Great Female Writers - Zadie Smith: What It Means To Be Human

By Feyi

Zadie Smith was only 21 when she started writing her debut novel, White Teeth, but upon reading this tale of love and family, spanning multiple generations and continents, one would be forgiven for thinking it had come from the pen of a more seasoned author. Focused on two clans growing up in North London, one Jamaican and white, the other Bangladeshi, it is hard to pin down the exact genre White Teeth fits into, let alone describe the plot in a short review. An attempt by the Guardian certainly whets the appetite: ‘Its characters embrace Jehovah's Witnesses, halal butchers, eugenicists, animal-rights activists and a group of Muslim militants who labour under the unfortunate acronym KEVIN.’ In short, the book shows us the interaction between these two families, how parents struggle with raising children, and how their children struggle with growing up as second-generation immigrants. With sharp humour and intriguing philosophical musings, often in the same sentence, Smith manages to produce a novel that reflects the multicultural society of twenty-first century England. Throughout her subsequent novels, race and identity remain a key focus, but always written in a way that is interesting, page-turning, and a tad tongue in cheek. Her more recent novels, On Beauty, and Swing Time, are truly transatlantic, jumping from New York to London, and back again, many times over.

It is all of these things that make Smith, despite the fact she grew up and went to university in England, an international author. She is British, but possesses a global outlook. Constantly interrogating the names and labels that people assign to themselves and others, Smith’s writing is, at its heart, one that is interested in what it means to be human. She studied English Literature at Cambridge and this is evident in her work. One can see influences from a wide range of authors; Salman Rushdie to James Joyce. On Beauty is a modern retelling of Howard’s End by E.M Forster, with Smith herself calling it a ‘homage’ to the Edwardian author. Overflowing with cultural references and slang, her writing manages to capture the essence of specific scenarios and types of people. On Beauty’s setting is a fictional university, that nonetheless appears familiar to anyone who has spent an extended period of time on campus. Even with these specifics, Smith creates something universal. Even if you haven’t been a university student in Boston or a middle-aged English academic, you can relate with their issues: dealing with lack of self-confidence, trying to find love, or the stress of family arguments.

While many authors make their name with a particular style – an emotional, first-person narrative or a detached, poetic musing on life – Smith’s strength lies in her ability to straddle different genres, hopping and jumping to inhabit different voices. Her two most recent works, Feel Free and Grand Union are very different. Feel Free is an essay collection, about topics from Justin Bieber to Brexit and climate change, while Grand Union is a collection of short stories. Yet, I would say they are my two favourite works by her. In their range, depth, and vibrancy, you can really see her talent as a writer. The short stories in Grand Union encourage her to experiment with her prose and Feel Free is an exhilarating dive into politics and culture. So, my recommendation to you is to start at the beginning, then go straight to the end. Read White Teeth, then Feel Free, then Grand Union. In doing so, you will get a real insight into the work of a highly skilled, highly enjoyable author.