The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, as well as a useful introduction to the social context that the novel is rooted in. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 44-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Arundhati Roy
• Presentation of The God of Small Things
• Summary of The God of Small Things
• Character study
  • Rahel
  • Estha (Esthappen Yako)
  • Ammu
  • Velutha
• Analysis of The God of Small Things
  • ‘Small Things’
  • Language and style
  • Social class and boundaries

About The God of Small Things

The God of Small Things is the story of a family whose lives are torn apart by the restrictive ‘Love Laws’ that govern relationships in India. It focuses on a pair of twins, Estha and Rahel, whose divorced mother Ammu begins a relationship with a lower-class man called Velutha. Although their relationship is healthy and loving, it is considered utterly taboo by society, and when their liaison comes to light, the rest of the family is prepared to go to any lengths necessary to separate them and have Velutha imprisoned, leaving the twins estranged from their mother and each other. The novel won the 1997 Booker Prize, and is considered a modern classic.

About Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy is an Indian writer and human rights activist. Although she is best-known for her debut novel The God of Small Things, which won the 1997 Booker Prize and was her only published work of fiction for the following 20 years, she is also the author of a range of political essays and articles. Indeed, she has been embroiled in multiple court cases and has clashed with the Indian government on numerous occasions as a result of her outspoken political activism.