Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam is a novel that explores themes of disaster and the human response to it, set against a backdrop of a world that is seemingly falling apart. The novel follows a family vacationing in the Hamptons when they are interrupted by a late-night knock on the door from the house’s owners, bringing news of a widespread blackout. The two families reluctantly decide to stay together in the home, which still has power.
Ending Explained
The ending of “Leave the World Behind” is not typical of disaster novels. There is no invasion, superstorm, or missiles arriving; the characters do not run for it, and no innocent is sacrificed. Instead, the tension heightens, but the expected chaotic unraveling of society does not occur. Alam stays close to his characters, who remain trapped in a state of suspended unease, reflecting the modern disaster—the precarity of American life, leaving us unsure if things can get worse.
The characters, despite the looming doom, cling to normalcy, engaging in domestic activities and maintaining their routines. They are trapped in their comfort and the crisis they are used to, unable to properly assess the risk and react appropriately to the unfolding events. The characters, and by extension, the readers, are left in a state of perpetual upheaval, with no new normal in sight.
The novel concludes with the characters still trapped in their state of unease and uncertainty, unable to handle the fears they are confronted with. The catastrophe had come long ago, and it isn’t ending, only changing shape. The characters are left to ponder their rationality in a world where it seems not to matter as much, questioning the very fabric of their existence and the world around them.
Reflection on Modern Disaster
Alam’s novel is a reflection on the state of modern disaster and the human response to it. It challenges the traditional arc of disaster novels, which usually move from a time of upheaval to one of stability. In “Leave the World Behind,” upheaval is all the characters have, and Alam suggests that in today’s world, disaster novels call for a recognition that we won’t find a new normal, even if we are behind sturdy walls in forested hideaways. The real disaster is the ongoing state of the world, the long-existing catastrophe that isn’t ending but is continuously changing shape.
This novel serves as a mirror, reflecting our own worst instincts and our entrapment in comforts of life, making us question our responses to crises and our ability to adapt and survive in a world that is constantly changing and unraveling. The ending leaves the readers with a lingering thought about the state of the world and our place in it, making “Leave the World Behind” a thought-provoking read about disaster, normalcy, and the human condition.
