Exit West

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of graphic violence and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your initial reaction to the magical doors in Exit West? How did Hamid’s approach to magical realism compare to other works you’ve encountered, and did you find his blending of realistic refugee experiences with fantastical elements effective?

2. Saeed and Nadia’s refugee journey takes them to three very different destinations: Mykonos, London, and Marin. How successfully did Hamid capture the varied challenges and opportunities refugees face as they move between different countries and cultures?

3. How did the novel’s ending affect your understanding of home and belonging? The reunion between Saeed and Nadia in their partially reconstructed homeland, described as “not a heaven but not a hell” (227), offers a complex view of return—what did you make of this bittersweet conclusion?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Nadia and Saeed’s relationship evolves dramatically under the pressure of displacement and survival. Have you experienced a time when major stress or life changes revealed new aspects of someone you thought you knew well?

2. Nadia continues wearing her full-length robe throughout her journey, even when its practical purpose changes. Do you have similar objects or practices that maintain meaning beyond their original function? What personal belongings or traditions do you hold onto that connect you to your roots?

3. Saeed becomes increasingly traditional and religious the farther he travels from home, while Nadia embraces modernity and freedom. Have you experienced times of transition when life in a new environment shifted your identity, priorities, or behavior?

4. The characters rely heavily on their mobile phones for orientation and contact, yet these devices also create new forms of disconnection throughout their journey. How has technology shaped your own sense of connection to distant places and people? 

5. Saeed’s father chooses to stay behind rather than accompany his son and Nadia through the doors, wanting to remain close to his wife’s memory. Have you faced difficult decisions about leaving someone important behind or staying with someone who couldn’t or wouldn’t move forward?

6. The novel shows characters building different types of community in each new place they settle. What helps you create a sense of home or belonging in unfamiliar environments?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Even with magical doors that eliminate practical barriers to migration, refugees still face hostility and resistance from local populations in every destination they reach. What does the novel suggest about the root causes of anti-immigrant sentiment? 

2. By the novel’s end, refugees outnumber “natives” in Marin, creating a reversal where original inhabitants become the marginalized minority. How does the book’s vision of global migration patterns challenge conventional thinking about cultural identity? 

3. The interspersed scenes of characters around the world—from Tokyo to Vienna to Sydney—suggest that migration affects everyone, not just those who move. How do you see this element of the novel reflected in contemporary society, and what does it reveal about our interconnected world?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How do the magical doors function beyond simple transportation devices? What do they reveal about the nature of hope, displacement, and the human desire for escape versus the reality of what awaits migrants?

2. Why might Hamid have chosen to tell us the fates of minor characters before they happen? For example, the narrator reveals that Nadia’s ex-boyfriend will die in the war and that the mushroom dealer will be beheaded—how do these prophetic glimpses affect your reading of the main story?

3. Nadia’s robe transforms from a practical tool for avoiding harassment to something more complex as her journey progresses. How does its symbolism evolve, and what does Saeed’s growing irritation with her wearing it reveal about their diverging paths?

4. Mobile phones and magical doors serve different functions as portals in the novel. In what ways do these two forms of connection complement each other, and where do their limitations become apparent?

5. The novel intersperses brief scenes of unnamed characters throughout the world alongside the main narrative. How do these fragmented stories enhance Hamid’s exploration of globalization, and why might he have chosen this structure rather than focusing solely on Saeed and Nadia?

6. Saeed and Nadia’s personalities become more pronounced and divergent as they move farther from home. What does their character development suggest about how displacement reveals or transforms identity, and how does this compare to other migration narratives you’ve encountered, perhaps like those in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Design a multimedia installation about global displacement using Exit West as inspiration. Which elements from Saeed and Nadia’s journey would you highlight, and how would you incorporate the novel’s magical realism into a physical space?

2. The novel’s magical doors eliminate many practical barriers to migration while preserving its emotional and social challenges. Design your own version of this magical system—what aspects of the refugee experience would you address differently, and what new complications might your system create?

3. Picture the story retold entirely from the perspective of the girl in Mykonos who helps Nadia and Saeed find their next door. What details about their relationship and journey might she notice that the main narrative overlooks, and how might her own background as a volunteer shape her understanding of their situation?

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