White Teeth: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
m (trope=>work)
m (removed Category:Literature using HotCat)
 
(6 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{work}}
{{work}}
{{Infobox book
⚫
''[[White Teeth]]'', a 2000 novel by Zadie Smith, chronicles the lives of two [[World War II]] veterans and their families in late twentieth-century London. Samad Iqbal is an intelligent and voluble but underemployed waiter, and Archie Jones is a laconic and indecisive everyman, but they are drawn together by their shared experiences in the war, similar family situations, and mutual need for a balancing influence.
| title = White Teeth
| image =
| caption =
| author = Zadie Smith
| central theme = Britain's relationship with immigrants from the British Commonwealth ''(Wikipedia)''
| elevator pitch =
| genre = Hysterical realism
| publication date = January 27, 2000
| source page exists =
| wiki URL =
| wiki name =
}}
⚫
'''''White Teeth''''', a 2000 novel by Zadie Smith, chronicles the lives of two [[World War II]] veterans and their families in late twentieth-century London. Samad Iqbal is an intelligent and voluble but underemployed waiter, and Archie Jones is a laconic and indecisive everyman, but they are drawn together by their shared experiences in the war, similar family situations, and mutual need for a balancing influence.


When Samad's son Millat, Archie's daughter Irie, and Joshua Chalfen are accused of using drugs on school property, Joshua's intellectual parents decide to be an [[Sarcasm Mode|uplifting influence]] on the poor working class children. [[Mrs. Robinson|Joyce Chalfen]] aspires to become a [[Freud Was Right|mother figure]] to the [[Troubled but Cute]] Millat, while Marcus Chalfen decides that Irie Jones and Millat's more studious twin Magid can be of assistance in a controversial experiment he is conducting.
When Samad's son Millat, Archie's daughter Irie, and Joshua Chalfen are accused of using drugs on school property, Joshua's intellectual parents decide to be an [[Sarcasm Mode|uplifting influence]] on the poor working class children. [[Mrs. Robinson|Joyce Chalfen]] aspires to become a [[Freud Was Right|mother figure]] to the [[Troubled but Cute]] Millat, while Marcus Chalfen decides that Irie Jones and Millat's more studious twin Magid can be of assistance in a controversial experiment he is conducting.
Line 6: Line 19:
As the three families become involved with religious fanatics, political intrigues and ethical dilemmas, it becomes apparent that the fate of [[It Makes Sense in Context|a single]] [[Serious Business|mouse]] may rest in their hands.
As the three families become involved with religious fanatics, political intrigues and ethical dilemmas, it becomes apparent that the fate of [[It Makes Sense in Context|a single]] [[Serious Business|mouse]] may rest in their hands.


The novel was adapted into [[White Teeth (TV serial)|a four-episode series]] in 2002.
----

=== ''[[White Teeth]]'' provides examples of: ===
{{tropelist}}
* [[Adaptational Attractiveness]]: Several characters in the television version. For example, Joshua Chalfen, who is a pudgy nerd in the novel, is played by James McAvoy.
* [[Adaptational Attractiveness]]: Several characters in the television version. For example, Joshua Chalfen, who is a pudgy nerd in the novel, is played by [[James McAvoy]].
* [[Animal Wrongs Group]]: {{spoiler|Joshua Chalfen}} is part of a radical animals rights group.
* [[Animal Wrongs Group]]: {{spoiler|Joshua Chalfen}} is part of a radical animals rights group.
* [[The Dark Side]]: a character who is a [[Star Wars]] fan lampshades this trope when he hears that Irie is working for Dr. Chalfen.
* [[The Dark Side]]: a character who is a [[Star Wars]] fan lampshades this trope when he hears that Irie is working for Dr. Chalfen.
* [[A Date With Rosie Palms]]: this is cause for [[Serious Business|serious]] angst for one character, since it is [[Against My Religion|against his religion]], but he uses a [[Exact Words|loophole]] to justify his transgression.
* [[A Date with Rosie Palms]]: this is cause for [[Serious Business|serious]] angst for one character, since it is [[Against My Religion|against his religion]], but he uses a [[Exact Words|loophole]] to justify his transgression.
* [[Back for The Finale]] {{spoiler|'Dr Sick'}}
* [[Back for the Finale]] {{spoiler|'Dr Sick'}}
* [[British Teeth]]: Played with. Teeth are, naturally, a recurring motif.
* [[British Teeth]]: Played with. Teeth are, naturally, a recurring motif.
* [[But Not Too Black]]: In-universe- Irie (who is mixed-race) is hugely hung up about her Jamaican hair and typically curvaceous figure, wishing she could have sleek hair and a willowy body like she perceives all the Caucasian girls at school do.
* [[But Not Too Black]]: In-universe- Irie (who is mixed-race) is hugely hung up about her Jamaican hair and typically curvaceous figure, wishing she could have sleek hair and a willowy body like she perceives all the Caucasian girls at school do.
Line 18: Line 32:
* [[Evilutionary Biologist]]: In universe, several characters consider Marcus Chalfen to be this, although 'Dr. Sick' is better example.
* [[Evilutionary Biologist]]: In universe, several characters consider Marcus Chalfen to be this, although 'Dr. Sick' is better example.
* [[For Science!]]: Marcus's position on Future Mouse.
* [[For Science!]]: Marcus's position on Future Mouse.
* [[Fun With Acronyms]]: {{spoiler|Millat}} is part of a group of young radical second-generation British Muslims called K.E.V.I.N.: Keepers of the Eternal and Vigilant Islamic Nation.
* [[Fun with Acronyms]]: {{spoiler|Millat}} is part of a group of young radical second-generation British Muslims called K.E.V.I.N.: Keepers of the Eternal and Vigilant Islamic Nation.
* [[Genetic Engineering Is the New Nuke]]: The source of all the political extrapolations about Future Mouse.
* [[Genetic Engineering Is the New Nuke]]: The source of all the political extrapolations about Future Mouse.
* [[Hollywood Jehovahs Witness]]: Archie's wife Clara was raised in a very strict Jehovah's Witness family. This becomes important later when her mother, her {{spoiler|ex-boyfriend}} and a group of JW's protest Marcus Chalfen's experiment.
* [[Hollywood Jehovah's Witness]]: Archie's wife Clara was raised in a very strict Jehovah's Witness family. This becomes important later when her mother, her {{spoiler|ex-boyfriend}} and a group of JW's protest Marcus Chalfen's experiment.
* [[Hot for Teacher]]: {{spoiler|Samad}}, though not a student, has an affair with a teacher after he gives up [[A Date With Rosie Palms|pining for her]].
* [[Hot for Teacher]]: {{spoiler|Samad}}, though not a student, has an affair with a teacher after he gives up [[A Date with Rosie Palms|pining for her]].
* [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]: Enough to populate the entire city of London, it seems.
* [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]: Enough to populate the entire city of London, it seems.
* [[Luke, I Might Be Your Father]]: At the end of the novel, it is impossible to tell {{spoiler|which of the identical Iqbal twins}} is the father of {{spoiler|Irie's baby}}.
* [[Luke, I Might Be Your Father]]: At the end of the novel, it is impossible to tell {{spoiler|which of the identical Iqbal twins}} is the father of {{spoiler|Irie's baby}}.
Line 30: Line 44:
* [[School Study Media]]
* [[School Study Media]]
* [[Sibling Yin-Yang]]: Charismatic, [[Book Dumb]] Millat and studious, officious Magid.
* [[Sibling Yin-Yang]]: Charismatic, [[Book Dumb]] Millat and studious, officious Magid.
* [[Starts With a Suicide]]: In the first chapter, {{spoiler|Archie}} attempts suicide due to the failure of his first marriage. {{spoiler|Another character intervenes, so it's also an [[Interrupted Suicide]].}}
* [[Starts with a Suicide]]: In the first chapter, {{spoiler|Archie}} attempts suicide due to the failure of his first marriage. {{spoiler|Another character intervenes, so it's also an [[Interrupted Suicide]].}}
* [[Troubled but Cute]]: Millat. Joyce Chalfen certainly thinks so.
* [[Troubled but Cute]]: Millat. Joyce Chalfen certainly thinks so.


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Lit Fic]]
[[Category:Lit Fic]]
[[Category:Small Genres and Unclassified Literature]]
[[Category:Small Genres and Unclassified Literature]]
[[Category:White Teeth]]
[[Category:The Great American Read]]
[[Category:Literature of the 2000s]]

Latest revision as of 21:59, 22 July 2021

White Teeth
Written by: Zadie Smith
Central Theme: Britain's relationship with immigrants from the British Commonwealth (Wikipedia)
Synopsis:
Genre(s): Hysterical realism
First published: January 27, 2000
v · d · e

White Teeth, a 2000 novel by Zadie Smith, chronicles the lives of two World War II veterans and their families in late twentieth-century London. Samad Iqbal is an intelligent and voluble but underemployed waiter, and Archie Jones is a laconic and indecisive everyman, but they are drawn together by their shared experiences in the war, similar family situations, and mutual need for a balancing influence.

When Samad's son Millat, Archie's daughter Irie, and Joshua Chalfen are accused of using drugs on school property, Joshua's intellectual parents decide to be an uplifting influence on the poor working class children. Joyce Chalfen aspires to become a mother figure to the Troubled but Cute Millat, while Marcus Chalfen decides that Irie Jones and Millat's more studious twin Magid can be of assistance in a controversial experiment he is conducting.

As the three families become involved with religious fanatics, political intrigues and ethical dilemmas, it becomes apparent that the fate of a single mouse may rest in their hands.

The novel was adapted into a four-episode series in 2002.

Tropes used in White Teeth include:
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/White_Teeth?oldid=1914996"