Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth' - Irie as an example for 2nd generation immigrants' desperate search for their place in a multicultural society

Irie as an example for 2nd generation immigrants' desperate search for their place in a multicultural society

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth' - Irie as an example for 2nd generation immigrants' desperate search for their place in a multicultural society by Stefanie Brunn, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Stefanie Brunn ISBN: 9783638808224
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: July 7, 2007
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Stefanie Brunn
ISBN: 9783638808224
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: July 7, 2007
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: A-, Humboldt-University of Berlin, 14 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: To begin with, I will give a short introduction to Irie and her racially mixed background. This introduction will lead to a chapter about her feeling of unrootedness as a consequence of lacking role models and her unawareness of her own family's history. To get more involved in Irie's life and problems, in the following chapters, two major characters from her social environment will be shortly analyzed: Samad Iqbal, her father's best friend and a first generation immigrant and Millat, his son, Irie's first love and one of her best friends. Both of them also struggle with their racial identity. Samad is afraid of losing too much of his traditions, and Millat has to deal with a lot of different racial influences. In the end, both characters will not be helpful for Irie to find her place because they have not even come up with a solution for themselves. So she has to undergo a personal development. Firstly, she decides to integrate more with English society. England is the country where she grew up, and indeed, she herself is half-English. She develops a kind of obsession with Englishness encouraged by the Chalfens, who she sees as her idols. She also becomes obsessed with Western beauty notions. Finally, she comes to realise that she cannot change her Jamaican body to an English body and that her longing for purity can only end in failure. When she decides to have a closer look at her Jamaican identity, she begins to inform herself about Jamaican culture. In the end, she realises that she cannot deny part of herself, but she has to accept both of her origins and her life in an emerging multicultural society. She still keeps her personal vision that one day maybe roots and cultural origins would no longer matter and racial difference might not be an issue.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: A-, Humboldt-University of Berlin, 14 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: To begin with, I will give a short introduction to Irie and her racially mixed background. This introduction will lead to a chapter about her feeling of unrootedness as a consequence of lacking role models and her unawareness of her own family's history. To get more involved in Irie's life and problems, in the following chapters, two major characters from her social environment will be shortly analyzed: Samad Iqbal, her father's best friend and a first generation immigrant and Millat, his son, Irie's first love and one of her best friends. Both of them also struggle with their racial identity. Samad is afraid of losing too much of his traditions, and Millat has to deal with a lot of different racial influences. In the end, both characters will not be helpful for Irie to find her place because they have not even come up with a solution for themselves. So she has to undergo a personal development. Firstly, she decides to integrate more with English society. England is the country where she grew up, and indeed, she herself is half-English. She develops a kind of obsession with Englishness encouraged by the Chalfens, who she sees as her idols. She also becomes obsessed with Western beauty notions. Finally, she comes to realise that she cannot change her Jamaican body to an English body and that her longing for purity can only end in failure. When she decides to have a closer look at her Jamaican identity, she begins to inform herself about Jamaican culture. In the end, she realises that she cannot deny part of herself, but she has to accept both of her origins and her life in an emerging multicultural society. She still keeps her personal vision that one day maybe roots and cultural origins would no longer matter and racial difference might not be an issue.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book Computing present values by the AGM by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book The Voice of the Narrator in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book 'Geschmäcker lassen sich nicht globalisieren' by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Direct Action in the UK - chances, limitations and risks by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book The changing nature of war and its impacts on International Humanitarian Law by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Hereditary misery: The dysfunctional family and multigenerational transmission in Jonathan Franzen's 'The Corrections' and Cynthia Shearer's 'The Wonder Book of the Air' by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book The Reformation in Scotland by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Kognitive und psychophysiologische Verarbeitungsmechanismen bei der Panikstörung und bei Personen mit einem erhöhten Risiko für die Panikstörung by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Historic and Ethnic Development of Ethiopia by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book The Origin, Proliferation, and Institutionalization of Anti-Catholicism in America, and its Impact on Modern Christian Apologetics by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Why do democratic states not fight each other? A systemic approach to the democratic peace by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Meaning and cognition - The development of categorisation, concepts and prototypes by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Techniklernen - Entwicklung spieltechnisch-taktischer Grundfertigkeiten by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book The core leadership competencies by Stefanie Brunn
Cover of the book Form and Functions of Aboriginality in Kim Scott's Benang 'From the Heart' by Stefanie Brunn
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy