I

NSTI
TUTEOFLANGUAGEANDLI
TERATURE
ASSI
GNMENT
Cr
it
ic
all
yex
ami
nes
ubj
uga
ti
ono
fwo
meni
nth
emo
vel"
THEGODOFSMALLTHINGS"

Su
bje
ct
Wo
rl
dLi
te
rat
ure

Te
ach
er
Mi
ssSa
lmas
hei
kh

St
ude
nt
In
asAb
dul
-Kh
ali
queKo
rai

Ro
llNo
mbe
r
2K1
7/DENG/
63

DATED
23r
dofMa
y2020
ABSTRACT
ArundhatiRoy'snovel"THEGODOFSMALLTHI NGS"unwr apsandexpl or
esr eali
tyofa
uniquedimension,usingl ensesoffemi nisti
cappr oach, pointingoutsuchanhonour abl
e
positi
onofmenandoppr essi
vefamilysy stem oftraditional SouthIndiansoci et
y.Women
belongingtothisverycul t
ureexerci
sesi nferi
ori
tywi thr especttoeachdepar tmentofl i
fe.
Thepar ametersoflivi
ngf oropposit
egender sar ealsonotequal asthesoci etyprai
sest he
men, atthesamet imewomengetnegl ectedandahar shresponse.I nshor tthispaperis
actuall
ypresentsapor trayalofvi
cti
mi zedwomenoft hatpat rarchalsociet
y ,male
domi nancy,
domest icviolenceandmor et hesubjugationofwomencr iti
cal
ly..

I
NTRODUCTI
ON
Alit
erarypersonali
ty"ARUNDHATIROY"i soneoft hefewI ndianEngli
sh
writ
erswhoshowedcur iosit
yincontempor ar
ysoci o-
polit
icalissuesas
abundantlyprovedinabulkofv aryi
ngfor ms-Arti
cles,booksandi nt
erv
iews
onv ar
iousprevail
ingproblems.Theinfluenceoft hev erynovel "THEGOD
OFSMALLTHI NGS"broughtherawor l
dwi defame, wonhert heBookerMc
Connellin1997(Bookerawar dforfi
rstti
mer ecommendedt oanon-
expatr
iateIndi
anfemaleaut hor)
.

THEGODOFSMALLTHI NGSnotonl yconf

inedt otr
anscri
bet hef act,
but
fi
ll
edwi t
hcolorsofsoul andliv
elyimage.Royr endersherdiv
er sed
experi
encesofIndianinhabit
antswi t
hasubj ecti
vetouchandapt l
yappl yi
ng
herobservednarrat
ivetechniques.Sheexpli
citsthesocio-
poli
tical dev
ilsof
SouthIndiai
ronical
lybutemphasi zedalmostev eryvi
cti
mt oupl i
ftwhi cha
normaleyeispronet omi ss.

Thisblankispeculi
artov iewonsheersuscepti
bleofwomeni nsocial
contextur
e.Roy'ssketchingofthepli
ghtofwomeni naSouthIndian
envir
onsshocksuswhi lerepr
esentent
ingsucnanunpleasantreal
it
ythat
thesocialsyst
emst hathav eunfol
dedovercenturi
esr
efusesthewoment o
emer geasi ndependentent ity.ChandraTal padeMohant ideclares,"the
assumpt i
onofwomenasanal readycostitutedcoher entgr oupwi th
i
dent icalinterestsanddesi res,regardl
essofcl ass,ethnicorr aciallocat
ion,
i
mpl iesanot ionofgenderorsexual di
fference, andev enpat ri
archywhi ch
canbeappl i
edbot huniversallyandcr oss-cultural
ly"
.(Mohant y
, qtdin
Coloni alDiscour seandpost colonialTheory ,
1994) .Thispr ocessof
subjugat i
onanddomi nationov erwomenar i
sesi t
sr ootsfrom wi thinthe
familyandspr eadsitsbranchesgener ationaf tergenerations.Womenar e
prohibitedt oaf fi
rmtheirpr esence; t
heyar ebei ngtreatedasat oy(a
nonliving,wi t
houtsoul t
hingt owhi chucanpl ayandev enthrowatt he
samet ime) ,piti
ed,cornered, anddespi seduponbyt heircoequal s.

"
THEGODOFSMALLTHI NGS"pr
ovi
desi
mageofpl
i
ght
sofwomeni
ntr
i-
f
orms.Speci
fi
cal
l
ytheyi
ncl
ude;

1. Ammu' scharact
ervi
suali
zesf
orpre-
mar i
tal
stat
usmakestayin
Ayemenem,tol
erati
ngunpl
easantbehavi
orofherfamil
yonherr
etur
nwi
th
twosi
bli
ngsandanul t
imateamourwithvel
utha.

2. Mammachi andPappachi
'
sdist
ract
ednupti
alt
ie,
effect
edwhi
l
echako
makeact
ionagai
nstpappachi
'
sconti
nuousl
yphysi
calt
ortur
eto
Mammachi.

3. BabyKochamma'snaminganotherchar
acterwhofeel
s
uncompensat
edat
tachmentforFat
herMulli
gnanandhercondi
ti
onal
spi
nster
hood.

WOMENSUBJUGATI
ONI
NPATRI
ARCHALSOCI
ETY
InthesouthIndianthereexist
slongbef or
ethetradit
ionofj ointfami
li
es
andiscontinuouslyinacti
ve.Thiscompl i
cat
edculturearisesmany
confl
ict
sandpr oblemsf ortheinvol
vingmember s.Stri
ctl
yi talmostef
fects
thefemalegenderi norderofthei
rfreedom,ri
ghtsandi dent i
ty.Thewhole
melodramai sdeeplyembeddedandi sresponsi
bleforgivingbi r
thtomany
tragedi esconcer ningunequallypl
acedwomen.Thi sunf airtr
eat mentbr i
ngs
har dships,agonies, hor
rors,miseri
es,suf f
eri
ngsandf orcefullypushedt o
acceptt heirsubjugati
onsandoppr essionscamei ntot heirway .Thecy cl
e
goest hroughunendedf rom thei
rdiscriminatr
youtbringi ngtil
l t
heystucked
byahar shreali
tyofdeat h.Thenov elhighli
ghtsthedoomedf at eofwomen
(supr ession)thatgetst art
edf r
om theirownr esidential part
icipantsand
spr eadst hroroughlyuninter
ruptedallcornersofsout hI ndiansoci et
ythatis
ev olvedf orcenturiesandnowknownasamar koftradi ti
onal val
ues.
“……f ami l
yisadomi nanti
deology,thr
oughwhichapar ti
cul
arsetofhousehol
dand
genderr elat
ionshi
psareuniversal
i
zedandnat ural
i
zed…andt hroughwhichunequal
powerr elati
onsareobservedandl egi
ti
mized”(Patr
ici
aOberai.Qtdi
nTheGodofSmal l
Things.ACr iti
calSt
udy,2004).

Inthenov eleverywomenbear svaryingchal lengesast heyhav esufferi

ngs
unmat ched.Amongt hem onechar acterispor trayalofAmmubel ongingto
herchildrennami ngEst haandRahel ,i
nt heirstoryherbloodmat es
performingr oleofv il
lainandi seventuallyleadshert oanignoabledeat h.
Theot hert wochar act ersMammachi andkochammaar emost l
y
responsibl eofAmmu' sdeat hastheyar eact i
velybehav edasoppr essive
familysyst em.Rahel ,they oungestoppr essedent ityamongt hef emale
gender, t
ol er
atesost raci sm athomeandl earningInstit
utewhich
contri
butedt omani pul atehernor mal upbr i
nging.Att hesamet imewher e
countrylikeI ndi
aenj oy sst rongPatri
ar chalsociety,thewomenbel ongingto
thestatebecomev ictimi zedsexual l
y,phy si
callyaswel lasment all
y.

Ammu' schar acterisstr

ucturedasadol eful,
mi serable,andmel ancholic
whicht ol
erat
esdepr i
vi
ati
onofl ov eandsy mpat hysinceherchi l
dhood.She
witnessesthebr utalbehavi
ourofherf atherbecauseoft hefr
ustrati
onhe
practi
cedwhi lehav i
ngprofessionalcareer.Shei sexposedasaVi ct
im of
vi
olence.Pappachi whohasr ecogniti
onofAmmu' sf athereff
ectedthe
mostashef eelssat i
sfi
edtor enderallhisment alagoni esonhisbet t
erhalf
Mammachi .Ammuhassev erel ookonat rociousnessofmascul i
nepower
whichshehasbeenobser vedsi ncehersensesst art
edwor ki
ng.sheev en
couldnotsav eherf rom t
hehei nousbar bari
cat ti
tudeofherf ather.She
hasbeenalsov i
cti
mizedofmal echauvini
sti
cindiff
erencetowar dsfemale
educati
on.Ammusi gnifi
esir
oni call
yanadult,grown-upandupbr ingi
ng
youngerst
erwhosur vi
vedalifev erymuchboundedandr estri
ctedev er
y
singl
emomentofl if
eandal lcreditgoestoaf rust
ratedpersonalit
y'a
reput
edscient
ist'
(herfatherPappachi )
.

Ammur epr esent sar uef ul,

piteouspi ctur eofwomenwhoi sincont i
nuous
j
our neyofseeki ngl oveandsy mpat hybuti tal mostt urnsbackonher .
Becauseofhav ingr eturnedbackt ohi sunwel comi ngf amilyandhav ing
abondenedherhusbandbyhi sdemor alized, corruptanddebaut ched
propensi ty,herl i
fet ookbackwar dstepssl owl yandgr adual l
yandat l
astshe
hasbeent hrownt ot hedar kcor ners.Ammuf al
lspr eyt ovici
oust r
apsetby
Mammachi andKochammaal lbecauseofheraf fectionaterel ationship
wi t
hv elutha. Thesheerani mositytowar dst heUnt ouchabl esf i
ndsdoubl e
forcei ntheAmmu- Vel uthaliai
sonandbr eaksouti ntoexpr essi onsof
mor aloutrageev ent houghChako’ ssexual indulgenceswi t
hl ow- caste
womeni sov er
lookedas‘ Men’sNeeds’ .Thi sal ldiscussi ongav er i
set oa
ver ycompl icated, strangeanddoubl est andar dv i
sionsofl i
vingal if
e.
Fami l
i
e'shonouranddi gnit
ybehol dsonwomenr egar dlessofmenal ways
freet oador eaadv entur ousandal i
fel ackofboundar iesandr est r
icti
onsto
l
iv eupon.Menar epr ivil
eged, womenar ecr oss- bearer s!

Mor eover,anot hercelebri

tywhoexper i
encescasual tyinthesamenov elis
Mammachi whoi sthev i
cti
m ofpappachi '
sbr utal
it
y .Jealousy,
superiorit
y/inferi
ori
tycompl exher eplaysani mportantr oleaspappachi '
s
behav i
ouri sbasedonhi sfai l
uresinhi sbusiness,outwor ldli
fethatcauses
himt oout bursthiscompl exesonherwi feMammachi .Mammachi i
sa
fondofmusi candsheexper t
isesinitbutt hi
sallkickshi shusband'shonor
negat i
velyandMammachi hast ofinal
lyescapef r
om hi sposi ti
vedesires
andt hisishowawomansacr i
ficesandbr eaksitsspi r
itinanuncount able
nonv i
siblepar t
s.Rat hert
aki nganat t
emptagai nstchauv inist
ic,cr
uel
society,shest artspracti
cingdomi nancyov erherownbi rthbabbbiesand
grandchildrenwi thqualms.
Aperfectexpl anati
onoft hef or
emosti deadocl earthrought heattit
udeof
Mammachi .I
tcanbeunder l
inedt hatMammachi i
sper petuatingasense
ofhatet hroughherownwomenhoodandbyf ul
fil
li
ngchacko' smaleneeds
byprov idingmoneyt olow- castewomen.Att hesamet imeshecondemns
Ammuonherr el
ati
onshipwi thvelutha,playi
ngat wo-dimensi onaland
doubl
e- standardresponse.Mammachi impl ement sther ulesthatgovern
herownl i
feinrestr
ict
ions.Sheobst ructsAmmu, butglor i
fieschako.
Unconsci ouslyorunwill
ingl
y ,di
rectl
yori ndi
rectlyherper formancehasa
backf
lashofi mmor al
andabnor mal behav i
ors.sheishar dlyawarethatshe
hadalreadyabondenedal l
herper sonal convict
ionsandf reedom, sl
ippi
ng
i
ntothemoul doft r
aditi
onal famil
yset -
up.

Homogenoushat er'
sr oleisappar entt hroughRoy 'schar acterBaby
Kochamma.Herbehav ioural changesar et heresultantofchauv inisticmale
soci etyt hatimpact edhersev iourl
y.Herpasthasadr asticeffectonhi s
futur ethatmol dsherpsy chet oacr uel per sonali
ty.Theenv i
ous, jealous,
embi tt
er edwomenbehav esopponentandhost i
let oallotherwomenwho
cont inuousl yincl ashwi thmal esociet ytoachi evet heirbasicr i
ght s
officiall
yt hatst andsf ort heirr espectandhonour .Babykochamma
revengesal lotherwomenf orherpastmi shappeni ngsandcompl exesby
usinghar shwor dsandt aki
nghar mful actionsasr evealedint henov el.Iti
s
wel lpor trayedbydehumani z ingRahel andAmmu, keepingcov etousness
forMammachi andhav i
ngi nf eri
orit
ycompl exfr
om Mar garetkochamma.
Babygr udgesAmmuonaccountoft het hingsav ailable(herlov eaf fair,
her
childeren)t hatenv ironmentcoul dnotpr ov i
deher .Sheunder estimat es
hersel fasbar ren.Andt hisappeal shert oscal eAmmu' sdoom andt hatis
howpr opel heri ntoherhav oc, annihil
at i
on.Eachandev eryoneef fected
oneanot her '
sfat eandder i
v esacy cleofl ife.Thet rendofkeepi nghol d
overweak, suchf orcespl ayasi gnifi
cantr oleinflower i
ngandf lour i
shing
thesebast ardr ulesandcust omsi nt raditionalsoci et
y.
CONCLUSI
ON
Acl eartestimoniali
nt hef orm oft hisnov eli
sprovi
dedwi t
hacl ear
,
appar entimageofacr uel,tradit
ional societ
y.Asocietyinwhi chawoman
cannev erbeplacedabal ancedposi ti
ont oaman.Mani sfreetol i
vealif
e
accor di
ngt ohisownpar amet er
sbuti fwomenquest i
onsf oral i
beraland
freedom, t
hesocietyr ulesbr eaki tintomor alout
rages.Everythi
ngi sfi
neto
hav eani denti
tyofaman.Roy '
sdepi ctionofcomprisi
ngmal edomi nant
societyandi tistheenv i
ronmentf r om whichstori
esofdomest i
cv i
olence
putupt hei
rheads(dest opi a).Roycr i
tical
lyexaminedallcornersofsout h
Indiansoci et
ybyusi ngl ensesoff eministi
capproachandi sev i
dently
prov edherhy pot
hesi s.