EXPLORING THE MULTICULTURAL IDENTITY IN ZADIE SMITH’S WHITE TEETH
Mirhat ALIU
Abstract
This paper explores the formation and negotiation of multicultural identity in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth – a novel that vividly depicts post-World War II London as a thriving and often challenging multicultural environment. By focusing on the lives of the Jones and Iqbal families, the study investigates how migration, cultural heritage, religion and personal history shape both individual and collective identities within Britain’s diverse social landscape. The narrative follows characters who carry the burdens of the past, such as Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal, while their children, Irie, Magid and Millat, embody the struggles and possibilities of second-generation immigrant identity. This analysis highlights how these younger characters are caught between competing cultural expectations.
Irie’s attempt to reconcile her Jamaican and English backgrounds, Magid’s transformation into a secular Anglicized intellectual despite being raised in Bangladesh, and Millat’s rebellion through radicalism all illustrate the fragmented and hybrid nature of identity in diasporic contexts. Smith’s portrayal of London underscores that multiculturalism is not merely a coexistence of cultures, but an active progress of negotiation, conflict and redefinition. A central symbol examined in this paper is the Future Mouse exhibition, which functions as a metaphor for the desire to control, predict or homogenize identity in a multicultural society. Through this event, Smith critiques deterministic worldviews and challenges the notion that cultural differences can be easily managed or erased.
Instead, she emphasizes the inherent unpredictability and fluidity of human identity. Ultimately, the paper argues that White Teeth presents multicultural identity as an evolving, nonlinear process shaped by history, interpersonal relationships and the constant interaction of diverse communities. Smith suggests that peace and cohesion in a multicultural society can only emerge through mutual respect, recognition and the acceptance of cultural plurality.
Pages: 119 - 123