Father Bear Beat Mother Bear Character Analysis

As Ammu grew older, she “learned to live with this cold, calculating cruelty. She developed a lofty sense of injustice and the mulish, reckless streak that develops in Someone Small who has been bullied all their lives by Someone Big” (TGST 181-82). Her revolt against her father is symbolic of women’s revolt against all patriarchal authorities which dehumanize and devalue women and deny them their proper space. But Ammu is determined and she “did exactly nothing to avoid quarrels and confrontations. In fact it could be argued that she sought them out, perhaps even enjoyed them” (TGST 182). Ammu, early in her life, learned to reject the Father Bear Mother Bear stories, given to her. According to her “Father Bear beat mother Bear with brass

They are the worst sufferers in the family. The sufferings of women lead to the sufferings of their children as well. The disintegration of Ammu’s marriage has its repercussions and creates a void in the lives of the people of the next generation. Both Estha and Rahel grew up to be abnormal adolescents and Rahel is expelled from school three times for “moral depravity”, for smoking and for stealing her headmistress’s hair bun. She drifted from school to school and spent eight years in a college without finishing the five-year undergraduate course. Neglect seemed to have resulted in her reckless and irresponsible behaviour. Rahel’s lack of purpose, plans, and her indifference to her future life are clear from her “bizarre, impractical building plans” (TGST 18).

Chacko’s disregard for his sister and children is clear from his behaviour. To the observation made by Ammu that Chacko is least concerned about their well-being, he retorts, “Are they my responsibility?” (TGST 85). Baby Kochamma too airs the same view: “He wasn’t her responsibility” (TGST 21). Estha finds Brutus-like cruelty in Kochu Maria when she says, “This isn’t your house” (TGST 83). So the Ayemenem family could only provide them physical care like food, clothes and fees “but withdrew the concern” (TGST