The Last White Man Essay Questions

What role does the concept of white privilege play in The Last White Man?

As one of the central themes explored in The Last White Man, the concept of white privilege plays a significant role in the novel. White privilege refers to the inherent social advantages that are often unconsciously granted to white individuals in a predominantly white society. This theme first enters the narrative when Anders undergoes a sudden transformation in his skin color. Deprived of the privileges associated with being white, Anders feels that something previously invisible to him has been taken away. As a brown-skinned man venturing outside his home for the first time, Anders becomes paranoid that people are staring at him or judging him. He yearns for a way to communicate to fellow white people that he shares their racial background. Concerned about attracting attention or provoking racist extremists, Anders covers up in public with a hoodie and gloves. It is only when the majority of the population undergoes the same change in skin color that white privilege loses its significance. Towards the end of the book, the social advantages once enjoyed by white people are nearly forgotten, except by Oona's mother, who clings to her pride in being white despite its irrelevance in a post-race reality.

What is The Last White Man an allegory for?

As a book about a society in which, over the course of a winter, every white citizen changes race, The Last White Man presents an allegory for the absurdity of racial prejudice. Fearing the loss of their whiteness, the white population responds to the spontaneous skin color changes with prejudice and violence against those who have recently changed and the existing minority with darker skin. However, as the society transitions into a new reality where everyone has a brown complexion, the turmoil subsides. The racists, now having dark skin themselves, reevaluate their prejudice upon realizing the lack of meaningful distinction in being brown. Ultimately, the story reveals the irrationality of racial differentiation, emphasizing that the only significant differences arise from people's perceptions of different races.

What role does mortality play in The Last White Man?

Mortality—the state of being subject to death— plays a significant role in The Last White Man as one of the novel's major themes. Hamid first explores the concept through the character of Oona's mother, who is traumatized by the sudden loss of her husband and the gradual death of her son; thrown into a state of disarray and grief, Oona's mother loses all optimism and becomes vulnerable to conspiracy theories that purport to offer her some control over the great uncertainties in life. As society undergoes a racial transformation, Anders cannot help but obsess over the increasing deaths, whether by suicide or at the hands of racist extremists. With his father's rifle by his side, Anders ponders the value he places on his own life and contemplates the lengths he would go to protect it. Throughout the winter lockdown, Anders's father's house becomes saturated with the looming inevitability of Anders's father's death. Despite their anxieties, by the novel's end, Anders and Oona establish a habit of visiting a graveyard on weekends to honor Anders's deceased parents. Having embraced the transient nature of life, they acknowledge the inevitability of mortality and choose to live alongside death rather than suppressing its presence in their minds.

What is the significance of the white militants in The Last White Man?

The white militants in The Last White Man serve as a symbolic representation of widespread paranoia. Paranoia, characterized by a delusional belief of persecution or betrayal by others, spreads among the white community as more individuals undergo an unexpected change in skin color. Oona's mother subscribes to the notion that these militant groups are virtuous protectors of the remaining white population. However, the reality is that these militants employ intimidation and violence to instill fear in the dark-skinned population, forcibly driving them out of town and killing them. By depicting this hypocrisy, Hamid shows how the very paranoia that gives rise to these militant groups leads them to perpetuate the persecution of which they claim to be victims.

What role does racial prejudice play in The Last White Man?

As one of the novel's major themes, racial prejudice plays an important role in The Last White Man. Defined as hostility towards other races based on unfounded beliefs rather than reason, racial prejudice enters the story when Anders witnesses his transformed reflection, which provokes a "murderous rage" that compels him to shatter the mirror. This incident hints at the underlying racism within Anders, triggered by his own changed appearance. While venturing outside, Anders expects hostility from white people due to his altered skin color, yet he mostly experiences indifference. However, as society witnesses an escalating number of people undergoing the same transformation, racist hostilities intensify. White extremist groups emerge, engaging in violent acts against individuals with darker skin or forcibly ejecting them from their homes. Oona's mother succumbs to a racist conspiracy theory, perceiving a sinister plot to replace white people, thereby justifying violence against those with darker skin. Hamid portrays how these racist aggressors depict themselves as victims, rationalizing their prejudice and acts of violence. Only when every white person has undergone the change in color, rendering racial differences a mere memory, does racial prejudice finally become irrelevant in society.