The Business of Pulling Out

Many of the people who mingle in the affairs of other countries do so because they feel that they are responsible or are the most capable persons to make things better. The great irony of good intentions is that good intentions don’t necessarily result in good works or positive results. Even Zadie Smith writes with a pang of bitterness when Captain Charlie Durham “was not satisfied with simply taking [young Ambrosia Bowden’s] maidenhood. He had to TEACH her something as well” (p. 295). Even though Durham had made promises “that their secret child would be the cleverest Negro boy in Jamaica” (p. 296). Projects are begun and promises are made that are meant to educate and improve Ambrosia’s life, however Durham suddenly disappears. He has turned his attention abroad to attend other matters more than three months. He abandons Ambrosia.

Our involvement in the Middle East right now is a huge issue. When the U.S. had first jumped in, we felt like it was our responsibility to take charge and form an authority. Originally, we had concerns for our own security but once we were there, we started mingling with the affairs and involving ourselves deeper and deeper. Today, we’re at a stalemate. The next president will be key in deciding further involving ourselves or simply pulling out would be better.

~La Neu

racism a major plot line and a major issue

Maybe it was just me but just about every character in the book so far has expressed some racist slur or thought at one time or another.  Smith tells it like it is go back and count the number times this year someone said this and offended someone else racial.  Count the number of times someone dies because of their race, too gruesome instead count the number of times race has come up in the campaigns.  But we're not talking about how to address the issue we just here this guy used the race card, this dude hates these people, blah blah blah.  What about the example we are supposed to set for the rest of the world yet here we are in an election year and the racial tension so thick it could be cut with the proverbial knife.   Apparently race has been made an issue this election year so lets use that attention to work towards a solution instead of perpetuating the beast.  We owe it to the issue itself if nothing else, but i guess I'm just an idealist

Judging a book by its cover

The major similarity I have been seeing throughout the book and today’s politics are people’s connections with their roots. In the book the whole coming in terms with your original roots is a theme repeatedly used for the characters of the novel to not only distinguish who they are but also to convey who other people are, whether that is a truth or a deception. Obviously the book’s title can reveal a lot after only the beginning of the novel (the symbolism of teeth), but the truth behind the “root canal” I felt is the greatest reflection on the book so far. It is said in the book that “the first sign of tooth decay is something rotten, something degenerate, deep within the gums. Roots were what saved, the ropes one throws out to rescue drowning me, to Save their Souls”. No matter what happens in one’s life, teeth are always left behind. These teeth cannot be disguised as anything else than what they are. Sometimes people (especially in this book) want to try to mask their past or the character they are. Ethnic background is a major concern in this book as it is with the presidential election this year. Without having to state the obvious, Obama likes to play both sides of his ethnic background. He tends to use his white background when trying to collect the attention of white Americans and vice versa when trying to gain black American votes. I feel like coming from two different ethnic backgrounds, it could either hurt him or he could use it to his advantage. I believe he has been trying to be as general and normal as possible when trying to convey himself as a candidate. He has been smart to use his roots as a tool to help people view him as “one of their own”. I believe a major influence over people when choosing who to vote for, is the relativity of the two major candidates to one’s self. The more one can affiliate with a candidate and relate their own personal way of life with that candidate the better that candidate has to win their vote. Our history, background, and roots may provide possible insight on the people we are by simple prejudgments, but it might also just give more of a deception to the image of who people appear to be or how we want people to view ourselves.

FutureMouse to the Rescue...

CNN.com's Election Center says Stem Cell research is a "salient" issue in the 2008 Presidential Election. In connection with White Teeth, I can't help but think how relevant fictional Marcus's endeavors are in the reality of eugenics, which have an effect on politics today. As we delve deeper into science, more moral and ethical questions are raised. Like the girl at Heathrow in the novel, voicing her fears about the prospect of clones, we have to look out for what these things could potentially become. This in mind, I think of the quote (which I believe is from the Bible) which has become popularized by recent comic book films: "With great power comes great responsibility" or something to that effect. I think this is completely relevant to the field of science, and to politics in general. We need to elect someone who will take everything into consideration before making decisions. It is their responsibility.

In White Teeth, Smith repeatedly brings up the idea of prophecy. Well, what does a prophet do, what is their function? The way I see it, a prophet is someone who can look to the future and predict what will happen based on their knowledge of the past and its correlation with the current situation in the present. People are rightly concerned about the potential problems with eugenics because they have seen people misuse science and power in the past (didn't Smith also mention this in the section on World War 2 in regard to Dr. Sick and the Nazis?). We need to be careful how far we go "Playing God" and what effects it could have on society. So, do we need a "prophet" in the White House? Maybe not in name, but we need to elect someone who is willing to look at every issue from every possible perspective and make decisions that will be the best for the country and its citizens in the long-run in a moral and ethical way.

I think Stem Cell Research dovetails with the "bigger" issue of abortion and the sanctity of life. Where do we draw the line on what's a person? If we can't agree that a baby in the womb is a baby rather than a cluster of cells, when does the cluster of cells in a lab become a human? When do they start receiving rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness as well? Or do they? This reminds me of the movie "The Island" where the clones that are made for spare parts take on their own lives and feel things like any other human. As far out as these ideas seem, I think they are valid to wonder about and evaluate the likelihood of things like this happening in the future. Where is the responsibility to say enough's enough? Who is there to check the power that comes with these leaps and bounds in the name of "Science"?

What if Archie had the opportunity to choose Irie's eye-color -- to make them stay blue? Or if Clara could choose to make Irie slim like herself, instead of big like her Grandma? How would this help the problems they have in their lives --or would it inevitably bring new ones?

Mostly Magid and Obama

Even though we are half way through the book the connections we made earlier in the term are still pretty relevant to now. The first one is Clara being the odd one out. There is some focus on Clara, mostly a form of controversy. It is mentioned a few times on how she was rejected by her family for marrying a white man. People tend to focus on the negatives when it comes to her. I feel Clara is unfairly portrayed. She is much more than Archie’s wife and Irie’s mother. I am still trying to figure out who Clara really is. A lot of press has died down about Cindy McCain but she was portrayed in a similar way. More on some of actions and who she as married to then what she was really about. There is much more to Cindy like there is much more to Clara. Even though we have seen a little bit of who they are I am still waiting for the overall picture of who they are individually.
Another connection is Obama and Samad’s son Magid. Some people feel that Obama is not a true black person because his mother is white. People have trouble connecting with him because they do not relate to him. Barack Obama is a well educated multiracial man with controversy about his religion. People like to place people in certain categories. Whether it is right or not it helps people to connect on a bigger level. Unfortunately Obama leaves people a little confused. Magid is more or less going through a phase. His father is a Muslim who wants his son to be a great Muslim man. Magid ends up becoming very English. He is out of the norm and different. He is not exactly what you would expect him to be and there are less Muslim English men then there are just Muslim men. He is trying to discover who he is with obstacles. There is nothing wrong with either Obama or Magid it is just going to take time for certain people to understand where they are coming from. Especially if that place is so different from you.

Magid & Obama: Identities in Crisis

As I thought about the issues in the book and some of the issues of this year’s presidential election, none of them really jumped out at me as “resonating”. Then I saw the title of Chapter Sixteen – The Return of Magid Mahfooz Murshed Mubtasim Iqbal. In this chapter, Samad’s eldest son (by two minutes) returns from Bangladesh but is clearly not the “good” Muslim his father was hoping he would be. His own mother says, ‘“… this is not an Iqbal.”’ (p. 350). His twin brother will not see him ‘on political, religious, and personal grounds.’ (p. 351) Senator Obama is the center of similar confusion about his identity. Many African-Americans feel that he is not Black enough because his heritage is mixed (his mother was White, his father Kenyan). People say that although he was raised in Hawaii (which makes him American) and spent much of his life in the South Side of Chicago (which is kind of like North Philly), he really can/does NOT relate to the struggles of “real” African-Americans because he is not the descendants of slaves. Many Whites (and other African-Americans) feel he is an “uppity Negro” because he is Ivy-league educated and has the tendency to be condescending (check out the following link for Chris Rock’s take on the use of the word “articulate” when referring to intelligent people of color: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkqwspFr3D8).

Like Magid, Obama does not really fit in any one place. Is it because of their intelligence? Or is it because of the expectations people have of “their kind”? Magid’s family considers him to be more English than the English. Whereas his intelligence was lauded in the earlier chapters of the book, he is not smart the way his family want him to be (ie. quoting the Qu’ran). Obama, on the other hand, is considered more White than White; not Black enough. Both sides (Black and White) seem to want him to prove that he fits yet criticize him when he appears to be too much of one or the other.

Marcus Chalfen loves Magid but for what he can do for him. He does not seem to question how much power he is giving to this Bengali boy. But then again, that is most likely because Magid’s goal is to ‘bring Chalfenism to the people.’ (p. 352-353) He believes in “the Chalfen way” and thinks that all people should live this way. Marcus loves Magid, not because of his ethnicity but because Magid is willing to spread that which Marcus believes. Obama is winning more and more Whites to his side, but which side: his Black side or his White side? Are they looking past his skin color because he is hands-down so qualified for the position that they just do not see it or do they have some ulterior motive like Marcus Chalfen?

When I started thinking about this post I realized that I really wasn't sure about the issues at hand. I tried to dig around for something but I wasn't making any specific connections; so, I decided to think more generally. What I kept thinking about was the cultural issues and racial issues throughout the book. Alsana had racial issues with Clara. Clara's family also disowned her for abandoning her Jehovah witness ways and for marrying a white man. I don't know much about the role of a woman in Muslim society, but from what I do understand of it, it seems as though they are looked down upon and there to keep up the house and look after the family. It's seems like because they don't financially provide for the family they are not "providers."
Anyway, I think to some extent these issues are prevelant in the 2008 presidential election. I think there are a lot of racial prejudices against Obama because he is African American and there are racists out there that do not want to see an African American as president. That kind of goes hand in hand with the fact that I think some African Americans may be prejudice against McCain because he is white and they would rather finally have a fellow African American as president. Furthermore, even though Clinton is not in the running anymore, I do believe that she was put down because she is a woman. Some Americans put certain candidates down because they are not ready for change. I believe that in as long as there are candidates of different races and ethnicities there will be prejudices against them. I think that no matter what the candidate's views are, some people will just always hold on to their prejudices because they of their ignorance.

Another Country More Equipped

While telling the story of Captain Durham and Ambrosia Bowden, Smith makes an general statement about Great Britain as a world power. For several decades, Britain was the Europe's greatest power, with the most influence through its colonies all over the world and it's powerful naval fleet. But after the U.S. broke away from them and followed suit after their industrial revolution, America became the number one nation. It is through Captain' Durham's realization that "it is the Americans, not the British, who have the resources to pledge serious aide, three warships full of provisions presently snaking down the coast from Cuba" (p. 300). He says, "it is a strange feeling, this powerlessness; to discover there is another country more equipped to save this little island than the English" (p 300). Whether the world could see it or not, Britain's power was slowly fading.
I can't help but make the connection between America and China today. As the 2008 elections near, it is clear that another nation is making it's way to the forefront of world powers. China, currently going through it's own industrial revolution, is quickly becoming a strong force in the world. I am wondering how United States and China's relations will continue to play out through the next president because their environmental issues, politics and especially human rights issues are so controversial. Great Britain put up a big fight to keep the title of the number one nation.. will there soon be a "another country more equipped" than the U.S.?