98 Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things
In This Chapter
Author Background
Arundhati Roy is an Indian author, activist, and public intellectual known for her powerful writing and advocacy on social and environmental issues. She was born on November 24, 1961, in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. Roy’s multi-faceted career includes accomplishments as a novelist, essayist, political commentator, and human rights activist.
Early Life
Arundhati Roy studied architecture at the National Institute of Technology in Delhi and later attended the Delhi School of Economics. However, she left her studies before completing her degrees to pursue a career in writing.
Roy began her career as a screenwriter for Indian films and also worked as a television actress. Her initial foray into writing won her the National Film Award for Best Screenplay for the film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones in 1989.
Literary Career
Roy’s debut novel, The God of Small Things, was published in 1997 and became an international bestseller. The book won the prestigious Booker Prize, making her the first Indian woman to receive the award.
Beyond her literary accomplishments, Arundhati Roy is widely recognized for her activism on various social and environmental issues. She has been an outspoken advocate for marginalized communities and has campaigned against big dams, globalization, and corporate exploitation of natural resources.
Activism
Roy’s critiques of the Indian government and its policies have often been met with both praise and controversy. Her views on issues such as Kashmir, Narmada dam project, and India’s nuclear policy have sparked heated debates.
Roy has written numerous essays and delivered speeches on a wide range of topics, including nationalism, human rights, globalization, and the impact of capitalism on society.
Roy gained international attention for her anti-globalization stance and her involvement in protests against economic policies that she believes negatively impact vulnerable communities.
Arundhati Roy’s literary and activist contributions have had a significant impact on contemporary discussions about social justice, environmentalism, and human rights. Her work often challenges the status quo and raises critical questions about power dynamics, political ideologies, and the intersection of literature and activism.
Background on The God of Small Things
The God of Small Things is a semi-autobiographical novel. The book was published in 1997 and became an international bestseller, winning the prestigious Booker Prize in the same year. It is Roy’s debut novel and remains one of her most acclaimed works.
Inspiration and Context
Arundhati Roy grew up in Kerala, India, which serves as the backdrop for The God of Small Things. The novel is set in the town of Ayemenem and the nearby river Meenachal, fictionalized versions of real locations from Roy’s own childhood.
The novel draws on Roy’s own experiences and observations of family dynamics, social hierarchies, and political unrest in India during the 1960s and 1970s. The characters and events in the novel are influenced by her upbringing and interactions with the people and culture of Kerala.
Plot Summary
The God of Small Things employs a non-linear narrative structure, weaving together past and present, and alternating between childhood and adulthood. The story unfolds through the eyes of its protagonists, Estha and Rahel, fraternal twins.
The novel delves into the lives of the Kochamma family, focusing on the twins’ mother, Ammu, their maternal grandaunt Baby Kochamma, and their extended family members. The family is a part of the once-wealthy Syrian Christian community in Kerala.
The novel revolves around the “forbidden love” between Ammu and Velutha, a Dalit (Untouchable) laborer who works for the family. Their love affair is socially unacceptable due to the strict caste and class divisions in Indian society.
The narrative also delves into the twins’ childhood memories, exploring their relationship with each other, their mother, and the tragic events that lead to a traumatic incident known as “The Loss of Sophie Mol.”
Themes
- Forbidden Love and Social Restrictions: The novel explores the theme of forbidden love and the social restrictions imposed by India’s rigid caste and class system. It examines the consequences of transgressing societal norms and the impact of discrimination and prejudice on individual lives.
- Childhood Innocence and Trauma: The God of Small Things juxtaposes childhood innocence with the trauma caused by adult actions and societal norms. It highlights the loss of innocence and the long-term effects of childhood experiences on adult lives.
- Family, Betrayal, and Loyalty: The novel delves into complex family relationships, portraying love, loyalty, and betrayal among family members. The tensions between personal desires and familial expectations drive the characters’ actions and decisions.
- Postcolonialism and Social Injustice: Through the characters and their experiences, the novel critiques the legacy of colonialism and the persistence of social injustice and inequality in postcolonial India.
Legacy
The God of Small Things received widespread critical acclaim for its lyrical prose, intricate narrative structure, and exploration of complex themes. It brought Arundhati Roy international recognition as a talented and unique voice in contemporary literature. The novel’s impact continues to resonate with readers and has solidified its place as a seminal work in postcolonial literature.
Video Summary
You can view an animated summary of the novel here:
Read It Here
You can borrow and read the full text of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things by visiting Internet Archive and signing up for a free account: https://archive.org/details/godofsmallthings0000roya_u4r6/page/n5/mode/2up
Hear Arundhati Roy Read Her Work
You can hear the author read an intimate excerpt from The God of Small Things in her home:
The following discussion questions should provide a starting point for meaningful conversations about the themes, characters, and narrative techniques in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. These questions can also be used as writing prompts to help students further reflect individually.
- How does the novel portray the love between Ammu and Velutha, and how do societal norms and caste distinctions impact their relationship? What does their love signify in the context of India’s social hierarchy?
- The novel juxtaposes childhood innocence with traumatic experiences. Discuss the significance of the twins’ childhood memories and the events that lead to “The Loss of Sophie Mol.” How do these childhood experiences shape their adult lives?
- The God of Small Things explores complex family relationships, including loyalty and betrayal. How does the family’s history of secrets and lies affect the characters’ actions and decisions? How does family loyalty clash with personal desires?
- The novel uses a non-linear narrative, moving between past and present and shifting between different perspectives. How does this narrative structure enhance the storytelling and contribute to the novel’s themes?
- How does the novel critique the legacy of colonialism and the persistence of social injustice in postcolonial India? What insights does it offer into the impact of historical events on individual lives?
- How are gender roles depicted in the novel, and how do the female characters challenge traditional expectations? Discuss the significance of the women’s actions in the story and their struggle for agency and empowerment.
- The novel touches upon the influence of communism in Kerala during the time of the Naxalite movement. How does this political backdrop contribute to the characters’ experiences and shape their beliefs?
- Explore the significance of the novel’s title, The God of Small Things. How do the small details and moments in the story carry deep meaning and emotion?
- Discuss the theme of identity and how characters grapple with their sense of self in the face of societal expectations and personal traumas. How do they cope with loss, both personal and collective?
- The novel incorporates the use of Malayalam words and phrases. How does this bilingualism add to the authenticity and atmosphere of the story? What does it signify in terms of cultural identity?
- Analyze the use of symbols and imagery in the novel, such as the river, the history house, and the moth. How do these symbols enrich the narrative and deepen its themes?
- Discuss the impact of the novel’s ending and the revelation of the truth about “The Loss of Sophie Mol.” How does the ending tie together the various threads of the story?
Sources
“Arundhati Roy at a dramatic book reading of ‘The God of Small Things’.” YouTube, uploaded by WildFilmsIndia, 14 Dec. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFfa5AvSaFg
Dodiya, Jaydipsinh and Joya Chakravarty.
Dwivedi, A.N., Ed. Arundhati Roy’s Fictional World: A Collection of Critical Essays. B.R. Publishing, 2010.
Gopalakrishnan, Manasi. “Arundhati Roy: Writing is Activism.” DW, 24 Nov. 2021, https://www.dw.com/en/arundhati-roy-writing-is-activism/a-59911015
Roy, Arundhati. “The Graveyard Talks Back: Fiction in the Time of Fake News.” The Caravan, 12 Feb. 2020, https://caravanmagazine.in/literature/arundhati-roy-the-graveyard-talks-back
Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things. Internet Archive, 1997, uploaded by station05.cebu, 1 Mar. 2020, https://archive.org/details/godofsmallthings0000roya_u4r6/page/n5/mode/2up
A work (such as a novel or film) that is partly autobiography and partly fiction is considered semi-autobiographical. It is a fictionalized account of the author's life.
A protagonist is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles.
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book.
A narrative is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional or fictional. Narratives can be presented through a sequence of written or spoken words, through still or moving images, or through any combination of these.
Colonialism is the pursuing, establishing and maintaining of control and exploitation of people and of resources by a foreign group of people.
Postcolonialism is the critical academic study of the cultural, political and economic legacy of colonialism and imperialism, focusing on the impact of human control and exploitation of colonized people and their lands.
A theme is a central topic, subject, or message within a narrative.
Symbols take the form of words, sounds, gestures, ideas, or visual images and are used to convey other ideas and beliefs. For example, a red octagon is a common symbol for "STOP"; on maps, blue lines often represent rivers; and a red rose often symbolizes love and compassion.
Imagery is visual symbolism, or figurative language that evokes a mental image or other kinds of sense impressions.
