Multiculturalism: Identity, Language and Culture in Zadie Smith's White Teeth

Abstract

This paper aims at examining the specific meaning of multiculturalism, identity, language and culture in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, her debut novel. Smith depicts a clear picture of the multicultural society of Britain in general and London in particular. However, the paper studies the ways in which Smith’s novel transcends and promotes the limitations of black women. The study investigates how multicultural society of Britain drawn through the role of each character in the novel; therefore, it shows the complex construction of identity created by Smith to illustrate the relationship built by difference of race, language, and religion. The paper also examines how Zadie Smith in her use of language integrates the linguistic process existed in the intercultural experiences of both the characters and the author herself. This paper aims at examining the specific meaning of multiculturalism, identity, language and culture in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, her debut novel. Smith depicts a clear picture of the multicultural society of Britain in general and London in particular. However, the paper studies the ways in which Smith’s novel transcends and promotes the limitations of black women. The study investigates how multicultural society of Britain drawn through the role of each character in the novel; therefore, it shows the complex construction of identity created by Smith to illustrate the relationship built by difference of race, language, and religion. The paper also examines how Zadie Smith in her use of language integrates the linguistic process existed in the intercultural experiences of both the characters and the author herself.This paper aims at examining the specific meaning of multiculturalism, identity, language and culture in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, her debut novel. Smith depicts a clear picture of the multicultural society of Britain in general and London in particular. However, the paper studies the ways in which Smith’s novel transcends and promotes the limitations of black women. The study investigates how multicultural society of Britain drawn through the role of each character in the novel; therefore, it shows the complex construction of identity created by Smith to illustrate the relationship built by difference of race, language, and religion.