INTRODUCTION.
Mohsin Hamid is considered to be an important literary figure among
international and Pakistani diaspora writers. His works deal with issues of the
modern world and the dilemma of an individual. The Face in the Mirror is
adapted into a short fictional story from one of his novels, The Last White Man
(2022). As an ingenious work, this story portrays a world where people are
unable to recognize themselves as they turn from white to brown, highlighting
the complexities of self-image and the struggle to reconcile internal and
external perceptions.
"The Face in the Mirror", from the novel ‘The last white man" delved into and
critiqued by various writers approaching it from their perspectives. This study
explores phenomena such as racism and the problem of the colored people,
Du Bois writes the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the colored
line (Bois , 1996). The fictional tale who tells the story of a white man wakes up
one day with dark skin and finds a difference in his world. Shows us that
people have no control over their bodies and circumstances. This research
aims to analyze how the concept of whiteness is linked with supremacy,
intellect, refinement, and cultural advancement. When it’s about the black
community we find things complicated, dark complexions are associated with
inferiority, aggression, discourtesy, and unrefined treatment. Each individual
embracing their identity feels caught in illusions, suspicious of how to proceed
and what step to take, and finds themselves trapped.
The main issue of identity and psychological manipulation in this story is
explored through the character Andres, who experiences a horrible
transformation just like Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning and finds
himself transformed into a monstrous vermin, from the short story "The
Metamorphosis "(1915) by Franz Kafka. Andres experiences a black version of a
white man, which is more painful and disgusting as compared to Samsa. His
loneliness becomes greater and he is rejected by the white militants,
represents his physical trauma and not being acceptable within any societal
group just because his skin color reflects Bhabha’s theory of internal
alienation, a sense that underscores emotional turmoil and distress caused by
the inability to fit into his white community.
The Soul of black folks (1903) is an influential work highlighting and exploring
the mental struggles of black individuals and their desire to be accepted as a
part of society. The author highlights the inner conflicts of black
individuals leading to what he calls double consciousness, by W.E.B Du Bois. He
argued that the dual identity created a sense of always viewing oneself
through the eyes of others. The duality of Andre’s identity reflects the tension
and complexity of double consciousness. Forced to balance the external
perceptions with the internal struggles and conflicts. Where black individuals
are often positioned as secondary among white individuals within society is a
harsh reality. The concept highlights racism as a product of white men, like
Andre’s struggles with the institutionalized injustices that position black
individuals as inferior to white individuals. He faces discrimination and
offensive treatment based on his race, where racism is sustained by those in
positions of power and prejudices. Individuals with lighter skin are treated
better than blacks this bias can sustain inequalities and privilege regarding skin
color can be seen not only among different racial groups but also within the
community. The prejudice that white individuals had against blacks over the
years became accepted as normal even by blacks. Apart from horrible racism
shown through slavery and unfair treatment, things improved but racism still
exists.
Du Bois's concept of the veil as a part of double consciousness describes an
invisible barrier between blacks and whites. The concept is not stated in the
work, The Soul of black folks, instead paints a poetic picture of people's minds
to describe it. The veil has three layers of blindness that can be seen through
the lens of Andre, the first layer is the physical veil, which is like the most
obvious realization of double consciousness, that stops whites from seeing
blacks as humans and equals. This could show how whites might struggle to
see him equal as to humans due to his race. The barrier can be seen in several
ways, such as assumptions and unfair treatment towards Andre based on his
skin color. The physical difference is the skin color, whites see him as different
and not on the same level they are. As Du Bois wrote in "The Soul of black
folks", "The veil is the color line, the physical divisions of the races".
The second veil prevents whites to see blacks as both Americans and blacks,
instead, they can be only seen as one-dimensional "Negroes". White attackers
of the society face a struggle to see him as both American and black, instead,
they might see him as one thing as a generic "Negro".
The third veil prevents those psychological scars that blacks carried even after
slavery ended, wounds they carried impacting their sense of self, identity, and
place in society. This concept connects it to the double consciousness where
blacks have to navigate their own identity and look at how society perceives
themselves. Those emotional burdens and trauma affect Andre’s self-worth
and identity. Face struggles with the double consciousness where he has to
reconcile his perception with society’s perceptions.