A critical analysis of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. The God of Small Things, in many ways reflective of her own life experiences and journeys, is Arundhati Roy’s acclaimed masterpiece. It looks at the many layers and aspects of life under the shadow of its time- a newly emerged Kerala after independence that lived in denial of its Anglicization, a conservative Ayemenem town facing spurts and waves of change trying to embrace the ideology of communism. With the protagonist twins Estha and Rahel, Roy powerfully “explores the tragic fate of a family” (Christina Patterson, Observer) that was bound was the laws of love and societal obligation. The foremost way in which the reader connects with the title of the book is through Roy’s use of the free indirect discourse style. Especially in the opening chapter, she highlights …show more content…
However, Estha features in Rahel’s list of people she is ‘supposed’ to love and not one of those she loves. Right from the beginning, the author has subtly established and emphasized the ‘laws of love’ and they become the frame of reference when later on, love crosses the boundaries and breaks these ‘ground rules’. Ammu and Velutha’s relationship is one such example that defies these as Velutha is an untouchable. Although their families cannot bear this and punish them with exile and death, Ammu and Velutha’s relationship represents true romantic love in the plot. Love and sexuality also take an abusive form as seen in the molestation of Estha by the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, beating of Mammachi, ill-treatment of Ammu at the hands of an abusive ‘Baba’. What majorly overthrows the ‘love laws’ is Rahel and Estha’s incestuous sexual union and also Ammu and Velutha’s first sexual encounter. Even though such love can have tragic outcomes, it is extremely valuable as it crosses the barriers of caste, hatred and