The effect of migration is not exclusive to physically transitioning. In fact, the psychological migration that people often experience has more of a significant impact on the lives of everyday people than actual migrants. Mohsid Hamid perfectly captures this idea in his novel Exit West; his contrast between the protagonists Saeed and Nadia's experiences and the experiences of others enable him to do so.
As the title suggests, time has a noticeable effect on the mental state of people. In Exit West, a woman who has lived in California for her entire life no longer feels at home because of how drastically her environment has changed around her. Due to the amount of migrants that have settled her town and the lack of other natives present, she has paradoxically migrated out of her home by not changing her life at all (207-209). Conversely, Saeed and Nadia's story embodies how constantly migrating does not waver their ability to still feel at home. Unlike the native woman, they both retain the ability to adapt to their situations whenever they are forced to change it.
Mohsid Hamid puts a lot of meaning behind the quote,"We are all migrants through time" (209). Not only does it display the mental aspect of migration, but it also shows the importance of adaptability. The mental transition that people go through is dependent on their state of mind. Without the willingness to change their outlook on their situation, a person will end up drifting away from what used to be their home. Exit West is able to maintain a consistent real life relevance despite the overarching supernatural themes in the book, and its theme regarding adaptability should not be overlooked.
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