The Waiter’s Wife

“The Waiter’s Wife,” by the British author Zadie Smith, is a short story that uses various forms of irony and characterization to explore the themes of Modernity Versus Tradition, The Search for Identity, Past Versus Future, and Gender Roles and Expectations. The short story takes place in Britain in 1975 and follows two couples—Samad and Alsana Iqbal and Archie and Clara Jones—as they tackle the trials of immigration, marriage, and creating an identity in an unfamiliar place. The third-person, omniscient narrator interjects the narration with sarcastic asides and commentary, highlighting the story’s humorous tone.

This short story, originally published in Granta in 1999, is an excerpt from Smith’s debut novel White Teeth, published in 2000. White Teeth is widely considered to be one of the best contemporary British novels. The novel follows Samad, Archie, Alsana, and Clara as they navigate life in Britain, adding their children Magid, Millat, and Irie, to the story. Other works by Smith include On Beauty, Swing Time, and

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