Editing The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (section)

=== Themes of Identity and Displacement ===
The central theme of ''The Dream Hotel'' is the exploration of identity and the complexities of belonging. Each character’s journey reflects their struggle to reconcile who they are with where they come from, what they’ve lost, and what they hope to find. For some, the hotel represents a liminal space—a temporary haven where they can escape the constraints of their lives and contemplate who they might be in a different, more idealized world.

Lalami deftly explores how both the personal and collective histories of individuals shape their sense of self. Whether it is the tension between the past and present, or the competing forces of tradition and modernity, the novel illustrates how identity is fluid, shaped by internal desires and external forces. Through the perspectives of her diverse cast of characters, Lalami examines the complexities of cultural and national identities, particularly in a world where borders are becoming increasingly porous and people are constantly in motion.

The theme of displacement, in particular, plays a crucial role in the novel. Many of the guests at the Dream Hotel are fleeing something—a war, a political regime, a personal trauma—and they seek solace and safety in the hotel’s luxurious confines. Yet, no matter how comfortable or secure the hotel may seem, it cannot replace the sense of belonging that these characters so desperately yearn for. The hotel, as a symbol of transience, mirrors the characters’ own liminality and serves as a poignant reminder that true homecoming, whether physically or emotionally, can never be found in an external space.