An Analysis Of The Causes Of Anxiety In White Teeth From The Perspective Of Body Theory

Zadie Smith is one of the most significant young writers in the contemporary British literary arena.Her debut novel,White Teeth gains widespread concern,since it was published in 2000.It seems that the tone of the novel is quite light and humorous.However,when it comes under scrutiny,the dilemmas and anxieties of Londoners can be recognized underneath the happy surface of the globalized city.This thesis analyzes the causes of anxiety in White Teeth from the perspective of body theory.The thesis is comprised of five chapters.Chapter one is composed of a brief introduction to Zadie Smith's major contributions towards literature and White Teeth,the literature review of this novel and theoretical framework.Chapter Two mainly explores the anxiety caused by disabled bodies.Disabled bodies caused by war and the cultural conflicts are the witnesses of traumatic experiences and the threat of existence becomes the source of their anxiety.Chapter Three mainly expounds on anxiety caused by commoditized bodies.In the consumer society,the body becomes the object of consumption,and the loss of subjectivity leads to anxiety.Chapter Four mainly discusses anxiety caused by disciplined bodies.The discipline of the body is a way to avoid the anxiety provoked by the unbalance between ideal and reality,and hostile emotions aroused by the disapproval from others in turn lead to the new anxiety.Besides,due to genetic engineering,bodies can be designed,which brings about the anxiety over cultural and personal traits.In the novel,Smith probes the mental state of the multiracial society,and the influences brought by the new technology.Anxiety,as an inevitable mental problem,shows its crucial influence on our life.To understand it is to rethink the relationship between the civilization of human society and the mental state of human beings.Through the research,this thesis finds that the competitive mind is not merely the impetus for the development of human society,but also the root of all kinds of anxieties.