Scrapbook Entry 7
The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy
“Things can change in a day”
Terms and Concepts
Multicultural- The author herself is a multicultural person
having a Christian mother and a Hindu father. Her background and upbringing by
her mother played a major role in her later career choice and activism. Her mother, Mary Roy, was an activist for women’s rights in Kerala whose work
eventually secured inheritance rights for Christian women in the region.
having a Christian mother and a Hindu father. Her background and upbringing by
her mother played a major role in her later career choice and activism. Her mother, Mary Roy, was an activist for women’s rights in Kerala whose work
eventually secured inheritance rights for Christian women in the region.
Activism- The author, Arundati Roy, is a political activist
who has used her writing of nonfiction and fiction as one avenue to stand for
her beliefs. She is known world-wide for her political advocacy of social
justice and peaceful conflict resolution.
who has used her writing of nonfiction and fiction as one avenue to stand for
her beliefs. She is known world-wide for her political advocacy of social
justice and peaceful conflict resolution.
Kerala -The Indian State located on the Malabar Coast of South West India. It is
the setting of The God of Small Things and the homeland of the characters.
The setting of The God of Small Things in Ayemenem is also a
multicultural place where people of many religions and cultures co-exist. This
setting was chosen by Roy for the novel because she was very familiar with the
cultural paradoxes that exist there.
the setting of The God of Small Things and the homeland of the characters.
The setting of The God of Small Things in Ayemenem is also a
multicultural place where people of many religions and cultures co-exist. This
setting was chosen by Roy for the novel because she was very familiar with the
cultural paradoxes that exist there.
Caste- A complex social system with detailed rules on
exclusion, power, social class, occupation, religion, and marital statuses. The
caste system is one of the ‘big things’ in the novel which dictates how people
interact with one another, which relationships are allowed, and basically the
conditions of life on every level for each character.
exclusion, power, social class, occupation, religion, and marital statuses. The
caste system is one of the ‘big things’ in the novel which dictates how people
interact with one another, which relationships are allowed, and basically the
conditions of life on every level for each character.
The Author’s Conclusion:
Arundati Roy writes The
God of Small Things with purpose, crafting language in an evocative and
decisive manner to convey her message in this semi-autobiographical novel. Purposeful
language is not the only device that Roy uses as a literary tool. The detailed
perspective of the protagonists, Rhael and Estha serves to highlight the
importance of the “small things” that the children are so deeply affected by in
contrast to the larger issues that are generally the only focus of society. In
an allusion to international issues, Roy seeks to emphasize the people and
topics which are most often overlooked. The “big things” which Roy aims to
contradict in the novel surround facets of Indian culture such as marriage and
the caste system. In a culture where every decision and action affects the
familial structure and thus place in the hierarchy of the caste system,
emotions and true feelings are stifled. Seeing the world through the eyes of
the children Estha and Rahel show the reader the complexity of the “small
things” including deep emotions of sorrow and sin, all from an innocent
perspective. The perspectives of Estha and Rahel are in a sense, unaltered
because they are too young to understand or be concerned with the larger
issues.
The Author’s Argument:
The author of The God
of Small Things is the case of an author, whose writing is influenced by
her personal experiences, political beliefs, and her role as a political
activist. Although Roy claims this novel is not an autobiography, there are
some details which her mother claims were part of her early childhood. Various
assumptions made throughout the novel are carefully crafted to convey Roy’s
beliefs about politics, social justice, and nonviolence through relationships
among different characters and the world around them. The setting of Ayemenem
in Kerbala, India plays a large part in crafting Roy’s position. Her
familiarity with the multicultural region allows her to discuss the setting as
an integral part of the character’s identities. One underlying belief she holds
which is seen in the novel is that cultural roots play a part in the
development of one’s identity. Almost all characters in the novel make a
homecoming journey. Ayemenem is not so much a physical home as it is a refuge
of familiarity and cultural origin.
The importance of the “small things” runs throughout the
novel. Roy’s knowledge of the effect of the dark side of societies is conveyed
by the grotesque and sinful actions which take place in the novel. The detailed
discussion of tragic events that occur to the characters, such as the molestation
of Estha, are metaphors for how events like this are often deemed “small” and
swept under the rug while they are actually life-altering and need to be
brought to light. Scandal runs throughout the novel in the lives of various
characters, the affair between Ammu and Velutha, Sophie Mol’s death, and the
eventual sexual act between Rahel and Estha. By discussing dark events and the
emotions caused by them in the novel, Roy is really conveying her opinion that
too many harmful actions are committed in society that no one gives justice to.
The quote at the beginning of the book “Things can change in
a day,” is the essence of the notion that life in constantly in transition; a
major belief of Arundati Roy. The transitions and changes that occur are not always
positive experiences, but exemplify the ideal that the unexpected, difficult,
and “small” events are also part of life that must be acknowledged.
Place in Course content:
The God of Small
Things finds a place in a course that relates to giving a voice to the
people and issues which may be suppressed or overlooked by the majority of
society. Arundati Roy uses political activism through writing to bring to light
not just one specific issue that has been stifled, but a set of ideals that are
deemed less important in the global society. Although this novel was written in
1997, I agree with her message that the global society today is concentrated on
many of the wrong issues.
Arundati Roy writes The
God of Small Things with purpose, crafting language in an evocative and
decisive manner to convey her message in this semi-autobiographical novel. Purposeful
language is not the only device that Roy uses as a literary tool. The detailed
perspective of the protagonists, Rhael and Estha serves to highlight the
importance of the “small things” that the children are so deeply affected by in
contrast to the larger issues that are generally the only focus of society. In
an allusion to international issues, Roy seeks to emphasize the people and
topics which are most often overlooked. The “big things” which Roy aims to
contradict in the novel surround facets of Indian culture such as marriage and
the caste system. In a culture where every decision and action affects the
familial structure and thus place in the hierarchy of the caste system,
emotions and true feelings are stifled. Seeing the world through the eyes of
the children Estha and Rahel show the reader the complexity of the “small
things” including deep emotions of sorrow and sin, all from an innocent
perspective. The perspectives of Estha and Rahel are in a sense, unaltered
because they are too young to understand or be concerned with the larger
issues.
The Author’s Argument:
The author of The God
of Small Things is the case of an author, whose writing is influenced by
her personal experiences, political beliefs, and her role as a political
activist. Although Roy claims this novel is not an autobiography, there are
some details which her mother claims were part of her early childhood. Various
assumptions made throughout the novel are carefully crafted to convey Roy’s
beliefs about politics, social justice, and nonviolence through relationships
among different characters and the world around them. The setting of Ayemenem
in Kerbala, India plays a large part in crafting Roy’s position. Her
familiarity with the multicultural region allows her to discuss the setting as
an integral part of the character’s identities. One underlying belief she holds
which is seen in the novel is that cultural roots play a part in the
development of one’s identity. Almost all characters in the novel make a
homecoming journey. Ayemenem is not so much a physical home as it is a refuge
of familiarity and cultural origin.
The importance of the “small things” runs throughout the
novel. Roy’s knowledge of the effect of the dark side of societies is conveyed
by the grotesque and sinful actions which take place in the novel. The detailed
discussion of tragic events that occur to the characters, such as the molestation
of Estha, are metaphors for how events like this are often deemed “small” and
swept under the rug while they are actually life-altering and need to be
brought to light. Scandal runs throughout the novel in the lives of various
characters, the affair between Ammu and Velutha, Sophie Mol’s death, and the
eventual sexual act between Rahel and Estha. By discussing dark events and the
emotions caused by them in the novel, Roy is really conveying her opinion that
too many harmful actions are committed in society that no one gives justice to.
The quote at the beginning of the book “Things can change in
a day,” is the essence of the notion that life in constantly in transition; a
major belief of Arundati Roy. The transitions and changes that occur are not always
positive experiences, but exemplify the ideal that the unexpected, difficult,
and “small” events are also part of life that must be acknowledged.
Place in Course content:
The God of Small
Things finds a place in a course that relates to giving a voice to the
people and issues which may be suppressed or overlooked by the majority of
society. Arundati Roy uses political activism through writing to bring to light
not just one specific issue that has been stifled, but a set of ideals that are
deemed less important in the global society. Although this novel was written in
1997, I agree with her message that the global society today is concentrated on
many of the wrong issues.
The native land of the characters, Ayemenem, places
importance on the concept of identity in relation to one’s true roots and
history. We have been examining the confusion of identity created by
colonialism throughout the course. How is identity created? Where is identity
created? How does cultural identity play a part in one’s personal identity?
These are all questions that are addressed in some fashion by Roy. In The God
of Small Things, the continuity of Ayemenem serves as each character’s safe
haven and supports the notion that identity is rooted in cultural origin.
Although the characters leave and live the majority of their lives in other
locations, their return signifies the emotional connection to the history and
roots of their original homeland. Many
authors we have read this semester also bring up these questions of the role
our place of origin plays in developing our sense of identity. For
post-colonial societies this is an ongoing struggle to discover true identity
mixed with different cultural roots and in many cases, the immigrant
experience. Literature is once again a place to speak the voice of the
multicultural subaltern in order to bring to light issues that larger society
is not concerned with.
importance on the concept of identity in relation to one’s true roots and
history. We have been examining the confusion of identity created by
colonialism throughout the course. How is identity created? Where is identity
created? How does cultural identity play a part in one’s personal identity?
These are all questions that are addressed in some fashion by Roy. In The God
of Small Things, the continuity of Ayemenem serves as each character’s safe
haven and supports the notion that identity is rooted in cultural origin.
Although the characters leave and live the majority of their lives in other
locations, their return signifies the emotional connection to the history and
roots of their original homeland. Many
authors we have read this semester also bring up these questions of the role
our place of origin plays in developing our sense of identity. For
post-colonial societies this is an ongoing struggle to discover true identity
mixed with different cultural roots and in many cases, the immigrant
experience. Literature is once again a place to speak the voice of the
multicultural subaltern in order to bring to light issues that larger society
is not concerned with.
The official website of Arundhati Roy- http://www.weroy.org/arundhati.shtml
A speech give by Roy about the US War on Terror, globalization, nationalism, and the growing disparity between the rich and poor- http://www.youtube.com/watchv=ET7I9jvP4Ic&feature=related
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