Literary work serves a crucial role within society through its ability to depict change and social norms. Social resistance is a common theme within the novels “Things Fall Apart” and “White Teeth” as they show diverse experiences in social resistance within Europe and Africa continents. Chinua Achebe and Zadie Smith employ the social resistance theme to depict challenges people face within society resulting from social change. Characters within the two novels depict diversity in social resistance and its effect on the victims. Achebe focuses on colonial government effects, while Zadie Smith embraces social resistance through multiculturalism and immigration. Social resistance emerges as a multifaceted aspect that employs culture and history to promote change within the respective societies within the two novels.
Historical contexts of the novels
“Things Fall Apart” by Achebe focuses on the Igbo community within Nigeria and depicts its rich cultural traditions and values. It further shows how social structures emerge within the novel through the representation of the Igbo culture. However, the arrival of foreign powers serves as a distraction to the preexisting social norms that provoke resistance from the local community (Achebe). Colonial encounters bring worry to the Igbo community due to its advocacy for the adoption of new beliefs that go against the Igbo preexisting social norms. The protagonist depicts social resistance against the adoption of the European culture that comes with colonialism. There is a struggle among society members in the need to adapt to coming changes as some people collaborate while others believe in upholding their culture. Okonkwo adopted the role of resisting the social norms of the locals, hence showing a true belief in culture (Achebe. Tension arises from the clash of values between the Igbo community and the colonial government, leading to disagreements that promote war. The community chooses to maintain its identity by fighting for its culture. Social resistance emerges as a common aspect through people’s beliefs in keeping their cultural heritage.
Moreover, “White Teeth “by Zadie Smith focuses on the post-World War II era in London. The city comprises many cultures through the influx of immigrants who face challenges in adapting to new environments. Diversity through multiculturalism emerges as a social threat among the minority, which poses a problem to the immigrants. The characters within the novel show diverse aspects of culture. For instance, Archie is an English man while Samad speaks Bengali and the challenges they face within the city (Smith). Social resistance emerges through opportunities available to people migrating to the city and the role of culture in adapting to a new lifestyle. A struggle for identity emerges in the novel, with characters facing a dilemma on the right social norms to adopt. Assimilation is a common aspect within the city, and immigrants face temptations when relating to the new culture in London. There is generational conflict and its impact on social resistance within the novel. London is a large city that poses a challenge to people with minority cultural beliefs, hence posing a challenge to the victims. Cultural complexities emerge within the novel through characters such as Millat, who use radical resistance in their survival within the city. The novels are essential in showing social resistance through character representation of external pressure that affects them.
Social resistance in “Things Fall Apart”
The Igbo society shows social dynamics through communal life and collective decision-making. The society has villages that are deeply rooted in social values through extended families and community rituals that play a significant role in enhancing social integration. The model defines the colonial government values of single families and individual decision-making, hence affecting the social norms of the community. Moreover, social cohesion emerges through the ancestral beliefs of the Igbo community (Achebe). The beliefs focus on revering the ancestors and the existence of spirits that govern the human lifestyle. The community shows deep social norms through ceremonies that revere the spirits. However, the emergence of colonial power came with a new God who distrusted the social beliefs with new norms that promoted resistance from the local people towards the European God. The community also focuses on maintaining gender roles and hierarchy within the community. It offers clear roles of men and women that do not rhyme with the colonial government of social equity, hence provoking social war on gender roles.
Okonkwo shows strength and ambition in fighting for the social norms of the Igbo community. Achebe introduces him as a fearless and ambitious who shows values through disdain for weakness and employs the philosophy that depicts Igbo values. The values of courage and masculinity emerge within the character, which defy the colonial social norms, promoting social resistance within the character. Okonkwo resists change through his beliefs on the effects of weakness arising from his father, whom he considers effeminate (Achebe). Okonkwo’s fear of being perceived by clan members as weak promotes further resistance to social change. The new values introduced by colonizers affect the power structure within the community, hence promoting societal resistance. A clash of cultures with differing views promotes further pressure among the locals, promoting social war between the two groups. The community falls due to resistance, hence showing the effects of resistance during the colonial period. It further depicts the effects of colonialism within the Igbo community and its impact on the Nigerian nation (Achebe). Achebe uses the protagonist to show how social resistance promotes the consequences of brutality and death among the locals of the Igbo community. Resistance to cultural change promotes war between the colonial government and the Igbo community, leading to the death of Igbo community members due to the disruption of the community set up by the colonizer’s norms.
Social Resistance in “White Teeth”
The novel focuses on the aftermath of World War II in London. The city faces an influx of immigrants who bring different cultures, promoting challenging cultural aspects during the microcosm. The clash of cultures within the city promotes social resistance through the character’s narration of experiences within the novel. Challenges and opportunities emerge within the novel through cultural diversity and how cultural identity promotes social resistance. Archie needs help finding identity through the existence of many cultures within London. He marries a woman from a different culture, leading to a diverse experience with Clara, who defies some of his beliefs. Clara’s exposure to different social norms leads to struggles with cultural identity within the novel (Smith). Samad, a Muslim, faces challenges in adapting to multiculturalism through its deviance from his Islamic beliefs within London. The city offers a challenge through an existing conflict between the Islamic doctrines that do not align with Christianity within London. He faces challenges of adopting a new culture or maintaining his cultural beliefs, which promotes a question of social norms and their influence on individual lifestyles.
There is a conflict with social norms through Millat Iqbal’s involvement with radical groups. Millat shows how different generations adapt to lifestyles and their effects on their lives. A young generation emerges, showing revolutionary aspects through adopting a new culture that disobeys traditional family beliefs, hence posing a challenge to the family (Smith). The family is a social structure that requires integration, and multiculturalism influences Millat, leading to his engagement with radical groups within the city. Identity to new social norms ridicules the preexisting cultural norms of the English and Islamic beliefs, showing a revolutionary aspect within a culture that leads to social resistance. Radicalization emerges in the novel through the role of radical groups in influencing Mallit and his response through despising his Islamic traditions.
Archie and Samad show how culture promotes social resistance. Archie refuses to give in to cultural stereotypes of other cultures within London. The English culture defies other cultures, and he chooses to assimilate with non-English people through his marriage to Clara (Smith). The relationship goes against the expectations as he accepts diversity, enhancing cultural assimilation and leading to the creation of new norms. He shows social resistance through the act, hence showing the challenges that arise from multiculturalism and its impact on society. Samad shows his struggles through the challenges of maintaining Islamic doctrines in London. There is an internal conflict between adopting new social norms while ignoring the old norms. Cultural purity becomes a challenge in a macrocosm environment that presents diverse cultures. Samad shows resistance towards cultural erosion due to his interaction with diverse cultures within London. Multiculturalism serves as a distraction towards maintaining social norms by characters within “White Teeth “by Zadie Smith; hence, a better literary work for comparison to Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart.”
Comparison and contrast between things falling apart and white teeth
Comparison
There is a focus on resistance against cultural change in both novels. Chinua Achebe portrays resistance towards colonial culture through the quote, “He came quietly and peaceably with his religion…..Now he has won our brother, and our clan can no longer act like one.” (Achebe). The statement depicts the impact of religion within the Igbo community and its role in promoting social resistance. White Teeth shows how Samad reluctantly denies the English culture as he quotes, “These English people, my friend, will come to hate us more and more.” (Smith) He further insists on the future hatred from the English people towards Muslims, hence showing social resistance against English culture. Samad’s struggle against assimilation indicates social resistance against modernity.
Both novels focus on generational conflicts within their London and Igbo community. There is a clash between Okonkwo and Nwoye as he rejects the values bestowed by his father by terming them as traditional and rigid. Okonkwo asserts, “Nwoye is not my kind…. He should have been a girl.” Nwoye shows signs that Okonkwo terms as effeminate, leading to his fears against the influence of the young ones (Achebe). He complains about his fear of Nwoye’s negative influence on the young ones within the family. Zadie Smith shows Millat as a defiant son who engages in radical actions, creating tension within the family. Tension arises within Samad’s family, showing the effects of radicalization in family setups. Zadie quotes, “He remembered what it felt like to stand behind a pulpit with hundred eyes on him….nothing at all compared to the power he felt now, standing in front of this small room of believers.” (Smith). The assertion shows social radicalization within the novel by Zadie Smith.
Differences
There is a difference in the external forces promoting social resistance within the two novels. In “Things Fall Apart,” external forces are colonialists who invade the peaceful land of the Igbo with new social norms and seek to override the community’s beliefs. The community resists coercion from the colonizers; hence, it is a source of social resistance. It quotes, “…he came quietly and peaceably with his religion.” (Achebe). The author quotes religion as the key element that causes strain in social relations between the two parties. However, “White Teeth” depicts multiculturalism as an external force that shapes social strain. In the quote, “Immigrants, immigrants, immigrants, what did it matter where you came from anyway?” (Smith), there is an element of struggle as cultural identity emerges due to struggles for assimilation and maintaining cultural identity among the immigrants. The difference in social factors influencing the two groups shows diversity in social aspects across the world that promote social resistance.
There is a deviation in the nature of resistance between Chinua and Zadie’s literary works. In the Igbo society, resistance emerges through the adoption of a rigid stance on the cultural values of the community. Community members believe in maintaining traditions that despise the colonizer’s supreme power, while the protagonist appears as a temperamental man with few words. The author quotes, “He had a slight stammer…he would use his fists.” The assertion shows how quickly the character depends on acting rather than engaging in talks (Achebe). It depicts a temperamental character with emotional instability, hence a quick source of social resistance in the Igbo community revolution. However, “White Teeth” shows social resistance through Archie’s quote, “These are not slogans, my friend. This is my life.” (Smith) Archie shows deviance towards the popular English culture of embracing resistance against assimilation with the immigrants. He decides to engage in a personal path that shows diversity and employs a unique approach to culture. The two literary works show different perspectives on the nature of resistance through characterization by the authors.
There is an element of complexity and ambiguity within the two novels. In “Things Fall Apart,” some members of the Igbo community embrace change due to the transformation of the world, while others, like Okonkwo, are reluctant to change. However, the author quotes, “Among Igbo, the art of conversation is regarded very highly,” showing the challenges the protagonist faces in facing reality. “White Teeth” shows complexities through resistance to assimilation by Samad, while Arche accepts diversity. Okonkwo faces an internal conflict that challenges his stance on embracing change through the quote, “When did you become a shivering old woman?” The assertion shows loss to an already transforming world (Achebe). White Teeth shows deviance through Millat, Samad’s internal struggles and Archie’s acceptance of different social norms that exist within society. The novels depict different societal experiences and the need for people to embrace change in a positive direction rather than bias on cultural aspects.
Conclusion
The authors Zadie and Chinua embrace social resistance within their literary texts through characterization. Social resistance emerges through the activity of Okonkwo, Samad and Millat as they show different aspects that promote resistance. The authors focus on culture and religion as aspects that promote social resistance within Igbo and London communities. Embracing social resistance requires a keen examination of both aspects without bias in society. People are required to avoid cultural polarization, social negligence and superiority complex for survival within society. “Things Fall Apart” depicts a better picture of the influence of culture and religion in promoting social resistance, while White Teeth focuses on multiculturalism in enhancing social resistance. The novels provide a better plot for understanding social resistance in different communities.
Work Cited
Achebe, Chinua. “Things Fall Apart. The African Trilogy.” (2010): 1-148.
Smith, Zadie. White teeth. Vintage, 2003.
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