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... Coursework
What role do the small things play, and of what significance are they in The God of Small Things ?
The God of Small Things is a novel that discusses the significance of the small things in life. It presents the ongoing struggle between things that are rendered simple and insignificant by the world and those considered crucial and important such as tradition, cast division, and the Love Laws.
Roy proves in her novel that the small things do matter, despite the consistent bullying ‘by someone Big’. ... The fact that this incident takes up little space in the chapter ‘Abhilash Talkies’ makes it seem insignificant and small compared to the main event of Sophie Mol’s arrival, and the focus by all on her arrival. ...
‘a) Anything can happen to Anyone
b) It’s best to be prepared’
The fact that seemingly small events lead to dooming consequences further emphasizes the significance of small things. ... Velutha also then ‘saw things that he hadn’t seen before…simple things. ... ‘Little events, ordinary things…become the bleached bones of a story. ... Therefore, through the style of the novel itself, Roy succeeds in proving how small things are crucial and contribute to the creation or understanding of the Big picture.
The reader is also exposed to the innocence, vulnerability and helplessness of these small lives as opposed to the Big lives – the police, Baby Kochamma. Yet, their helplessness, in no way, takes away their significance, but rather emphasizes the importance of the small things in life- like words, and actions that can easily break a child as is shown in Rahel’s outburst at her Ammu. ...
One loved a Little Less’
The manipulation and invasion of tradition, caste divisions, social rules, the big things have a damaging impact on the young lives of Estha and Rahel. ... And the only response of the children to the ‘demanded obeisance’ of the Big God was the same response of the Small God - ‘inured by the confirmation of his own inconsequence, he became resilient and truly indifferent’. ... A small three-letter word ‘Yes’ was all it took for his childhood to tiptoe out – ‘once the quietness arrived, it stayed and spread in Estha’. ... The triumph of history, the Big thing over the small things, led to permanent consequences in their lives. ... Through their eyes, Ammu’s ‘unsafe edge’ is portrayed, Baby Kochamma’s ‘advances and small seductions’ are revealed and despised by the children, and Velutha’s ‘sweetness’ is heightened in the narration of ‘a grown man entertaining three raccoons, treating them like real ladies…taking care not to decimate it with adult carelessness. ... He is the symbol, the embodiment of the God of Small Things. Through him, we see the cruelty of the Big things, the Big God that lays down the rules of tradition, caste divisions and love. We see the unjust invasion of small lives and events by a world that intrudes into ‘the smallest, deepest core of their being and changes their life’ .
Approximate Word count = 2403
Approximate Pages = 9.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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