White Teeth
Zadie Smith presents ideas and situations of multiculturalism in the novel “White Teeth.” However, her ideas and situations presented can be further adapted into sociological definitions, such as: Cultural assimilation and Structural assimilation.
Cultural assimilation is when individuals from one culture adopt aspects of a new dominant culture, such as: religion, language, and norms (Wiki). Cultural assimilation is shown in the novel with the Spanish cleaning lady at Archie’s former home. She says, “Meester Jones, what now? Kitchen sink, si?” (Smith 8) and “Welcome, senor” (Smith 8). The Spanish cleaning lady demonstrates cultural assimilation with language by learning English, the dominant language in America. In addition, cultural assimilation is illustrated with Clara, who is Jamaican. Smith writes, “Clara Bowden, aged seventeen, was gangly, bucktoothed, a Jehovah’s Witness, and saw in Ryan a kindred spirit” (Smith 24). Jehovah’s Witness originates in Alleghany, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Ref). Clara, being a member of this religious group, has demonstrated cultural assimilation by religion because she has taken on a practice of religion, from the dominant culture.
Structural assimilation is when an ethnic group is fully incorporated into a society and they have access to institutions, such as government and education (wikW). Samad Iqbal demonstrates structural assimilation with having access to educational and governmental institutions. Smith writes, “It starts innocently. Casually. You turn up at the annual spring fair full of beans, help with the raffle tickets…you’re implicated in the school, you’re involved in it. Sooner or later you stop dropping your children at the school gates. You start following them in” (Smith 106). Samad is of Muslim ethnicity and he is allowed in to the school to participate in weekly school meetings or able to speak his opinions, coming from a Muslim perspective, and to be able to help change the school system, previously established by the dominant English people.
Sociologists believe that full assimilation of an individual cannot happen unless cultural and structural assimilation, both occur (Wiki). Even though, both assimilations happen for some characters in the novel, there are still many racial related barriers that come in between different ethnic groups, such as racial slurs. Unfortunately, there is no answer or solution to mend these barriers. Which makes sense why Smith ends the book with all storylines and characters coming together at an event and with no clear direction where anyone is going. I guess mankind will have to learn to fully assimilate by trials and errors.
Works Cited
What is the difference between cultural assimilation and structural assimilation? Copyright 2010. Wiki.answers.com>…Categories>History Politics and Society. Dec. 1, 2010.
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