Perspectives

Literary perspective 

The novella The Embassy of Cambodia by Zadie Smith is a realist work of fiction. The realist literary movement aims to present events in a truthful manner, and realist fiction often describes familiar everyday activities and settings. The Embassy of Cambodia presents the daily life of an African immigrant in London. The main locations described inside the story are a café, the street and bus stop outside the Cambodian embassy in London, and a pool, which are all familiar settings. 

Moreover, realist works of fiction often explore themes related to socio-economic conflict by contrasting the living conditions of the poor with those of the upper classes in urban or rural areas. In The Embassy of Cambodia, Fatou is often presented in contrast to the wealthy family she works for, the people who patronize the pool she frequents with her employers’ guest passes, or the tourists at the hotel where she works as a chambermaid.

Current issues

The novella The Embassy of Cambodia by Zadie Smith presents the life of a woman who immigrates to the United Kingdom from the Ivory Coast to work as a domestic worker. The International Labour Organization estimates that nearly half of all migrant workers are women who are migrating in order to find work. Moreover, they state that migrant workers are often faced with workplace abuses because of their vulnerable condition (Source). In The Embassy of Cambodia, Fatou, the main character, is disrespected by her employers, not paid, and has no personal freedom as her employers even hold her passport. Moreover, while she works as a maid for a hotel, she is sexually abused by a tourist and knows that even if she reports the cr...