The Complexities of Life: A Gothic Analysis of Uzma Aslam Khan’s Novel Thinner than Skin (2012)

Abstract

This study focuses on the problems and complexities of life as depicted in the novel Thinner than Skin (2012) by Uzma Aslam Khan. The study uses Gothicism as a lens for analysis of the selected excerpts from the novel. It is a qualitative study that uses Close Reading as the methodology. The story is about Nadir and his friends, who come from America and visit the northern areas of Pakistan. They stay for some time in Karachi, depicting the horror on the streets. Then they move to the hilly areas of Pakistan. They observe some scenes of natural beauty over there. During this entire joyful voyage, the characters experience extremely bitter realities as well. They come to know about the hardships that the local people are going through. Deaths and killings seem to be common practices. Every individual is terrified. The oppressors doubt the local people. They are in between the terrorists and the state army, and they cannot side with anyone because the other party then treats them like their enemies. Even Gothic practices are present in everyday life. The findings of this study are that life is too hard for people in the northern areas of Pakistan, and they are facing acute problems that can be termed Gothicism.