Self-Interest as a Driving Force in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is a novel about how people’s pursuit of their own interests, influenced by the cultural and social contexts in which they live, ultimately determines their behavior. Through utilizing subthemes of self-preservation, the maintenance of social status/the status quo, and power, she portrays Velutha as the only wholly moral character in the story, who, because of his goodness, becomes the target of frequent deception. Roy argues that human nature is such that human beings will do whatever they feel is necessary to serve their own self-interests. Roy asserts that people’s fears of upsetting the power balance based in the caste system often leads to a blind acceptance of the status quo and a continuous sense of self-deprecation by individuals at the bottom of the hierarchy. When Velutha’s father fears that his son’s affair with a Touchable will have potentially disastrous consequences for him, he serves his own self-interest and is willing to endanger is son. He exposes the affair to the grandmother of the woman his son is having an affair with, revealing the extreme degree to which caste and conforming to societal norms drive the behaviors of individuals in Indian society; “So Vellya Paapen had come to tell Mamamachi himself. As a Paravan and a man with mortgaged body parts he considered it his duty…they had made the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible really happen…Offering to kill his son. To tear him limb from limb” (242). His fear of disrupting the status quo (i.e. the Indian social hierarchy) is so great that he is willing to sacrifice his own son’s life to protect his own. Rather than considering the genuine... ... middle of paper ... ...such that individuals disregard the desires of others, even those who are supposedly close to them, in order to advance their own goals. The combination of subthemes allows her to easily juxtapose Velutha with those who aim to ruin his life. Roy also emphasizes the importance of caste and maintaining social status through her depiction of Velutha’s father’s reaction to his son’s affair with a woman of a higher social class. Roy’s political beliefs can be seen interspersed throughout the story and she repeatedly comments on the post-colonial situation in India through the actions of her characters. The amalgamation of Roy’s views on the moral quality of human beings and the political character of 20th century India come together to support her assertion that those who are overly selfless and spend no time trying to get ahead in life ultimately lose in the long-term.
A few upper caste youths, hiding behind parapet of the building in an opposite auction place, stoned the pot. “C-r-a-ash” a sound Teeha heard. The youths struck Methi’s pot and her whole body became drenched completely. It is her caste that is her flaw. By the time, Teeha moved towards Methi as soon as the pot shattered. Methi’s companions stood at some distance from them. Mathi was wet from head to feet. She stood rooted to the ground. The upper caste youths’ eyes roved over Methi’s breast and navel visible through her wet clothes, because the woman was an untouchable’s community in that village. So the upper caste youths wanted to humiliate her in public place. Look at this caste that became a weak and means of under-estimation. Teeha, a Dalit and an outsider, has openly hit a Patel youth that is a burning issue. But a low-caste girl was assaulted which is considered as sign of upper caste
Traditions control how one talks and interacts with others in one’s environment. In Bengali society, a strict code of conduct is upheld, with dishonor and isolation as a penalty for straying. Family honor is a central part to Bengali culture, and can determine both the financial and social standing of a family. Usha’s family poses no different, each member wearing the traditional dress of their home country, and Usha’s parents diligently imposing those values on their daughter. Those traditions, the very thing her [Usha] life revolved around, were holding her back from her new life as an American. Her mother in particular held those traditions above her. For example, when Aparna makes Usha wear the traditional attire called “shalwar kameez” to Pranab Kaku and Deborah’s Thanksgiving event. Usha feels isolated from Deborah’s family [Americans] due to this saying, “I was furious with my mother for making a scene before we left the house and forcing me to wear a shalwar kameez. I knew they [Deborah’s siblings] assumed, from my clothing, that I had more in common with the other Bengalis than with them” (Lahiri ...
A large amount of ancient texts contain themes relating to violence, power, and war, while others, such as The Bhagavad Gita and Confucius’ Analects, focus on individual and collective development through a series of selfless acts. The two texts provide an in-depth system of duties and learning created to provide direction for the betterment of the self, as well as society as a whole. The Bhagavad Gita places a greater focus on the duties of individuals that must be fulfilled to achieve an enlightened state with the divine forces. Contradictory consequences are presented for those who choose to act in an egotistical manner and deny their duties. Confucius’ Analects, on the other hand, places its main focus on collective development and responsibility
In this book, the people are subject to thousands of different ways to condition them to society. Whether this is based off of there standing in the society, or even the jobs that they are performing. Every single person is conditioned, and they are all expected to think exactly like their fellow caste members.
Indian society was patriarchal, centered on villages and extended families dominated by males (Connections, Pg. 4). The villages, in which most people lived, were admini...
A change in one’s attitude can change one’s life. In the book, Nectar in a Sieve, the author, Kamala Markandaya, depicts one family’s struggle to survive through the never ending changes occurring in their lives. This story takes place in a small village of India during the late 1940’s. At this time in history, Britain has taken control of India. The story’s main character, Rukmani, experiences change in her youth and at the time accepts change as inevitable. Later, Rukmani, experiences change differently. Rukmani comes to realize that change is occurring faster as time goes on, but refuses to accept she has no control.
The caste system in India not only caused people to be oppressed, ignored, and mistreated, but it also changed the mindset of society at large. The separation of classes leads to other separation between people causing some to feel the right to act more powerful than others. This is an issue in The God of Small Things because it causes characters to feel the need to hold to certain images or standards at the cost of those less fortunate to be born into higher classes. Arundhati Roy poses many dilemmas where characters must decide between their own pride and dignity, and helping others.
In the novel, action speaks louder than characters. Each character in the novel represents the dark reality of the society. Locution and the composition of provocative verses leave gaps, which should be filled up by the readers. The character of Lakshmi is the epitome for many unknown and unnoticed Lakshmies, who are the victims of Trafficking and Sexual Slavery world-wide. Through Lakshmi’s stream of Consciousness the readers get conscious about the atrocities done to poor children and women for the sake of money.
I don’t know yet how I’ll manage, here in this new, dangerous land. I only know I must. Because all over India, at this very moment, widows in white saris are bowing their veiled heads, serving tea to in-laws. Doves with cut-off wings […]. I straighten up my shoulders and take a deep breath […]. In the mirror a woman holds my gaze, her eyes apprehensive yet steady. She wears a blouse and skirt the color of almonds” (33).
Roy employs her portrayal of the downtrodden through the hardships that Velutha encounter as the novel progresses. The entire incidents in The God of Small Things take place in the southern Indian state of Kerala and revolve around a forbidden relationship between a Syrian Christian divorcee and mother of two children, Ammu and a low caste carpenter, Velutha. There are many other instances of social exclusion in The God of Small Things. The character who has to face problems due to thi evil of untouchability prevailing in the society is the untouchable paravan, Velutha who is a gifted young man who thoughtlessly enters into a love affair with a Syrian Christian divorcee and mother of two children called Ammu. He is a higly talented carpenter yet what h e gets in life is the social exclusion. When the love affair comes to light he is falsely charged. He fails to understand why his father Vellya Paapen scolds him for his love-affair with Ammu who is a high status woman. He is against this social discrimination but his this love-affair is approved by the society and proves to be deadly for him. On hearing about this love-affair, Babby Kochamma conspires with the Inspector and Velutha is put behind the prison by Inspector Matthew, where he is severely beaten to
The God of Small Things, the Booker prize winning Novel by Arundhati Roy, is a powerful predicament of a powerlessness of the people so called citizen of India. The novel presents an excellent and deep study and understanding, sociological and psychological, of various social groups and social sections of the society. Roy has succeeded to a great extent to make those voices speak which silenced in the actual and practical, welfare, democratic, socialistic and liberal society in India. Multiple Voices of the various downtrodden sections of Indian society articulate their whims, wishes, aspiration silently. Various groups such as dalits (untouchables), l...
“’Get the nigger out’, he muttered to his companion” (p. 182 l. 2). The way Sir Mohan treats his wife, by not giving her the attention and respect she deserve, shows that he generally does not care for her. His reputation and presentation of himself is more important than his wife’s happiness and well-being. When the two British soldiers spots Sir Mohan, they see him for what he is. An Indian man. They does not care that he has been studying on Oxford. The only thing they see is a black Indian who has taken their coupe. Karma comes back and smacks him in the face. Now he gets a taste of his own medicine, by the soldiers treating him as he treats all other Indians. Like nothing.
Who lived in a small village of Belari. Hori was a poor farmer who was trapped indebted. The novel depicts the economic and social conflicts in the Indian village. It is Hindu’s belief that making the gift of cow at the time of death will help to achieve salvation. Hori brought a cow from a herdsman Bhola from neighbouring village. Gobar son of Hori falls head over heel in love with the daughter of Bhola ‘s widowed daughter Jhuniya. When she gets pregnant Gobar brings to his family. Hori and his wife Dhaniya did allow her to stay in their home. This act of Gobar ruined his family honour. Caste is one of the main themes of the society. Caste brings obligation and violation in society. The same action of Jhuniya dishonoured her family and her status. People of different vocation represent different
Roy utilizes Pappachi and Chacko to present the audience with two opposing patriarch figures, that act as obstacles for the female characters to overcome. These obstacles present realistic instances that women in India have endured and fought to change. Though these obstacles have not been abolished, the patriarch system has been receiving opposition from feminine movements for change. For this reason, Roy constructed this piece to provide an accurate account of discrimination against women in India, to educate the women of India, as well as the
The men have internally colonized the minds of women, often making them aware of the limitations. Women are illtreated and tortured for various reasons and are considered a debit to the family though they bear and bring up children; do all the house work and some of them do jobs additionally. Ambedkar points out, “A woman under the laws of Manu is subject to corporal punishment and Manu allows the husband the right to beat his wife”.2 There is another problem which affects almost all women is the problem of gender inequality. Since the women are given the subordinate status, they never feel that they are at the driver seat of their lives. Their role in the family or society is considered inferior than their male counterparts. Even the modern women who are educated and who have economic independence remain unchanged in this aspect that is their subordinate status remains intact. The Indian society which has accepted the laws of Manu denies education to women and thus mental growth. Manu says, “Women have no right to study the Vedas”.3 In modern India, though women are allowed to study, there is a danger of becoming sophisticated slaves in the patriarchal system as ‘Saritha’ in Vijay Tendulkar’s play,