The God of Small Things

English

The God of Small Things

Arundhati Roy - takes place in Kerala, India and follows the traumatic events that occurred in the childhood of the twins Estha and Rahel. This book is written in a non-linear style and represents injustices in society due to the caste system as well as family secrets that shape lives for generations.

“When you hurt people, they begin to love you less.”

Family is seeing The Sound of Music, after Estha with the orangedrink lemondrink man, Rahel says something mean to Ammu - Ammu controls her children’s behavior through fear

“Loved from the beginning.”

Sophie Mol and Margaret Kochamma arrive at the Cochin airport - Estha and Rahel believe that everyone loves Sophie Mol and they are not loved as much

“Where the love laws lay down who should be loved. And how. And how much.”

Ammu and Velutha (an untouchable) share a moment - the love laws dictate society and interactions

“the air was full of Thoughts and Things to Say. But at times like these, only the Small Things are ever said. The Big Things lurk unsaid inside.”

Sophie Mol and Margaret Kochamma arrive at the airport and are talking with Chacko - It signifies the God of Small Things vs the God of Big Things (small moments/events vs big moments/events). Small things aren't as important as the big things.

“Change is one thing. Acceptance is another.”

Comrade Pillai and Chacko discussing work and Paravans - tie to The Nickle Boys = characters do not accept that things are changing in regards to social standings

“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day.”

Discussing the moments that led up to Sophie Mol’s death and The Terror - Foreshadows the terrible events and chaos that occurs and changes all their lives

“Ammu said that human beings were creatures of habit, and it was amazing the kind of things one could get used to.”

Ammu is explaining to Estha and Rahel that Mammachi got used to being abused by Pappachi and was upset when he died because she got used to the habit - Absurdism (similar to “The Stranger”)

“It was never important enough. Because Worse Things had happened.”

Larry McCalsin (Rahel’s husband) sees that she had something traumatic happen as a child but will never share it because it’s not important - Absurdism - personal trauma does not matter because its not big enough; small things vs big things

“Another religion turned against itself. Another edifice constructed by the human mind, decimated by human nature.”

Velutha went to Comrade Pillai for help but he would not, and he finds out that people in town are spreading false rumors that will cost him his life - Highlights the destructiveness of society and rumors and how they view/treat people of lower classes (possible tie to The Crucible?)

“A viable die-able age.”

Use of solecism - mistake in grammar

Emphatic capitalization

Motif, rhyme to seem child-like and to show how children cope with trauma

Effect of trauma on memory

Emphasize fractured minds of children as result of trauma

Tie to The Nickel Boys - nonlinear narrative, fragmented memories = impact of trauma

“Childhood tiptoed out.
Silence slid in like a bolt.”

Said in regards to Estha after he had to identify Velutha as the man who kidnapped him and Rahel