White Teeth Study Guide

White Teeth Summary

Zadie Smith prefaces White Teeth with the following quote: "What is past is prologue"- Inscription in Washington, D.C., museum. This statement sets the thematic mood for the novel, in which three different families of mixed ethnicity struggle with issues of heritage and legacy. Some characters, such as Samad, cling to the past obsessively, while others, such as Magid, attempt to reject it. The preface suggests that the past is inescapable, and encourages attention to details. By letting the wise words of the past speak before her, Smith acknowledges that "What is past is prologue" applies to writers as well. Thus, the ideas she examines in the next 500 pages have developed out of her own personal consideration of the past. In that sense…

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Recent Questions for White Teeth

Posted By nick i #275523 at Oct 16, 2012 1:01 PM

Why does the author use so many characters.

Use some examples showing why the suthor uses so many characters.

White Teeth | Answers: 2

Posted By m l #221453 at Dec 20, 2011 1:05 PM

What job title did Samad have while living in India?

What job did Samad have while living in India? While living in London he works as a waiter, what did he do for work before this?

White Teeth | Answers: 1

Posted By linette w #196933 at Aug 24, 2011 6:34 AM

they say this story is full of trifels, small,seemingly unimprtant events that changes the lives of the charaters.

i knowe one is when Mo safes Archie even doe he really just wants him to move his car. but with are the others?

White Teeth | Answers: 0