A Study Of The Representation Of Identity In Zadie Smith’s On Beauty

Zadie Smith’s novel On Beauty relates a series of stories that happen to two transatlantic families with complicated racial backgrounds in a fictional college town Wellington.Set in the later period of the George W.Bush administration,the novel alludes to historic events relevant to identity in American society such as civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s,the feminist movements during the 1970s and 1980s,and 2004 Haiti Rebellion by means of conversations and memories,demonstrating the dynamics of identity in different socio-historical contexts.Focusing on the representation of identity in the work,this thesis argues that Smith unravels the complex dimensions of identity in American society and encourages the disadvantaged groups to fight against social prejudice with mutual support.To start with,Smith calls into question the traditional gender roles.The male professors’ career success colludes with their control of the discourse concerning aesthetic knowledge to justify the male gaze’s objectification of female bodies.Yet Smith disrupts the male authority over aesthetics by approving of the higher aesthetic sensibilities in female characters and thus invalidates and criticizes the objectification of female bodies.Meanwhile,female characters respond differently to the ideal womanhood embodied by Carlene.Claire represents the feminists from the 1970s whereas the transformation of Kiki illustrates the importance of being an independent entity for women aside from the traditional role of "mother’ and "wife".Moreover,through the representation of the interaction and tension between two black groups,Smith hints at the possibility for black groups to unite and fight against racism.On the one hand,the Afro-Americans epitomized by Kiki and Levi are caught in the dual influence of African culture and American culture.While Kiki aspires to the identification of American culture,Levi explores his African identity.Nevertheless,neither of them can be fully accepted by either of the two cultures and both have to face the problem of cultural identity.On the other hand,the socially marginalized Haitian immigrants not only suffer from economic exploitation but they are also forced to abandon their own culture under the coercion of the American culture.They begin to appeal for their own rights with Levi’s help.Finally,Smith presents the effect of the entanglement of gender identity and racial identity on black women.The double oppression of racism and sexism inflicts economic and sexual exploitation on black women who are psychologically and physically injured.The social discourse that causes and justifies such oppression is the black female stereotypes.In the novel,Smith creates an important image "Black Virgin" that,with its rich connotations of black womanhood,refutes the one-dimensional stereotypes including mammy,matriarch,and jezebel.Black Virgin also inspires Kiki to become a psychologically and economically independent woman.