The moth

A creature so central to the novel Moth Smoke that it is mentioned in its title, the moth is a symbol of dangerous, or fatal, attraction. Manucci describes the moth as in love with the flame; the moth will unintentionally set itself on fire in an attempt to get closer to the flame. Thus, what the moth loves can kill it without injury to itself. In Moth Smoke, Darashikoh embodies the moth, in that he is so drawn to those things that are bad for him, including Mumtaz, heroin, and crime. By the novel’s close, he allows himself to get burned in his pursuit his various fatal attractions.

Cars

In Hamid’s narrative, cars act as symbolic representations of the owner’s class status. For example, the Pajero symbolizes Aurangzeb’s bountiful power and wealth. On the other hand, Darashikoh’s Suzuki reveals the...