[...]
The main goal of this paper should be an in depth look at the character of the Muslim waiter Samad Iqbal and his fixation upon his antecedent Mangal Pande who allegedly started a revolutionary uprising in India in 1857 and was therefore executed by the British colonial rule. The initial analysis of the topic allowed the perception of an insufficient material concerning the scholarly treatment of Pande's function in White Teeth. Therefore, his representation through the characters perceptions and his role in the novel will be analysed. The initial point of such research refers to key elements of motifs and narrative structure Smith's; namely an issue of belonging and integration, the significance of (both personal and collective) history and one's roots. At first, the clear historical background, just as the role and significance of objective history, i.e. historic facts, would be analysed. Subsequently, I will discuss the role Mangal Pande plays in Samad's life and the significance history plays for him. Following this discussion, I will try to answer the question how other characters think and feel about Mangal Pande. In a concluding chapter, I will try to determine what the importance of this 'factual' predecessor to Samad is and discuss the importance of history, family backgrounds and cultural legacies for immigrants who are stuck in a crisis of identity in their new ‘homeland.’
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Mangal Pande and the Revolt of 1857
3. The Relevance of Mangal Pande in Samad's life
4. The perception of Mangal Pande by Other Characters in Smith's Novel
5. What's the Importance of this Character? Why is He Important to Samad?
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the obsession of the character Samad Iqbal with his great-grandfather, Mangal Pande, in Zadie Smith’s novel White Teeth. It investigates how Samad uses this historical figure as a coping mechanism for his feelings of displacement and cultural dislocation within contemporary British society, and how this obsession impacts his personal identity and familial relationships.
- Analysis of the historical figure Mangal Pande and the Indian Revolt of 1857.
- Examination of Samad Iqbal's self-identification and search for personal worth.
- Evaluation of how other characters in the novel perceive and challenge Samad's idolization of Pande.
- Exploration of themes such as post-colonial identity, cultural assimilation, and the weight of history for immigrant populations.
- Investigation into the conflict between historical narratives and personal myth-making.
Excerpt from the Book
3. The relevance of Mangal Pande in Samad's life
In this chapter I present and analyse instances in which Samad, one of the protagonists in Smith's White Teeth, makes a reference to his great-grandfather Mangal Pande in order to find out Samad's thoughts and feelings towards him. To begin with, Samad's attitude of being a descendent of Pande is that of being also a very distinguished individual, even though he himself has never done anything heroic or at least important in his life. This can be identified when Samad tells Archie unexpectedly during their Second World War mission that he "should not be [t]here." His reasoning is in the following statement clearly exposed:
I should be soaring with the Royal Airborne Force, shelling from on high! I am an officer! Not some mullah, some sepoy [...] My great-grandfather Mangal Pande [...] was the great hero of the Indian Mutiny! (WT 87)
In Samad's opinion, sharing the same blood with Pande should have earned him a higher rank within the army and that Pande's legacy should have elevated him above ordinary army service. However, the flaw in his reasoning is that Pande was an 'ordinary' soldier who served in the British East India Company's army and made it into the history books from a seemingly low position. Samad even goes as far as stating that he would have matched Pande's achievements were it not for his right hand. It is only his "buggery hand" which was crippled in the Indian army when a fellow soldier's "gun went off and shot [him] through the wrist" that forced him "from the pinnacle of military achievement in the Bengal corps to the Buggered Battalion." Some of Samad's character traits can be observed in this episode. He thinks because of his great-grandfather's heritage he deserves better things in life. He blames others for ruining his supposed destined way of life in which he would have followed in the footsteps of his great-grandfather. In doing that, he forgets that everyone is responsible for his or her own destiny.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the characters and themes of Zadie Smith's White Teeth and defines the research goal of analyzing Samad Iqbal's fixation on his ancestor, Mangal Pande.
2. Mangal Pande and the Revolt of 1857: This section provides a historical overview of the Indian Revolt of 1857 and defines the role of Mangal Pande as a pivotal, albeit controversial, historical figure.
3. The relevance of Mangal Pande in Samad's life: This chapter explores how Samad projects his own desires for status and meaning onto the legacy of his great-grandfather to compensate for his current dissatisfaction.
4. The perception of Mangal Pande by Other Characters in Smith's Novel: This part contrasts Samad's idealized view of Pande with the skepticism and rejection expressed by other characters in the novel.
5. What's the Importance of this Character? Why is He Important to Samad?: This chapter analyzes how Samad's reliance on his ancestor functions as a psychological defense mechanism against the challenges of being an immigrant in Britain.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes how the character of Samad represents the immigrant struggle for identity and the complex relationship between personal history and the need for belonging.
Keywords
Zadie Smith, White Teeth, Mangal Pande, Samad Iqbal, Indian Revolt of 1857, post-colonialism, cultural identity, immigrant experience, assimilation, displacement, historical narrative, personal myth, British literature, multicultural society, belonging.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
This paper focuses on the character Samad Iqbal from Zadie Smith's novel White Teeth and his intense obsession with his great-grandfather, the historical figure Mangal Pande.
What are the central thematic fields explored in the work?
The central themes include the immigrant experience in post-colonial Britain, the search for personal and cultural identity, the construction of historical narratives, and the psychological impact of displacement.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The objective is to understand why Samad Iqbal clings to the legacy of Mangal Pande and to analyze how this connection serves as a mechanism to handle his crisis of identity and dissatisfaction with his life as a migrant.
Which methodology is applied in this analysis?
The work utilizes a literary analysis approach, closely examining the narrative structure and character interactions within the text of White Teeth to interpret Samad's motivations and behaviors.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the historical background of the 1857 Revolt, Samad's personal identification with Pande, the critical reception of this obsession by other characters, and the psychological function of Pande as a source of self-esteem for Samad.
Which keywords best characterize this publication?
Key terms include Zadie Smith, White Teeth, Mangal Pande, post-colonial identity, immigrant experience, cultural assimilation, and historical legacy.
How do other characters in the novel react to Samad’s stories about Pande?
Most characters, including his family and his best friend Archie, express skepticism, annoyance, or outright rejection, seeing Pande as a failed soldier rather than the hero Samad portrays.
How does the author connect Samad's obsession to his life in London?
The author argues that because Samad feels displaced and undervalued in London, he turns to the "glorified past" of his ancestor to maintain a sense of pride and self-worth that his current reality does not provide.
- Quote paper
- Florian König (Author), 2008, The Importance of Mangal Pande (to Samad) in Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/137976
