migrant experience and their journey. The study uses textual analysis and close reading techniques for collecting and processing data. The key findings of the study reveal that Fereiba Waziri in “When the Moon is Low” and Nadia and Saeed in “Exit West” are liminal characters as they leave their native lands in search of a peaceful and stable life. These characters undergo the process of migration and experience grave outcomes because it is a transitional process that involves significant mental, physical and spiritual transformation in the personalities of the migrants.