Character Analysis

The God of Small Things is a book that might seem boring in the beginning, but after you have read the first two chapters, the book gets very interesting. The book starts by introducing the people in the book and their lives and by describing the past. You will find out that a girl named Sophie Mol died, but you won’t know when, why or how. The events take place in two different times; when the twins Estha and Rahel are kids and when they are grown-up. Estha and Rahel are the main characters. They are Ammu’s children.

Ammu, the mother of Estha and Rahel, the daughter of Mammachi and Pappachi, is a strong but vulnerable and sensitive woman. Ammu has experienced a lot. She has been married to a man who beat and tried to pimp her. That man is Baba, Rahel’s and Estha’s father. Eventually she left him. She tries to be a good mother to Estha and Rahel and she really loves them, even though  she doesn’t show it very well.

I think that Ammu is the most independent character in this book. She is modern, and she doesn’t let other people knock her down. In my opinion Ammu is a lot stronger than people think. I think that Ammu gives a weak image of herself to others, but I don’t know why.

There was one thing that made Ammu a special character. Her secret affair with an untouchable man, Velutha. Velutha is a carpenter and works for Ammu’s family. Ammu is touchable and Velutha is untouchable. That means that they can’t be together. But that doesn’t stop them. They start having sex at nights on the other side of the river. If people would find out about their secret affair Velutha would suffer, a lot. I think that if the punishment came only to Ammu, she would  let the whole world know how she feels. She would tell how much she hates the caste system and how much she hates that there is no equality between men and women. I think that Ammu doesn’t really care if people knew about them.

I think that Velutha and Ammu are meant to be together. They both would be so happy with each other. Estha and Rahel really like Velutha and they get along really well. Velutha would be a great stepfather. But they don’t have any choices. Because there are “the laws that lay down who should be loved, and how. And how much.”

This video is shows how culture and the caste system effects on people in India. The video is not only about the book.

Book Review

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is a different and interesting book. I really enjoyed reading it.  While you’re reading this book you can’t imagine what is going to be on the next page. I must admit that I was shocked by some strange events in this book.

The writer has added something special in this book. For example, the writer has used very casual words (like later) in a way that the word includes a hundred other words in it. The writer has also used a capital letter in a word where it normally wouldn’t be used to make it more appealing; …when life was full of Beginnings and no Ends, and Everything was For Ever… (p.2)

There was one little thing in this book which i tought was very cute. Ammu saw a dream about Velutha and smiled. Estha and Rahel saw her smiling, and after some talking Estha asked Ammu: “Does it count if you are happy in a dream?” And i’m still wondering about the answer, does it count?

We have always heard that the writer isn’t in the book. That the people in the book are just characters, but I still feel that Arundhati Roy sees a bit herself in Ammu.

There wasn’t much written about Velutha and Ammu, but still to me, their relationship was the most important thing in this book.

At the end I can say that Love didn’t conquer all, and that made me sad. Still this book was very touching and impressive.

Mind Map

Ammu

Challenging Words

  • moth = koi
  • untouchable = a taboo, not allowed to be touched
  • touchable = the opposite of untouchable
  • verandah = terrace (terassi)
  • upholstery = filling (verhoilu)
  • bishop = priest (pappi)
  • mundu = a garment worn around the waist –> A picture
  • reluctant = unwilling (vastahakoinen)
  • brooding = uhkaava, painostava, alakuloinen
  • ripples = väreillä, karehtia, liristä

Bibliography:

Roy, Arundhati. 1997. The God of Small Things. London: Flamingo

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