BEING HUMAN OR BECOMING A CYBORG? EXAMINING THE TECHNOCULTURE AND HYPERREAL REALM IN HAMID’S FICTION

This research article delves into the intricate interplay between humans and their obsession with machines or technological tools within the framework of Mohsin Hamid’s literary oeuvre. It is an examination of Hamid’s five novels with an aim to investigate the evolving concept of cyborg in the face of a rapidly growing techno-culture, leading to the emergence of a hyperreal realm and a cyborgian future. By taking theoretical insights from Haraway’s notion of cyborg and Baudrillard’s concept of simulacrum and hyperreality, this study provides a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the complex dynamics of being human and the emergence of cyborg identities in Hamid’s fiction. A critical analysis of his fiction reveals how his characters seem to navigate the blurred boundaries between organic humanity and technological augmentation, shedding light on existential dilemmas in the present era.