Part One, Archie, 1974, 1945, Chapter 1, The Peculiar Second Marriage of Archie Jones, Summary

White Teeth is the first novel of young London novelist Zadie Smith, which follows the lives of members within two unique families. Archie Jones, patriarch of one family, is an indecisive man on the brink of suicide when he finds true love for the first time and begins a new life with his Jamaican bride. Samad Iqbal is Archie's good friend, head of a family of second-generation immigrants who fail to understand their father's obsession with the traditions of the past. Both men struggle not only with raising their children but also with dealing with strong wives who hold opinions of their own. White Teeth explores the dysfunction within all families with humor and humility.

Archie Jones sits in his car outside a...