The Irony In Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth'

560 Words2 Pages

From the beginning of her novel "White Teeth," Zadie Smith presents the reader with realistic, current issues and humor which is significantly complimented by a time-resistant setting. Her word choice brings out a unique and intriguing personality for each character introduced so far in the novel. One of the major themes of the novel so far is the theme of those who endow various trifles, whether miniscule or gigantic these trifles play a huge role in the novels story. The Irony, cynicism, and idiosyncrasy of the novel's tone of the novel makes the narrator quite relatable by being both witty and cynical.
In the beginning quote of the novel, E.M. Foster remarks that on certain days, especially the final day of one's life, every "trifle" bears a heavy meaning. This remark doesn't exactly apply to Archie's attempted suicide, it is more like Zadie Smith letting us know how to approach the book. Archie may be looking for signs that he is right or wrong in his actions or idlenesses, or he might be trying to make his last moments count as much as possible. Yet it is fitting for Archie to ...

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