hip between the Iqbal twins and Irie Jones. However, there are also differences between the texts when considering the relationships between family members. In Anita and Me the focus of the reader is placed solely on the Kumar family, with the emphasis specifically on 'Young Meena'. Alternatively, in White Teeth there are three families to learn about and the reader has no one person or family as a priority. In addition, each family in White Teeth is unlike in terms of composition, culture and beliefs. It could be said that the families in White Teeth show a good cross-section of London, where the novel is set; whereas the Kumar family in Anita and Me are a minority culture in the small mining village of Tollington in the West Country. This is a stark contrast between the two novels and the characters found in them.
             Both novels explore the importance of family history and background, although the two families with a history behind them are not at all similar. White Teeth's Iqbal family are supposedly descended from Mangal Pande, a well-known Indian radical who Samad holds deeply in his heart as a hero for his actions during the war. This is highlighted throughout the novel as Samad defines to his sons just how important pride, honour and loyalty is, but is also demonstrated especially well in his conversations with Archie and Mickey at the pool bar:
             'I can see no greater honour than fighting for your
             '... Mangal Pande was indeed a great man.'
             History has also been used to signify an integral part of White Teeth. The inclusion in the novel of a diagram of Irie Jones' family tree two-thirds of the way into the novel represents the importance of knowing your roots and background. The chapters have been divided into parts entitled 'The Root Canals of...' which is expressive of the author's feelings on heritage and culture. The title parts are important for two main reason...