An Unsuccessful Pakistani When you are watching a play, watching a movie, or reading a book, have you ever give each character an original archetype based on their personal several traits? I bet you have! In the interest of self-entertaining, I have done that many times before. After reading “White Teeth”, I came up with several archetypes. Among all the characters in the book, I have chosen Samad, the unsuccessful Pakistani. In “White Teeth”, Samad Miah Iqbal is an unsuccessful Pakistani, because his fate as a failed Muslim, husband, and Father. Samoa has a tragic life: During World War II, he met his only friend, Archie and settles in London after the war. Later on, he married to Alsana Begum per an arrangement by their families and has
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In Samad’s marriage, he has been fighting with his wife, Alsana about their children, her hobbits, and religion. Samad was being a jerk to his wife: “‘Look at you, look at the state of you! Look how fat you are!’ He grabbed a piece of her, and then released it as if it would infect him. ‘Look how you dress. Running shoes and a sari? And what is that?’… ‘You do not even know what you are, where you come from. We never see family anymore—I am ashamed to show you to them’” (166). This quote shows that Samad is not satisfied with Alsana at all, and he thinks that is much better than his wife; therefore he looks down on his wife. Furthermore, Samad beats his wife because he thinks he is always right; Samad was hoping Alsana just agree with everything he says, and attempts to resolve his arguments with Alsana by hitting her. However, his action only shows how unsuccessful he is. Besides not respecting his own wife, Samad is also a cheater, for he had an affair with his sons’ music teacher, Poppy. “At which point Samad kicked the stool from under him like a man hanging himself, and met the loquacious lips of Poppy Burt-Jones with his own feverish pair” (133). Samad could not control himself and kissed Poppy, and he did not think about his wife and children while he was kissing Poppy. Samad got carried away by sexual temptation, and did things that harm his marriage and family. Accordingly, he had failed to become a nice and loyal husband based on what he
In Samad’s marriage, he has been fighting with his wife, Alsana about their children, her hobbits, and religion. Samad was being a jerk to his wife: “‘Look at you, look at the state of you! Look how fat you are!’ He grabbed a piece of her, and then released it as if it would infect him. ‘Look how you dress. Running shoes and a sari? And what is that?’… ‘You do not even know what you are, where you come from. We never see family anymore—I am ashamed to show you to them’” (166). This quote shows that Samad is not satisfied with Alsana at all, and he thinks that is much better than his wife; therefore he looks down on his wife. Furthermore, Samad beats his wife because he thinks he is always right; Samad was hoping Alsana just agree with everything he says, and attempts to resolve his arguments with Alsana by hitting her. However, his action only shows how unsuccessful he is. Besides not respecting his own wife, Samad is also a cheater, for he had an affair with his sons’ music teacher, Poppy. “At which point Samad kicked the stool from under him like a man hanging himself, and met the loquacious lips of Poppy Burt-Jones with his own feverish pair” (133). Samad could not control himself and kissed Poppy, and he did not think about his wife and children while he was kissing Poppy. Samad got carried away by sexual temptation, and did things that harm his marriage and family. Accordingly, he had failed to become a nice and loyal husband based on what he