The Deconstruction of Identity in José Saramago’s Blindness

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the deconstruction of the notion of identity in Jose Saramago’s novel Blindness. It focuses on how in times of social collapse both personal and collective selfhood becomes unstable. Using Jean Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality and Michel Foucault’s concept of biopolitics, the study claims that identity within the novel is simultaneously produced through systems of representation and regulated through institutional power. In such a case the metaphor of Blindness serves as a metaphor for the postmodern condition which is marked by loss of perception, reality and individuality. This loss results in an idea of self that is fluid, performative and contingent. Along with thematic analysis the research draws on narrative strategies such as nameless characters, fragmented dialogue, and flowing prose to expose the fragility of social and individual order. Moreover, it also highlights how human identity is shaped by perception, social interaction, and governance. By integrating literary analysis with philosophical and sociopolitical critique, this study argues that Blindness not only interrogates the postmodern self but also critiques the mechanisms through which contemporary societies construct, monitor, and control human existence. This work thus contributes not only to existing Saramago studies but also to broader discussions on the interplay of representation, power, and the instability of identity in contemporary literature.