White Teeth by Zadie Smith

 “’Haven’t you ever wondered why he hasn’t snogged you?’ ‘Because I’m ugly. And fat. With an Afro.’ ‘No, fuckface, because you’re all he’s got. He needs you. You two have history. You really know him. Look how confused he is. One day he’s Allah this, Allah that. Next minute it’s big busty blondes, Russian gymnasts, and a smoke of the sinsemilla. He doesn’t know who he is. But you know him, at least a little, you’ve known all sides of him. And he needs that. You’re different.’ Irie rolled her eyes. Sometimes you want to be different. And sometimes you’d give the hair on your head to be the same as everybody else. – ‘But the truth is the Barbra Streisand cut you’ve got there ain’t doing shit for you. The Afro was cool, man. It was wicked. It was yours.” (Smith, 237).

In this excerpt of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, the author conveys the longing people have for concrete history and yet the need to pull away from that history at the same time. Irie longs to know who exactly she is, and yet changes her appearance and is insecure about most things, just simply due to it not being the norm for the area she is living. Instead of embracing these differences, she rejects them just as Millat is rejecting his own history while going back and forth with the idea of embracing this. The sole idea of this excerpt is the need to embrace their own history for the sake of their own happiness. Just as Irie is changing her hair, Millat is switching back and forth with his interests. Altogether, the author is stating that one has to embrace oneself. The Afro is Irie, the history is Millat, and they will help each other get to their roots.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

“By Allah, how thankful  he is (yes, madam, one moment, madam), how gladdened by the thought that Magid, Magid at least, will, in a matter of four hours, be flying east from this place and its demands, its constant cravings, this place where there exists neither patience nor pity, where the people want what they want now, right now (We’ve been waiting twenty minutes for the vegetables), expecting their lovers, their children, their friends, and even their gods to arrive at little cost and in little time, just as table ten expect their tandoori prawns… - These people who would exchange all faith for sex and all sex for power, who would exchange fear if God for self-pride, knowledge for irony, a covered, respectful head for a long, strident shock of orange hair-“ (Smith, 172).

In this excerpt of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, the author shows the irony in which blaming a place and culture for a person’s actions is not rational. Samad is set on the country and culture being the reason why a person is further from God, essentially he makes the culture and country his scapegoat for acting immorally. He describes the place to be demanding, selfish, impatient, and immoral. Yet, he himself acts immorally. Not only through his actions on a day-to-day basis, but Smith throws small snippets of his own impatience as he is going on this tangent. His thoughts come out every so often through parenthesis and italicized text, his own impatient and demanding thoughts while he is complaining about an impatient and demanding country. The author then shows the irony through this, as Samad seems to think he can do no wrong and will not take responsibility for his own actions and thoughts. Speaking of the irony the country has knowledge on, all the while being ironic himself.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

“I’ve known Sam for years, and his wife seems a quiet sort. They’re not the royal family, you know. They’re not those kind of Indians’, he repeated, and shook his head, troubled by some problem, some knotty feeling he could not entirely unravel. Samad and Aslana Iqbal, who were not those kind of Indians (as, in Archie’s mind, Clara was not that kind of black), who were, in fact, not Indian at all but Bangladeshi.” (Smith, 46).

In this excerpt from Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, the author conveys society driven ignorance of color. Within society, there is a divide of color and not acknowledging that divide is almost as harmful as simply acknowledging it. In this excerpt, the reader can see how Archie ignorantly sees color, while portraying casual racism. Stating words such as “those” and “that” is descriptive enough in it’s actual meaning of generalizing a race to make a certain person or people stand out, who happen to be that race so they seem “different” from the rest, almost like they are not simply people. All people are different, not by race or any other physical identifier, but by personality. Smith showcases the white man taking that away from POC, not from malicious intent but from societal driven ignorance. Samad is Archie’s friend, just as Clara was Archie’s love interest. Yet, he still had to take their skin color away from the equation so that it would make sense for him to associate himself with them. Ultimately allowing himself to convey causal racism from societal teachings, thus acknowledging the divide of race while trying to ignore it.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

"It was June. The King and Queen were at the Palace. And everywhere, though it was still so early, there was a beating, a stirring of galloping ponies, tapping of cricket bats; Lords, Ascot, Ranelagh and all the rest of it; wrapped in the soft mesh of the grey-blue morning air, which as the day wore on, would unwind them, and set down on their lawns and pitches the bouncing ponies, whose forefeet just struck the ground and up they sprung, the whirling young men, and laughing girls in their transparent muslins who, even now after dancing all night, were taking their absurd woolly dogs for a run; and even now, at this hour, discreet old dowagers were shooting out in their motor cars on errands of mystery; and the shopkeepers were fidgeting in their windows with their paste and diamonds, their lovely old sea-green brooches in eighteenth-century settings to tempt Americans (but one must economize, not buy things rashly for Elizabeth), and she, too, loving it as she did with an absurd and faithful passion, being part of it, since her people were courtiers once in the time of the Georges, she, too, was going that very night to kindle and illuminate; to give her party."
(Woolf, 5)

In this excerpt of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway", the author gives a full example of the free and direct discourse she is using to allow the opinions of both herself and Clarissa about the mundane to come through. Woolf has a tendency to list and repeat when speaking through Clarissa, while her own thoughts come through in the version of parenthesis and commas. The paragraph starts with Woolf, setting up the scene. "It was June. The King and Queen were at the Palace." (Woolf, 5). It goes on with Clarissa, listing what she sees and the days current events. " And everywhere,- eighteenth-century settings to tempt Americans" (Woolf, 5). Woolf interjects again with, "(but one must economize, not buy things rashly for Elizabeth)" (Woolf, 5). The paragraph ends with Clarissa again, "and she, too, loving it as she did with an absurd and faithful passion, being part of it, since her people were courtiers once in the time of the Georges, she, too, was going that very night to kindle and illuminate; to give her party." (Woolf, 5). This interruption of text is to emphasize the mundane, and shine light on the boredom the author and character alike are feeling. The punctuation, as well as the diction and syntax all play a role in the emphasis on the importance of overbearing boredom in day-to-day life. This paragraph in particular exposes just that.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virgina Woolf

"So she would still find herself arguing in St. James's Park, still making out that she had been right-and she had too-not to marry him. For in marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be between people living together day in day out in the same house; which Richard gave her, and she him. (Where was he this morning for instance? Some committee, she never asked what.) But with Peter everything gone into. And it was intolerable, and when it came to that scene in the little garden by the fountain, she had to break with him or they would have been destroyed, both of them ruined, she was convinced."
(Woolf, 8)

Through Woolf's use of language, the reader can infer Clarissa's thoughts on marriage and independence. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Clarissa speaks of her independence, and how she does errands and other necessities alone. This is very taboo for the time period, but also allows the reader an insight on who Clarissa is as a character as well as Woolf's opinions. When Clarissa is expressing her concern on being with another person for a prolonged amount of time, and stating that this could ruin a relationship; "a little independence there must be between people living together day in day out in the same house; which Richard gave her, and she him. (Where was he this morning for instance? Some committee, she never asked what.) But with Peter everything gone into. And it was intolerable, and when it came to that scene in the little garden by the fountain, she had to break with him or they would have been destroyed" (Woolf, 8), the reader can infer that both Clarissa and Woolf have a different outlook on marriage than the social norm for that time. Clarissa wants independence, and does not care for sharing her life with another. By the opinion of Clarissa, the reader also gets a sense of the social commentary that Woolf is making.

The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy

"There could not be the least doubt that gentle Grace was warming to more sympathy with, and interest in, Giles Winterborne than ever she had done while he was her promised lover; that since his misfortune those social shortcomings of his, which contrasted so awkwardly with her later experiences of life, had become obscured by the generous revival of an old romantic attachment to him. Though mentally trained and tilled into foreignness of view, as compared with her youthful time, Grace was not an ambitious girl, and might, if left to herself, have declined Winterborne without much discontent or unhappiness. Her feelings just now were so far from latent that the writing on the wall had thus quickened her to an unusual rashness."
pg. 100

In this excerpt of Thomas Hardy's "The Woodlanders", the author once again portrays Grace in a negative light. Throughout the novel now, the reader can sense the sexism that is not only seeping from the novel itself, but the time period. The paragraph states that Grace is only interested in Giles due to it being an old romance, almost as if the chase was the most important part to her. Yet, this portrayal is never seemingly wrong when a man is in the midst of it all. " Grace was warming to more sympathy with, and interest in, Giles Winterborne than ever she had done while he was her promised lover; that since his misfortune those social shortcomings of his, which contrasted so awkwardly with her later experiences of life, had become obscured by the generous revival of an old romantic attachment to him.". This quote perfectly describes the situation at hand, and furthering the fact that now Grace is seen as non-ambitious and careless when denying a man's advances as well. This allows the reader to indicate that Grace does not have much say in who she is or the choices she can make. 

The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy

"It would have been very difficult to describe Grace Melbury with precision, either now or at any time. Nay, from the highest point of view, to precisely describe a human being, the focus of a universe—how impossible! But, apart from transcendentalism, there never probably lived a person who was in herself more completely a reductio ad absurdum of attempts to appraise a woman, even externally, by items of face and figure. Speaking generally, it may be said that she was sometimes beautiful, at other times not beautiful, according to the state of her health and spirit."

In this excerpt of Thomas Hardy's "The Woodlanders", the author describes the character of Grace as well as he ever will. This paragraph of text describes Grace as her best self, as the novel truly tries to degrade her from the happenings around her. The best part of Grace is still her beauty and that makes her an exquisite human being, yet there is no saying of who she is as a person. This allows the reader to indicate the misogyny that is happening during this time. The state of her spirit is regrading who she is as a person, and that is when the author states she is at other times, not beautiful. Although this paragraph seems to be praising Grace Melbury, it is truly a contradiction from the subtle disregarding of her person. This only foreshadows the happenings of Grace, and allows further insight into the time period. 

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

"Common as railroads are now in all places as a means of transit, and especially in Manchester, Mary had never been on one before; and she felt bewildered by the hurry, the noise of people, and bells, and horns; the whiz and the scream of the arriving trains.

The very journey itself seemed to her a matter of wonder. She had a back seat, and looked towards the factory-chimneys, and the cloud of smoke which hovers over Manchester, with a feeling akin to the "Heimweh." She was losing sight of the familiar objects of her childhood for the first time; and unpleasant as those objects are to most, she yearned after them with some of the same sentiment which gives pathos to the thoughts of the emigrant."

In this quote of Elizabeth Gaskell’s “Mary Barton”, Mary is travelling alone for the first time. With all of the rush of the new, Mary is fascinated by all of the things around her. This experience is quite different than her usual, and this is a taboo excursion for a women to be taking. Through this, the reader can sense that Mary may be turning into the “fallen woman” troupe that Gaskell keeps revisiting throughout her novel. Mary is finally travelling, and alone nonetheless. As well as she is losing sight of familiar objects around her, not only meaning the literal sights surrounding her on the day to day, but the thoughts and emotions she feels on the day to day. Her independence is growing with each day, as she is entirely. Since this was seen as something to look down upon during this time, the “fallen woman” stereotype starts to fall on Mary as well. This is a large commentary from Gaskell as she is stating that any woman who conveyed independence was seen as a fallen women.

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

He flung her, trembling, sickening, fainting, from him, and strode away. She fell with a feeble scream against the lamp-post, and lay there in her weakness, unable to rise. A policeman came up in time to see the close of these occurrences, and concluding from Esther's unsteady, reeling fall, that she was tipsy, he took her in her half-unconscious state to the lock-ups for the night. The superintendent of that abode of vice and misery was roused from his dozing watch through the dark hours, by half-delirious wails and moaning’s, which he reported as arising from intoxication. If he had listened, he would have heard these words, repeated in various forms, but always in the same anxious, muttering way.

"He would not listen to me; what can I do? He would not listen to me, and I wanted to warn him! Oh, what shall I do to save Mary's child? What shall I do? How can I keep her from being such a one as I am; such a wretched, loathsome creature! She was listening just as I listened, and loving just as I loved, and the end will be just like my end. How shall I save her? She won't hearken to warning, or heed it more than I did; and who loves her well enough to watch over her as she should be watched? God keep her from harm! And yet I won't pray for her; sinner that I am! Can my prayers be heard? No! they'll only do harm. How shall I save her? He would not listen to me."

In this passage of Elizabeth Gaskell's "Mary Barton", Esther expresses her hatred and shame for her situation. Through the language Gaskell uses, the reader is truly able to feel the anguish which she feels. Words such as "loathsome creature", "wretched", and "sinner", expresses the amount of anger she has towards herself, the amount of exaggeration Gaskell uses for what is actually only truly seen as taboo, shows what the author is thinking. In which, Gaskell expresses her feelings towards “the fallen woman”. The liberal idea of women doing as they please and working for themselves, is so taboo that society sees Esther as this terrible human being when she is simply being a human being. The amount of victim blaming Esther is putting on herself due to the overwhelming society pressures, is expressed in the passage above. Although, the fact that Esther is expressing that she doesn’t want anyone to end up just like her, could be taken in two ways. One being a conservative reading and the other a liberal, Esther could not want anyone to end up just as she for she does not want anyone to feel the discrimination and sexism she is surrounded by at all times or, Esther could not want anyone to experience this as well because she truly feels as if she is in the wrong, that she is doing something wrong. In conclusion, the author leaves room for ambiguity, yet Gaskell seems to be expressing her feeling towards the wrongful conviction of “fallen woman” through Esther.

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

"That's the worst of factory work, for girls. They can earn so much when work is plenty, that they can maintain themselves any how. My Mary shall never work in a factory, that I'm determined on. You see Esther spent her money in dress, thinking to set off her pretty face; and got to come home so late at night, that at last I told her my mind: my misses thinks I spoke crossly, but I meant right, for I loved Esther, if it was only for Mary's sake. Says I, 'Esther, I see what you'll end at with your artificial, and your fly-away veils, and stopping out when honest women are in their beds; you'll be a street-walker, Esther, and then, don't you go to think I'll have you darken my door, though my wife is your sister.' So says she, 'Don't trouble yourself, John. I'll pack up and be off now, for I'll never stay to hear myself called as you call me.' She flushed up like a turkey-cock, and I thought fire would come out of her eyes; but when she saw Mary cry (for Mary can't abide words in a house), she went and kissed her, and said she was not so bad as I thought her. So we talked more friendly, for, as I said, I liked the lass well enough, and her pretty looks, and her cheery ways. But she said (and at the time I thought there was sense in what she said) we should be much better friends if she went into lodgings, and only came to see us now and then."

"Then you still were friendly. Folks said you'd cast her off, and said you'd never speak to her again."

(Gaskell, pg. 9)

Through Elizabeth Gaskell's use of sarcasm, she shows the true misogyny that is riddled in Barton's mind. In this excerpt of text Barton is speaking of his conversation with Esther before she had left. The man states that he was simply frank with her, and was nothing short of kind. Although, Gaskell shines through with exaggeration, "My Mary shall never work in a factory, that I'm determined on. You see Esther spent her money in dress, thinking to set off her pretty face; and got to come home so late at night, that at last I told her my mind". Gaskell compares the two sisters through Barton to show his feelings towards Esther in a "kind" way. By saying that Mary would never do such a thing for she is Barton's, and Esther could end up a street-walker by simply being a woman who is in charge of herself and makes her own money, truly exemplifies the man's feelings towards women in general. Barton expresses his dislike for Esther and strong women by saying how distasteful it is to be a woman who does as she pleases instead of one who simply sits still and looks pretty. The sarcasm comes through when Barton states how he truly loves Esther and that is why he is telling her how wrong she is living her life this way, and at the end with "Then you still were friendly.". None of what Barton stated was any of his business, nor was it kind or said from a kind place. Therefore, Barton seems to be a misogynist and Gaskell shows this through comparison, irony and sarcasm. 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

"Oh! No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.

I passed the night wretchedly. Sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly that I felt the palpitation of every artery; at others, I nearly sank to the ground through languor and extreme weakness. Mingled with this horror, I felt the bitterness of disappointment; dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so long a space were now become a hell to me; and the change was so rapid, the overthrow so complete!"

(Shelley, pg. 58-59)

Through Shelley's use of allusion and extreme exaggeration, the reader gets a rich sense of Frankenstein's lack of responsibility. In this excerpt the reader is told what Frankenstein has made, and how he feels about this creature that he has brought to life. This creature that he spent the better part of two years on, once fully created is his own personal hell and is now horrendous in his eyes. Shelley uses allusion to describe how this is his hell, "it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived". This is Shelley alluding to Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy" in which he describes several layers of hell all called the inferno. Shelley is also making Frankenstein exaggerate his extreme horror, he states how hideous this creature is and how disappointed he is about this creature. Frankenstein is once again not disappointed in himself, only furthering the assumption of his selfishness the reader already had. With this excerpt, Mary Shelley uses both allusion and exaggeration to simply further the readers idea of Frankenstein's "all for self" attitude.