The Last White Man: A Novel

Content Warning: This guide discusses racism, suicide, substance use disorder, and violence.

Anders is the protagonist and the first character introduced in the text. The opening literary allusion to Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis presents an alienated young man struggling to make meaningful connections. The allusion also extends to the dramatic and unexplained change that has taken place: Anders changes from a pale man to a person of color. Everything readers know about Anders they gain through direct reporting by the omniscient, third-person narrator or through reported indirect speech. The reader never hears Anders’s voice or thoughts directly, but rather, they are filtered through the voice of the narrator.

Anders, whose Scandinavian name means “brave” or “manly,” works as a trainer in an old-fashioned gym. He is well-liked by the mainly older clients, who refer to him as “doc,” as they believe he can help relieve their aches and pains of aging (37). However, he himself does not demonstrate any of the characteristics typically connected to bravery or manliness. After his change, he spends much of his time hiding behind hoodies and sunglasses, and when indoors, he draws the curtains.