the god of small things

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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things Extract One

Paradise Pickles & Preserves

Where does your interest in language come from?

Language is a very reflexive thing for me. I don’t know the rules, so I don’t know if I’ve broken them. As a very young child my mother gave me a book called Free Writing and we were encouraged to write fearlessly. The first coherent sentence I ever wrote, which is actually in this book, was written when I was five. It was about an Australian missionary who taught me. Every day she would say, ‘I can see Satan in your eyes.’ So, the first sentence I ever wrote was: ‘I hate Miss Mitten and I think her knickers are torn.’


Kochamma Family Tree

Baby Kochamma Mammachi Pappachi

[Grand aunt] (grandmother) (Grandfather)

(real name Navoomi Ipe) Kochu Maria (short-tempered, midget cook)

Baba Ammu Chacko Margaret Kochamma Joe

(Father) (mother) (uncle) (British aunt) (aunt’s second husband)

Rahel [F] Esthappen [M] Sophie Mol [F]


Assignment one – Group Presentation In order to prepare you for the many new, and complicated ideas, that Roy introduces you will be asked to prepare on one side of A4, in pairs, one of the following topics to share with class Whilst members of your group are feeding back on their allocated topic make notes in your booklet under the appropriate headings.

Modern day India. Politics of current day India. India and Communism Geography and history of Kerala. Caste System (Hindus and Caste Christians) -Touchables/ Untouchables Marxist ideology. Hinduism Congress party Gandhi family

As you read through the novel make a note of any terms that you haven’t heard of which keep arising.

Glossary of Terms

Word Definition


Pre –Text Reading

History and Geography of Kerala The ancient history of Kerala is shrouded in the mists of tradition. The most popular legend would have it that the land crust that forms the State was raised from the depths of the ocean. Parasurama, the Brahmin avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, had waged an epic series of vengeful wars on the Kshatriyas. Came a moment when Parasurama was struck by remorse at the wanton annihilation he had wrought. He offered severe penance atop the mountain heights. In a mood of profound atonement, the sage heaved his mighty axes into the midst of the distant ocean. The waves foamed and frothed as a prawn-shaped land extending from Gokarnam to Kanyakumari surfaced from the depths of the sea to form the state and hence the sobriquet - "Gods own Country". The last decades of the 19th century saw the emergence of nationalism in India. The Indian National Congress was established in 1885 and it soon became the spear-head of the Indian Nationalist Movement. These developments did not go unnoticed in Kerala. A conference was held at Kozhikode in 1904 under the auspices of the Congress and in 1908, a district congress committee was formed in Malabar. Beyond this, there was no political activity worth the name in Malabar.


Geography Of Kerala Kerala is situated at the Southwest tip of India main land on the Arabian Sea. Kerala is bound by Arabian Sea on the west, Karnataka on the north and northeast, and Tamil Nadu on the east. The state can be divided into hills and valleys, midland plains and coastal belts. The hills of Kerala dot the Western Ghat from Ponmudi in the south to Munnar in the centre and Sultan's Bathery in the north. In the coastal belts of this state are situated world famous backwaters that are more or less main attraction of Kerala. Climate of the Kerala is tropical. Summer comes to Kerala in April and continues for the next four months.

The maximum temperature during this season is around 33°C. Monsoon touches the state in June and remains there till September though not much difference in temperature can be felt. Winter is from October to January and temperature drops a bit. Kerala has one of the richest varieties of flora and fauna in India and they are also the best managed in the country. Eravikulam, Periyar, and Silent Valley are the three national parks in the state.


Map of India


Important facts you should know before reading ‘The God of Small Things’

Caste System – Touchables and Untouchables (Harijans)

Stemmed from Hindu tradition, dates back to 1200 BC Caste comes from the Portuguese Casta meaning race, breed or linage. 3000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes in India Caste is determined by occupation, diet, social status Higher the caste, the more opportunities Outside the Caste are ‘untouchables’ who are seen as polluted. They were banned from Hindu temples. Gandhi tried to elevate their status Caste, apparently, decided on behaviours in past life Touchables would employ untouchables Caste System still present in rural areas today Their has been a law against it since 1950, however there are still 115 million child

labourers and 300 starving untouchables in India

Division of the Caste System

The Aryan priest- lawmakers created four divisions of society still surviving today:

In order of ‘importance’ Brahmans ‘Earthly Gods or priests Kshatriyas Warriors Vaisyas Farmers and Merchants Sudras Servants,

Outside of these groups came the Untouchables, with no Caste who were forced to do the menial and unappealing jobs.

Marxism

The political and economic philosophy of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in which the concept of class struggle plays a central role in understanding society's allegedly inevitable development from bourgeois oppression under capitalism to a socialist and ultimately classless society. History of The Congress Party

Formed in 1885 – Indian National Congress Aimed at giving India a voice in the Imperial world From its earliest days it claimed to speak for the nation By 1930s and 40s, through Gandhi’s rule, Congress had little interest in liberal

democracy and was more about self rule with a majority in possession of political power unmediated by a state –socialism.

India became independent from British Empire 1947.


British divided continent into India (mostly Hindu) and Pakistan (mostly Muslim. First prime minister was Nehru who governed until ’64 when he died. Least favourite candidate, and Nehru’s daughter, succeeded him, Indira Gandhi. She was described as a controlling dictator among her party. Between 75-77 Gandhi enforced ‘EMERGENCY RULE’ where political rivals were

arrested and imprisoned, censorship was enforced. Sent troops to kill Sikh extremists, 100s killed. She was shot dead by own body guard. Son took over party but was killed by suicide bomber in ’91. He wife is now parties’ leader.

Brief Recent history of India

Independent India is made up of a large Hindu Majority. The capital of India is New Delhi. After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, the authority of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was unrivalled.

For 17 years Nehru sought to make India a secular (religiously neutral) state. However it was difficult to override the belief in the caste system in villages.

Communist Party in India

The notions of nationalism, the caste system and violence help play a role in the birth and death of the communist movement.

It was founded in 1920s as an alternative to the anti-imperialist movement. It was against the capitalist system and caste system However the CPI, or Communist Party of India, was considered to be too conservative by parties around the world.

The party spilt in 1964 and a faction known as the Communist Party of India (Marxists), CPI(M) called for a revolt of workers – mostly lower castes affected by elites trying to gain power through capitalism.

After gaining independence there were two camps of thought. One wanted progress and democracy whereas the other wanted to focus on religious and cultural issues to define NATIONALISM.

The biggest failing of the party was that there were many small factions rather than a united one.


On-going tasks

Character Profiles

Build notes on the following characters, on separate sheets of A4, backed up with quotes as you go along. TOUCHABLES: Baby Kochamma, Mammachi, Pappachi, Baba, Ammu, Chacko , Margaret Kochamma, Joe Rahel, Esthappen, Sophie Mol, Comrade KNM Pillai UNTOUCHABLES Velutha, Vellya Paapen, Kuttappen

THEMES ‘The God of Small Things’ deals with many themes. Whilst reading the text yourself and during classroom discussions prepare notes, observations, quotes on the following topics.

Identity Family Forbidden Love Relationships Capitalism/ Communism Betrayal Social stigma Bereavement and loss Growing up Loss of innocence Religious beliefs Violence, abuse and domination Ignorance


Narrative Viewpoint After reading each chapter write a few lines on the narrative technique Roy uses and whether the chapter is written in recent past, further past, whether it changes between the two etc. See notes on chapter one as an example

1. Paradise Pickles and Preserves Starts off written in the present simple, to set scene. Then from recent past tense. Then changes between recent past and recollections of a distant past. Written from third person perspective so that we can gain an insight into various characters’ thoughts and motivations.

2. Pappachi’s Moth 3. Big Man the Laltain, Small Man the Mombatti 4. Abhilash Talkies 5. God’s Own Country 6. Cochin Kangaroos 7. Wisdom Exercise Notebooks 8. Welcome Home, Our Sophie Mol 9. Mrs Pillai, Mrs Eapen, Mrs Rajagopalan 10. The River in the Boat 11. The god of Small Things 12. Kochu Thomban 13. The Pessimist and the Optimist 14. Work is Struggle 15. The Crossing 16. A Few Hours Later 17. Cochin Harbour Terminus 18. The History House 19. Saving Ammu 20. The Madras Mail 21. The Cost of Living


General Questions incorporating other literary stimuli

Man and Woman At morn, as soon as I open my eyes, I see scattered helter-skelter Papers, note-books, torn envelopes; No order, no commas, no semi-colons! I rummage through them in vain And never find what I seek. Here is the world of Man Stamped with his ingrained indolence! Suddenly, the hand of Woman intervenes – And instantly all disorder disappears! All that was shameless confusion Her hand transforms into beauty; All that was torn is mended, All that was soiled is cleansed, And nowhere linger the hidden nests of useless rubbish! Amid my own untidiness I think in wonder: In the heart of Creation Flow these two streams of Man and Woman. Man gathers round him rubbish; Oman comes and constantly cleanses it away. RABINDRANATH TAGORE (1861-1941)

Q: How far do you think Roy would have agreed with the above sentiment? Look closely at the relationship of Ammu and Velutha. Remember to analyse poem in terms of form and linguistic features.


The Maiden Dressed in Bark Beneath the barken dress Upon the shoulder tied, In maiden loveliness Her young breast seems a hide. As when a flower amid The leaves by autumn tossed – Pale, withered leaves – lies hid, And half its grace is lost. The meanest venture glows On beauty that enchants: The lotus lovelier shows Amid dull water-plants; The moon in added splendor Shines for its spot of dark; Yet more the maiden slender Charms in her dress of bark. Her shoulder droop; her plams are reddened yet; Quick breaths are struggling in her bosom fair; The blossom o’er her ear hangs limply wet; One ahnd restrains the loose, dishevelled hair. Although she does not speak to me, She listens while I speak; Her eyes turn not to see my face, But nothing else they seek. KALIDASA (c. A.D. 400-500) Shakuntala Translated by A. W. Ryder

Q: Like the above poem, Roy’s novel has been described as both ‘poetic’ and ‘whimsical’, find evidence of this in the ‘The God of Small Things’. Pay particular attention to the description of Ammu and Velutha’s mid night meetings.


Be Not Proud of Thy Caste Let none be proud of his caste. He who knoweth God is a Brahman. O stupid fool, be not proud of thy caste; From such pride many sins result. Eberybody saith there are four castes, But they all proceeded from god’s seed. The world is made out of one clay, But the Potter fashioned in into vessels of many sorts. The body is formed from the union of five elements; Let any one consider if he hath less or more in his composition. Saith Nanak, the soul is fettered by its acts. Without meeting the true Guru Salvation is not obtained. AMAR DAS (1552-74)

Q: What message is the above poem trying to convey? How does Roy try to achieve the same message in her writing?


Complete the following page with observation of Roy’s narrative technique. Rushdean stylistic tricks such as capitalizing significant words and running together words. Insistent foreshadowing occurs throughout.


PRESENT SIMPLE I think He walks to school

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

PRESENT PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE

PAST CONTINUOUS It was raining

PAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

FUTURE SIMPLE

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

FUTURE PERFECT

FUTUREPERFECT CONTINUOUS


Extract One

1. What tense is the passage written in? 2. How can you identify this tense? To help you write out three clauses written

3. in this tense and try to work out what this tense is made up of. 4. Roy describes language as ‘a very reflexive thing’. She explains that she

doesn’t know the rules and therefore doesn’t know if she’s broken them. Write out 6 statements, which don’t conform to the regular rules of grammar and try to explain why they don’t.

5. How could you sum up the punctuation used on the first page? 6. When do we gain the first foreshadowing that something ominous is going to

happen in the novel? 7. Look at paragraph 3. How does Roy build up her description quickly here? 8. Find two examples of alliteration and why are they effective? 9. Find three examples of personification. What do they suggest about the

landscape?

10. How can we tell that the house is old and neglected? 11. A clause is a unit of words that make sense on their own and do not depend

on parts of another clause. Roy often uses MINOR SENTENCES, which do not follow expected grammatical patterns, they often miss out some of the essential clause elements, usually you would expect a sentence to consist of at least a subject and a verb. Find some examples of this. Why do you think she has done this?

12. As you read through the opening, start to build a family tree – otherwise it gets slightly confusing. The twins should be placed on the bottom left hand of page.

13. What religion are the family? 14. What do you notice of Roy’s use of capitalization at times? What does it

suggest? 15. Which type of word class would usually begin with an upper case letter? 16. Identify the personal pronouns that the twins think of themselves in. 17. Take anew page and label the heading ‘The Significance of the Title.’ Write

down any references to made by Roy to ‘The God of small things’, this will help you to decipher what the novel is all about.

18. Take a new page and label it ‘Narrative Technique’. Make notes on Roy’s individual style.

19. A MODIFIER tells us more information about something. Write down an example of a modifier.

20. Can you find one example of a count noun and one non count noun, one abstract noun and one concrete noun?

21. Write down a series of questions you would like answered about the extract so far.


SENTENCES

A sentence needs to contain a SUBJECT. The person or thing performing an action is a SUBJECT. The can be a noun or a pronoun. Look at the following sentences and write an S above each word which is a subject.

If the subject is doing something to someone or something, that thing becomes the OBJECT of the sentence. Indicate where the objects are using an O.

A verb is an action word, indicate each verb using a V. 1. May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month.

2. Red bananas ripen.

3. It was raining when Rahel came back to Ayemenem.

4. A rate snake rubbed itself against a glistening stone.

5. A drenched mongoose flashed across the leaf-strewn driveway.


Extract two

1. Add any additional family members to your family tree. 2. Look at page 3 which phrase tells us that there may be tension between the social

classes? 3. How is the child-like quality of Roy’s narration revealed on p4? 4. A COMPOUND is a word made up of two Morphemes, or smallest units of word.

Make a list of the compounds you come across. Why do you think Roy uses them? 5. What stands out about particular parts of Roy’s narrative structure? Why do you

think she has done this? 6. How is the childlike quality of the narration continued on p4? 7. We also gain a sense of a more sophisticated and more mature narrator coming into

play at the top of p5. Can you explain where we see this? 8. What do you think happened to Sophie Mol and who do you think is to blame and

why? 9. What evidence is there that Rahel’s startling visions during the funeral service may

be imaginary? 10. Make a list of the apparent themes up until this point. Once you have done this

take a separate page of A4 for each heading so that you can build up a series of information about each theme.

11. Another feature of Roy’s work is her use of elision or runningtogether words. Can you find some examples of this? Why do you think she has done this?

12. Why does the policeman treat Ammu in such a derogatory fashion? 13. Why does Roy include the acrostic job description of the police? 14. Look at the large last paragraph on page 8. How is Ammu feeling at this point?

Use word classes to explain how you know this. 15. What does the SUBORDINATE CLAUSE on page 9, ‘which was a bit unlikely’, tell

us about Baba’s feelings for Estha, and indeed Rahel? 16. Find an example of PATHETIC FALLACY used within the text so far. What does

it show? 17. Build up a list of facts about Estha so far.

18. Why is this section of prose ended with a single simple sentence to make up the paragraph? What does it show? ‘Estha occupied very little space in the world.’


Extract Three

1. Add any extra information you discover about Estha his character profile. 2. An extended metaphor is used to describe Estha’s loss of Language. Record

the metaphor and the lexical set that strengthens it. 3. Why do you think ‘Rereturned’ is presented using a proper noun? 4. Minor sentences are created with the use of single adjectives such as

‘Unspeakable. Numb’. What affect do they achieve? 5. Roy uses a string of pre-modifiers to describe Khubchand. List these

modifiers and comment on their connotations. 6. Many sentences on page 12 begin with the co-ordinating conjunction ‘And’.

Give two examples and comment on their effect? 7. List the adjectival phrases that describe Khubchand’s frailty. 8. The river is described as ‘full of shit and pesticides bought with World Bank

Loans.’ What does this suggest about India’s place in the world? 9. Begin a character Profile for Comrade Pillai, introduced on page 13. 10. Which two narrative techniques does Roy use to describe the mental turmoil

that Rahel’s visit causes for Estha?

Extract Four, Pages 15 – 19

Look closely at Rahel’s behaviour, after the death of Sophie Mol. Consider how her character changes afterwards. Examine in detail the writer’s use of language, including punctuation, lexis, grammar, the character’s speech and anything else you find interesting. Relate what you find here to the affect bereavement has on the rest of the novel. In your answers from now on you should begin to introduce new terminology to help build up your linguistic knowledge. You should include a discussion of modal verbs, the passive voice, and auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs are ‘helping’ verbs. They work with other verbs to add emphasis or give information about timescales, mood or attitude of a speaker or writer. They are also used in questions and negatives.


To be, to have, to do can act as auxiliaries. E.g. I have eaten. Modal verbs can also act as auxiliary verbs. They express possibility or the likelihood of an event, taking place. The following are modals: Can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will and would. Modals express ability, intention, necessity/ obligation, permission, prediction and possibility.

E.g. The boy was hit (by a car) passive The car hit the child – active When answering this question you will need to discuss

• What Rahel was like before the event • The effect of bereavement on one other character, perhaps Ammu • Why Indian society in Kerala may be partially to blame.

Passive Voice

There are two voices: the active and the passive. They tell us who or what is responsible for an action. The active voice links the action to the person or thing responsible for the action. E.g. Christian drank the tea. It is clear who drank the tea. The passive voice changes the focus of the sentence so that the subject (the person or thing doing whatever it is) is moved to the end of the sentence and is often left out altogether. The object of the sentence, that is the person or thing receiving the action is moved to the front of the sentence.

Write down 5 examples that you find in this passage.

Write down 5 examples from the extract

Write down three examples or either from the passage.


Extract Five Pages 22-30

An explanation of Baby Kocahmma’s bitterness. Pupils should read above pages and write a series of ten bullet points which give the reader an insight into why baby Kochamma is so bitter. These bullet points should focus on her ‘relationship’ with Father Mulligan. They should trace the happenings in a chronological order.

Teacher’s Answers

• At 18, fell in love with Irish Monk, father Mulligan • Tried to impress him with her ‘Christian’ behaviour. • Met him every Thursday to discuss religion • After one year he left for Madras. • She became a Roman Catholic, against her father, Reverend Ipe’s, wishes. • Went to a convent to train to become a nun, was withdrawn by father after a

series of letters stating her sadness. • Studied for two years in Rochester, USA and became obese. • Came back and tendered a ‘bitter’ garden, which can be seen to symbolise her

bitterness. • Became paranoid and unhappy.

Now that you have completed this task go to pages 297-298 and make four bullet points on what happened to Father Mulligan.

Teacher’s answers • Father Mulligan died of Hepatitis, probably transmitted from sexual relationships • Became a Vaishnava (worshiped Vishnu and his avatars (especially Rama and Krishna)

as the supreme deity. This is the largest Hindu denomination.) • He stayed in touch with Baby, even after joining the Ashram • She was devastated that he renounced his vows but not for her.

Questions 1. How does this information about Baby Kochamma make you feel about her

treatment of, and feelings, towards the relationship between Velutha and Ammu?

2. How does their relationship parallel that of Baby and Mulligan? How does it differ?

3. Why don’t we find out this info with the information at the beginning of the novel?

4. What narrative techniques does Roy use at this stage?


Exam practice – Pappachi’s Moth

Read pages 44 – 45 From Occasionally, when Ammu…And sometimes she wasn’t Comment in detail on the way Roy presents Ammu in this extract. Look closely at her use of lexis and grammar, the narrative voice and anything else you find of interest. Compare what you find here to another episode in the novel when we see a different side of Ammu.

Read pages 45 –46 From On the back seat …at the very least Look closely at society and Baby Kochamma’s perception of Ammu’s situation. How does Roy make this point apparent? Look closely at Roy’s use of language, lexis, grammar,

typography and narrative voice. Explain how these perceptions will be important later on in the novel.

Read pages 47 - 48 From Mammachi had started…in the river What do you find interesting about the way Roy presents the relationship between Mammachi and Pappachi in this extract? Consider lexis, grammar and narrative voice. What themes does their relationship introduce us to and how are they developed in other parts of the novel?

Read page 48 From Then Chacko…Pappachi’s revenge Explore the presentation of Pappachi in this extract, looking in detail at Roy’s use of language, lexis, grammar, typography and narrative voice. How can Pappachi’s reactions be seen to be representative of themes developed elsewhere in the novel?

Read pages 54-55 From Though the Earth Woman… in the thought Look closely at the way Roy describes the History House in this extract, you should explore her use

of lexis, grammar, narrative, structure and anything else you think important. Discuss the significance of the history house later on in the novel.

the god of small things

Documents

geography of kerala

ancient history of kerala

modern day india

congress party

indian national congress

sophie mol f copyright

politics of current

god of small things