Cultural Ambivalence in ZadieSmith'sOn Beauty
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Faculty of Art in English
Abstract
The research critically examines the relationship between two racially
different characters Belsey and Kiki. Besley is a white person from Britain who
marries African- American Kiki. The clash between liberal and conservative
academic values and it leads the cultural ambivalence due to the mixed race. The
marital relationship between the two different races results in the disharmony and
hence became the victim of separate culture multi adjustment and troubles with
children from mixed race. Kiki and Carlene remain the best friend despite the failed
relationship of their family. In the line of Homi K. Bhabha, this thesis argues that
Zadie Smith presents the culturally ambivalent character. Characters show the
complex genealogy of each family and foretell the impact of cultural and familiar
history will have on their London born children. There is a conflict between the white
and black. In the novel, the story covers the difficulties of cultural difference and their
children as they are comforted by the different society. Kiki is in ambivalent and inbetween state. She is in hybridity: she always tries to fit herself in the white
surrounding that further leads her to frustration, ambivalence, alienated, and
dislocated. It brings the loss of identity.