God Of Small Things Theme

To Gain Love is to Lose Control

In The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, unlike most of the women in her life, the character of Ammu refuses to accept a life without love, but almost equally, Ammu wishes to remain in control of her fate, free from the expectations of society. However, love requires placing the needs of someone else before oneself, while taking control over one’s own fate demands making decisions without prioritizing the opinions of others. As her relationships with both her children and lover, Velutha, develop, it becomes clear that love often demands making decisions that require one to relinquish control and accept the consequences of her society. However, Ammu fights against this and by doing so, ultimately destroys

Specifically, Baby Kochamma gives Ammu a difficult time because she “saw her quarreling with a fate that she, Baby Kochamma herself, felt she had graciously accepted. The fate of the wretched Man-less woman” (45). While Ammu does not appear to feel shame for her decision to divorce Baba, she is exhausted by the hardships she faces for doing so. She now must live in her brother’s home, struggling to provide for her children. Due to her social hardships and economic constrainstants, as well as her duty as a mother, she feels trapped. This is symbolized through Ammu’s body, which once housed the twins, and now is something that they seek for comfort. However, she admits that she “Wanted her body back. It was hers” (211). Ammu begins to look for ways to regain control over her own life, such as her relationship with Velutha. However, because of the events that transpire from the relationship, she begins to resent her children even more, once even shouting at them that “If it wasn 't for you I wouldn 't be here! I would have been free!" (240). This event showcases that when Ammu begins to focus on her own wish to be free of society’s constrictions, she no longer can prioritize the needs of her children, and in fact begins to view them as a