The Last White Man

Resistance in The Last White Man: A post colonial analysis

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As a juxtaposition to the social upheaval that dominates the events of the novel, Hamid dedicates the end of the story to depicting a society that has attained a far-reaching sense of social harmony. Members of Oona's mother's online community, formerly concerned with propagating racist theories and justifying violence against dark people, start posting photos of their changed selves and sharing approval for others who do the same. No longer absorbed by fears of racial prejudice or thoughts of mortality and grief, Anders and Oona embrace their new identities and start a family together, signifying a renewed sense of optimism. In this post-race reality, Oona's mother's nostalgia for the family's white roots has no meaning for Oona's and Anders's daughter. In a symbolic embrace of the socially harmonious present, Oona's and Anders's daughter politely stops her grandmother from talking about the past, showing her elders the way forward.