Multiculturalism and Identity in Postcolonial Europe. A case study: Zadie Smith’s White Teeth

Abstract

Much of distinguished writers have tackled ―Identity‖ from a postcolonial perspective. Most of these writers of immigrant literature have tried to depict the notion of ―immigrant identity‖ within a multicultural society. In this sense, White Teeth by Zadie Smith deeply introduces the cultural identity struggle firstly within family and secondly between the first and second generation which plays a critical role in postcolonial writings. Zadie Smith in White Teeth raises both the issue of Immigrants situation in the post-war era in the multicultural society and the difficulties to integrate in the British society. The study takes up the task of discerning the theoretical and historical background of Post colonialism and Multiculturalism focusing on the problem of maintaining the identity in place of mixing cultures and the conflict between generations. The research focuses on history narration of fiction in accordance with historical, economic and politic events. It also emphasizes on how Smith portrays the struggles within families relationships and the uncertainty between them and the conflict between the immigrants generations. The depiction of the ‗Other ‗takes a large space in this research.