Multiculturalism in 'NW' by Zadie Smith

Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, University of Heidelberg (Anglistisches Seminar), language: English, abstract: This paper examines how multiculturalism and its impact is depicted in Zadie Smith's 'NW' based on the experiences of three leading characters and their partners. Apart from that it aims to conclude whether or not NW's diverse society can be characterised according to the melting pot or the salad bowl theory. Multiculturalism has always been and will probably always be a far-reaching and simultaneously hotly debated issue. It is not just about the choice whether to eat at a Chinese or Italian restaurant but is also prevalent in the every-day communication with people. For many people, like for Zadie Smith, multiculturalism is a matter of course but for others it still represents a critical subject. Due to globalization and the concurrent improvement of transport and communication technologies migration processes have become faster and easier than ever. People constantly change their place of living and working and consequently relationships have become not just international but also multicultural. The composition of different cultural communities in the countries of destination are constantly being transformed and diversified which thus can result to discrimination and prejudice. London has consistently been a popular destination for immigrants from all places and is by far one of the world's most diverse cities.