White Teeth: Symbols

Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Pigeons

A flock of pigeons stands for both the forces of nature and the randomness of life. The pigeons appear in the opening scene of the novel, when Archie Jones is sitting in his car trying to commit suicide. Even in his dying moments, Archie enjoys the sight of the pigeons flying as one unit and then landing on a halal butcher. Unbeknownst to Archie, the butcher has a morning routine of attacking the pigeons. So, the pigeons become how the butcher rescues Archie from death.

For city people, pigeons connote many ideas, all of which add symbolism to the opening scene. As “flying vermin,” pigeons represent the filth and disease of a city. Pigeons inhabit the same public spaces as mentally ill and homeless street people and represent the lowest urban classes. Pigeons are a species of dove, so they also stand for peace and the spirit of God.

Coin Toss

The toss of a coin is a universal symbol for chance, but in White Teeth, the coin toss also functions to determine elements of the plot. Archie Jones flips a coin to decide whether to commit suicide. Another critical coin toss happens during World War II, when Archie tosses a coin to decide if he should shoot Dr. Marc Perret. Archie encourages Samad Iqbal to flip a coin over which son he should send to Bangladesh. Six years later, after Magid returns to England, Archie tosses a coin to decide if Magid should make peace with his twin brother Millat.

The toss of a coin represents leaving events to chance and accepting the decision made by chance. Archie routinely uses the coin toss in his marital arguments with his wife Clara and friendly arguments with Samad. Archie’s gesture signifies that he is not personally invested in the outcome.

Name Brands

In White Teeth, as in actual life, name brands stand for social status and convey information about the people who own them. Millat Iqbal, the younger of Samad Iqbal’s twin boys, is a particularly avid collector of brand names, such as Nike shoes and Osh-Kosh B’gosh clothing. Later, in high school, Millat collects special edition T-shirts, movie posters, and videos of the Godfather movies.

The name-brand goods represent Millat’s attempt to be like other kids, the perpetual dream of the immigrant child, but to his traditional parents, the name brands represent the secular, modern world. After Millat takes part in a public book burning, his mother Alsana makes a pile of his favorite objects and burns them. Her symbolic gesture is meant to teach Millat respect for other people’s identities.

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