Review: White Teeth by Zadie Smith
White Teeth by Zadie Smith has been sitting on my bookshelf since last summer. I was drawn to it not only because of my love for Smith’s other works, such as NW and Feel Free, but also because of its well-received response upon publication. Dubbed as ‘an extraordinarily accomplished first novel’ by the Financial Times, I was intrigued by why readers found it so compelling and so lovable. During lockdown, I have finally been able to return to White Teeth and finish reading!
Smith's writing is incredibly blunt and energetic, but this distinction doesn't feel jarring. She evokes a strong sense of familiarity with her readers, specifically when creating the world inhabited by the various families in the novel. Smith beautifully illustrates how the three different cultures intersect and collide, skillfully navigating the relationship between character and setting, as the characters from all generations grapple with questions of identity and assimilation.
Truly, London does feel like a world created by Smith. Her unique knowledge and insights of the city shine through her writing; it clearly comes as no surprise that Smith is dubbed as a ‘London writer.’ She evidences the colonial history of the city, and how it contributes to the multicultural nature of London society. Rather than focusing wholly on ‘the negative consequences of empire’, as argued by John Mullen, Smith’s novel is a nuanced exploration of both the positive and negative aspects of a multicultural society, simultaneously satirising and celebrating.
Fortunately, Smith’s voice is not lost in the intricate and complex plot of the novel; her writing abounds with power and pace. Her character development is brilliant; each character is fully-formed, following their own distinct trajectory. Despite growing up in such proximity, and sharing similar backgrounds as second-generation children, the lives of Irie, Magid, and Millat could not diverge any further from each other. Regardless of how separate the characters’ personalities can sometimes seem, Smith effervescently describes how intimately, and how inevitably, their lives become intertwined. Moreover, Smith’s characterisation is invaluable to the novel’s neat comedy. This can be attributed to the perfect balance of Smith’s trademark satirical wit and wisdom as Irie, Magid and Millat navigate what Anne Chisholm of The Guardian describes as a 'post-racial' Britain, whilst coming to terms with their identity and belonging in modern British society.
Arguably, the novel's most prominent theme is white privilege: headed by what feels to be the antagonist of the novel, Joyce Chalfen, it is fittingly dubbed ‘Chalfenism’. Joyce’s appearance as a nurturing mother figure for Irie and Millat is eventually betrayed by her white-saviour complex, manifested by her misguided desire to ‘heal’ Millat. Smith’s subtle wordplay in the term ‘Chalfenism’ cannot help but evoke Darwinism, ingeniously providing commentary on the white privilege that the Joyces benefit from. Their misguided sentiments and internalised prejudices are satirised by the outcome of Mr. Chalfen’s BioMouse experiment; here, the symbolic connotations of colour and escape are difficult to overlook. Perhaps the Joyces receive their comeuppance in the form of their son Joshua’s rebellion, which is cathartic to the reader. Ultimately, Smith throws the model nuclear family of the 1980s into question through representing the Chalfens, specifically the gulf between their experiences and the experiences of the non-white characters.
Despite Smith’s successes in her writing style and commentary, the omniscient writer can often feel arrogant and slightly distant from the reader. At times, the novel appears to lose sight of its plot, which is especially evident in the ending. Though the prose is still formidable, the construction of the ending feels disappointing and anti-climatic, as the fate of the characters appears to end too soon. The observations made in the ending are far from revelatory. Instead, they reinforce what has already been explored throughout the novel, primarily the criticism of militant religious fundamentalism. However, the ending still symbolises hope for its characters; the New Year’s Eve setting ushers in a new dawn and a new era.
I would absolutely recommend White Teeth, especially as your next quarantine read. Smith’s modern and fresh perspective renders it a stunning novel, and many readers, like myself, will be unable to put it down.