White Teeth is a story of lives. Reminiscent of A Fine Balance, this book adds the complication of a new world combating with old cultures. Tackling issues such as British Post-Colonialism, Racism, Religion, Science, and family. This story is interesting because of how horrible its characters are. Don't get me wrong; they're beautifully portrayed and infinitely believable, but they're just jerks that's all. Even though they're "representatives" for their cultures, these minorities are flawed just like the rest of us.
The two main characters are simply pitiful. They are egotistical, self centered, cowards who are lovable because we can recognize their flaws in ourselves (to a certain extent) or annoying co-workers. They spend their lives trying to achieve their own goals, but even when they have families and responsibilities, they still consider their issues first and foremost.
One of the most interesting aspects of this novel is the fact that one of the main families
(there are three really) is boring, middle class English intelligentsia. We can look at most books (the Buddha of suburbia for example) that portray flawed immigrants that shock us out of apathy, but Zadie Smith takes us through the flaws of a flawed but oh so realistic community. The three families
break apart and forge new connections and life choices, moving through life in separate ways, but nearing the end of the book they find they cannot live apart and come together in a crescendo of mishaps that are painfully inadequate for the history books or any real notice.
These are normal people who so shape the world into what it is now through ignorance and pride.
A must read for anyone planning on living life.
Andrew
No comments:
Post a Comment