White Teeth by Zadie Smith is a novel that explores the complex themes of identity, race, and cultural clash. Set in London, the story follows the lives of multiple characters from different cultural backgrounds, each with their own unique struggles and desires. Throughout the novel, Smith presents a plethora of thought-provoking quotes that reflect the diverse perspectives of her characters.
“We have existed, we have survived, whether you like it or not, and now I intend to go on existing and surviving. We will not be wiped away!” – Irie Jones, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and celebrating one’s heritage. Her words serve as a powerful reminder that cultural identity is a vital part of who we are.
“Who ever saw death mamalized like that? He knows he’s done it all wrong. He’s messed up the big finale.” – Archie Jones, a white working-class man in his fifties, contemplates the meaning of life and the inevitability of death. This quote captures his sense of disillusionment and serves as a reminder of the universal human experience.
“I don’t have to control everything, least of all you. I just need to know that you’re there. Do you get me? That you’re still somewhere” – Samad Iqbal, a Bangladeshi immigrant struggling with his identity and his place in society, expresses his desire for connection and stability in a world that often feels unstable and unpredictable.
“Beneath this slab of sky, we are all one family, and it is relatively easy for me to manage the inter-familial relationships here. It is not so simple in Bangladesh.” – Alsana Iqbal, Samad’s wife, reflects on the differences between life in London and their home country. This quote highlights the challenges immigrants face when trying to maintain their cultural identities while adapting to a new environment.
These quotes from White Teeth offer insight into the rich tapestry of voices and perspectives that make up Zadie Smith’s novel. They remind us of the power of storytelling to shed light on the complexities of human existence and the importance of embracing our differences while seeking common ground.
Funny Quotes from White Teeth
“‘I think maybe after twenty-three years of marriage without asking any questions I should ask one or two, no?'” – Alsana Iqbal
“‘The answer is fifteen! The answer is always fifteen!'” – Millat Iqbal
“‘They say that when a woman dreams of an empty pram, it means she is unhappy. Not me. If I dream of an empty pram, it just means one thing: glamour.'” – Mo Hussein
“‘Mags, that’s what I think. Are you listening, Mags? Magrat. Magda. Okay, Magda, are you listening to me? Mags, Mags, Mags. So is my song–my new song is gonna go: Mags, Mags, Mags.’ And Magid, standing precisely to his left, also looks very frightened.” – Marcus Munday
“‘Yes, I am so overcome with guilt because I do not want so much to be a member of the British Bangladesh Youth Movement.'” – Samad Iqbal
“‘He could only follow her round the room, a desperate little kite whose string has broken.'” – Archie Jones
| “‘You made an overwhelming, reciprocal face, in response to the face he just gave you.'” – Clara Bowden |
| “‘She’s really a size six on top and size eight on the bottom. If you must know, Clara. And her eyes are green and her skin is pale pink. Perhaps I’m saying a really good-quality bruise?'” – Clara Bowden |
Memorable Quotes from White Teeth
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“You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could curse the fates. But when it comes to the end, you have to let go.” – Zadie Smith, White Teeth |
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“We are all dying, my dear. Every moment, we are inching closer to our inevitable end. So why not enjoy the ride?” – Zadie Smith, White Teeth |
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“It’s not about where we come from or what our backgrounds are. It’s about the choices we make and the paths we choose to follow.” – Zadie Smith, White Teeth |
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“Sometimes life is a series of missed opportunities and wrong turns. But it’s also a journey of self-discovery and growth.” – Zadie Smith, White Teeth |
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“Love is a strange thing. It can make us do crazy things, but it can also bring out the best in us.” – Zadie Smith, White Teeth |
Inspiring Quotes from White Teeth
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“It was a sudden thought and it filled him to the brim: He could no longer avoid the good, the clean, the pure, the tested, the true, the right, the just, the holy, and the proper. The duty was to be paid at once, in full.” |
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“She was only aware of a sensation so loathsome that it made her mouth turn dry, that when she emerged, everything in her body had the function of wrapping itself around this sensation, pushing itself into her throat, into her lungs until it made her breathless; her veins opened wide and her heart pumped heavily, and underneath her eyes dark half-moons formed and stayed.” |
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“Raising six children would surely mark someone, wouldn’t it? But here they all were after fifty years of marriage, happy as worms in mud. A tad blind, perhaps. A bit deaf, maybe. But the love had bubbled on and refreshed over generations, flapping happiness into the air for any passerby to register.” |
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“It is disgustingly easy to kill someone who is already dead. Or who still believes he is living. Who still believes that he believes.” |
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“What about the people who have got no teeth, but own cars and washing machines? But then we should open mines in Cornwall and set the miners mining diamonds.” |
Thought-Provoking Quotes from White Teeth
“It was said that the utterance of such words revealed an unclean mind and a heart unacquainted with simple joys, and yet the uncouth phrase had sprung to the great scientist’s trembling lips before he had the chance to stop it.”
This quote speaks to the power of language and the way it can sometimes betray our true thoughts and emotions. It explores the idea that even someone as highly educated and revered as a scientist can still be affected by their unconscious biases and societal expectations.
“What else is there to life if not a series of inspired follies? It’s a miracle we ever got out of the hominid stage at all.”
This quote challenges the notion of success and what it means to live a fulfilling life. It suggests that the pursuit of passion and the willingness to take risks are what truly make life worth living. It reminds us that it is through our mistakes and failures that we learn and grow.
“A person cannot, however, divest themselves of the culture, of the language they have been raised to speak, of the things they have been taught to find important or unimportant, of the things that mean home. Only when one has taken these things into oneself–accepted them as a part of one’s essential self–can one truly begin to choose.”
This quote explores the idea of identity and the role that culture and upbringing play in shaping who we are. It suggests that we cannot simply reject or ignore our past, but rather must embrace and integrate it into our sense of self in order to make meaningful choices and decisions.
Controversial Quotes from White Teeth
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“It’s not just a question of skin tone. You know as well as I do, it’s pure, outrageous racism…” |
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“When people said ‘We’re all human beings’ in that unctuous, tone-deaf way, what they really meant was: ‘Look, I’m color-blind.'” |
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“Religion is the first thing and the last thing, and until every pulse beats to the rhythm of religion, there can be no real civilization.” |
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“You’re always going to be a half-caste, and that’s all you’re going to be. You might as well face the facts up front.” |
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“Being black was highly fashionable in his neighborhood. That was the way to find a cause. And there were plenty of middle-class white girls up for it.” |
Wise Quotes from White Teeth
- “There’s beauty and ugliness everywhere, so no one will know which to see unless you tell them.”
- “What’s past is prologue.”
- “There is no “heating on the same page” when it comes to love. It’s not like a game of football. If one person wins, the other loses. Love is a strange thing.”
- “All the greatest love stories are tragedies.”
- “Sometimes it’s good not to talk about things that bother you. Silence can be a form of healing.”
- “We’re all mixed up and complicated, it’s what makes us human.”
- “We can’t change our past, but we can shape our future.”
- “Family is not just about blood, it’s about the people who support and love you unconditionally.”
- “Life is a journey, and we’re all just passengers trying to find our way.”
Touching Quotes from White Teeth
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“She ignored him. It was their forty-year-old habit: she ignored his meaningless and provocative comments (unless they affected the welfare of their children).” |
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“It was as if one second she could not see properly, and during it everything slotted into place. Behind a curtain of his known and unknown faults, she saw another man, one whose existence she had sensed all along but only now perceived with absolute clarity. She thought of love as a grace, not a virtue; it was something you were simply born with, like the need for air or hunger.” |
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“‘I developed a system. I’d shout from the bottom of the stairs what I wanted and my mother would shout back, as though I were a neighbour, what she thought of the idea.’ ‘That’s ‘education with an asterisk’, that is,’ said Millat, going below deck to fetch a stowed package, and laughing as if everything in his life had miraculously slotted into place.” |
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“‘Tell me, darling, have you ever seen a man?’ ‘No.’ ‘Have you ever dreamt of a man?’ ‘No.’ ‘Well here he is, standing right in front of you. Mazda told me about you. She said, ‘At first she was in love with Millat.’ But MEENA.”‘ |
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“Sometimes one cannot tell whether people are looking at one because one is beautiful or because one is strange. You are beautiful. And strange.” |
Quotable Quotes from White Teeth
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“You could go mad and no one would notice. But one word from you and everyone would know.” |
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“People are funny, aren’t they? They just want to be happy. And they don’t know how to get there. They just want to be happy and not think about the sadness that comes with it. They don’t want to think about the things that keep them from being happy.” |
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“Sometimes, the harder you try to escape something, the closer it gets to you.” |
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“Life is like a root canal. It’s painful, but necessary. And in the end, you come out stronger.” |
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“Love is a strange thing. It can make you do crazy things. It can make you feel like you’re flying and falling at the same time.” |
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“Sometimes, the best thing you can do is let go. Let go of your fears, let go of your worries, and just let life take its course.” |
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“We are all connected, whether we like it or not. Our actions have consequences, and they can ripple through the lives of others.” |
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“Life is a strange journey. It takes you to unexpected places, and it’s up to you how you navigate them.” |