Exit West Character Analysis

Saeed

A young man living in an unnamed country that is undergoing a gradual but dangerous transformation at the outset of the novel as religious militants increasingly take control in a violent fight against the government… read analysis of Saeed

Nadia

A young woman from the same unnamed country and city as Saeed. She attends the same night class as Saeed, who asks on their first date why she wears religious robes if she doesn’t… read analysis of Nadia

Saeed’s Father

A man who has the “slightly lost bearing of a university professor” because he is, in fact, a university professor. Although Saeed’s father taught for many years at a respectable institution, though, he has… read analysis of Saeed’s Father

Saeed’s Mother

A woman who has “the commanding air of a schoolteacher, which she formerly was.” Like Saeed’s father, Saeed’s mother worries about Saeed even though he’s an adult. When he comes home one morning after… read analysis of Saeed’s Mother

Saeed’s Boss

A kind man who runs a company that sells outdoor advertisements to local companies. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before Saeed’s boss has to cease operations because the radical militants have driven prospective clients either… read analysis of Saeed’s Boss

The Musician

Nadia’s first lover, whom she meets at a jam session before the city has been taken over by radical militants. The first person she ever has sex with, the musician presents himself as a… read analysis of The Musician

The Volunteer

An eighteen- or nineteen-year-old Greek woman who lives in Mykonos and works as a volunteer at a clinic that provides services to refugees like Nadia and Saeed. When Nadia badly cuts her arm in… read analysis of The Volunteer

The Woman in the Leather Jacket

A Nigerian woman who looks like a “gunslinger.” Saeed and Nadia meet this woman in the mansion of refugees in London, and Saeed finds himself thoroughly intimidated by her. She even stops him one day… read analysis of The Woman in the Leather Jacket

The Bearded Man

An elderly migrant who lives in a mansion nearby the one Saeed and Nadia occupy in London. Like all of the other residents in his mansion, this man hails from Saeed and Nadia’s country. This… read analysis of The Bearded Man

The Preacher

A black preacher Saeed meets in Marin, California. The preacher is American, but his wife—who is dead—originally came from Saeed’s country, so he understands a little bit of Saeed’s language and knows about his religious… read analysis of The Preacher

The Preacher’s Daughter

A young woman Saeed meets through the preacher. Saeed resolves to avoid the preacher’s daughter upon first seeing her because he feels guilty about how taken he is by her beauty. Despite this, though… read analysis of The Preacher’s Daughter

Exit West

Mohsin Hamid

Exit West Characters