CHFA | English and Philosophy Panel
"One Generation": Colonial Amnesia through the Perspective of the Colonized in White Teeth
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
English Literature
Minor
Information Studies
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Julie Cyzewski, PhD
Presentation Format
Event
Abstract/Description
Zadie Smith’s White Teeth presents the concept of colonial amnesia, or an incomplete or inaccurate memory of a colonized nation’s history. This phenomenon often appears in colonial powers, but it can also manifest in the minds of those who were colonized. White Teeth’s Samad Iqbal, an immigrant from Bangladesh, falls into the latter category. Though he is a descendant of one of the more prominent figures of the Indian Mutiny, Samad cannot tell an accurate story of his ancestor’s battles, but he refuses to admit this. This presentation will focus on Samad’s identity crisis, how he chooses to cope with it, and how he projects it onto his twin sons, Magid and Millat, who were born and raised in London, with real-world examples to couple with scenes in the novel.
Spring Scholars Week 2025
English and Philosophy Panel
"One Generation": Colonial Amnesia through the Perspective of the Colonized in White Teeth
Zadie Smith’s White Teeth presents the concept of colonial amnesia, or an incomplete or inaccurate memory of a colonized nation’s history. This phenomenon often appears in colonial powers, but it can also manifest in the minds of those who were colonized. White Teeth’s Samad Iqbal, an immigrant from Bangladesh, falls into the latter category. Though he is a descendant of one of the more prominent figures of the Indian Mutiny, Samad cannot tell an accurate story of his ancestor’s battles, but he refuses to admit this. This presentation will focus on Samad’s identity crisis, how he chooses to cope with it, and how he projects it onto his twin sons, Magid and Millat, who were born and raised in London, with real-world examples to couple with scenes in the novel.
