The God of Small Things

I Introduction/General Information about the Book

· Title:

• The God of Small Things

· Author:

• Arundhati Roy

· Type of Book (fantasy, humor, science fiction, mystery, biography, non-fiction):

• Non-fiction

II Characters


Main Character: 

• Rahel is the main character. She is the female twin of Esthappen and her past made a great impact on her life. The story focused around her perspective and views in life.

· Supporting Characters: (name at most three)

• Estha - short for Esthappen. He is the male twin of Rahel. He stopped talking when he was a child and never heard a word from him since.  He did not interact well to people  around him.

• Baby Kochamma - 

  Her real name is Navomi Ipe. 

  She is Rahel's and Estha's grandaunt. She fell in love with a priest who used to visit her dad. She entered 

  a convent to become a nun, hoping to be with the priest again.

• Sophie Mol - She is the  daughter of Chacko and Margaret Kochamma. The story revolved around her death and the events surrounding it.

III Setting


· Describe the time and place of the story:

• The story happened in a town called Ayemenem, in Kerala, India. The setting has an important effect on the character because we can see through the generational differences and the different status among the characters the caste system that was taking place in India. It increased my knowledge regarding on what type of system was existing on that time in the society of India.

IV Plot: The Action/Summary of What Happened in the Story

• Rahel returned to Ayemenem after hearing that Estha, her twin brother, went back to the said place. Then, there was a flashback on their childhood days.
• Ammu fell in love with Velutha and had a relationship with him. Their relationship was discovered that's why Mammachi and Baby Kochamma made a plan  against Velutha.
• Rahel and Estha run away because Ammu insulted them, Sophie Mol joined them. After their boat capsized in the river, Sophie Mol drowned. 
• The police arrested Velutha. Afraid to be arrested for filing a false report, Baby Kochamma pressured Estha into saying Velutha was guilty of kidnapping him and Rahel. She told him that doing so was the only way to save Ammu and avoid a life in jail. 
• Ammu was evicted from the house and Estha was forced to live with Babu.
• Twenty-three years later, the twins was reunited. The intimacy between them was deeper now, beyond being a sister-brother.

V Theme


· What is the author trying to say in this story? Is there a moral to this story?

• The novel explores different relationships within the family. It looks at the ways families are forced to stick together and also how they fall apart. Unconditional family love is a major issue in the novel. It also talks about the so-called "Laws of Love"  that dictate WHO should be loved, and HOW and HOW MUCH. .

· This book showed me/I learned from this story:

• The novel opened my eyes to the reality, on what are happening to different families within our society. Sometimes we feel obligated to love our family members. On the other hand, just because you're related to someone doesn't mean you'll love them or that they'll have your back. Just like in real life, family relationships in the novel can be complicated, confusing, and frustrating.

· State a problem in the story and how it was solved

• Baby Kochamma filed a false report about Velutha so Velutha was arrested by the police. It was solved when Ammu came to the police and told them the truth.

VI Evaluation of the Book


· What are your thoughts about the book? (did you or didn’t you like it and why?)

• There are parts that i did not like in the book like in the end part that Rahel and Estha had an incest relationship but over all it is a good book. The author has a unique approach on it's writing style. He opened my eyes and brought me to the other side of the world.

The Pearl

I. Introduction/General Information about the Book

· Title: The Pearl

· Author: John Steinbeck.

· Type of Book (fantasy, humor, science fiction, mystery, biography, non-fiction):  Non-fiction

II Characters

Main Character: The main character is Kino.

· Describe this character: 

Kino is an indian pearl diver, simple family man, bound by poverty and old beliefs of his race. Kino's son - Coyotito was stung by scorpion, Kino and his wife don't have enough money to pay the doctor that's why they went to the sea to search for pearl. When they found the pearl, Kino dreamed that with the pearl Coyotito can go to school, he can buy his family new clothes and a rifle for himself, but the pearl only brought him trouble. 

· I can identify with the main character when: Kino is the main character because the story focused on his feelings, decisions, actions and on how he protected his family.

· Supporting Characters:

• Juana
• Coyotito
• Juan Tomas

· Describe some details about each supporting character

• Juana - She's Kino's faithful wife that shows strong character when she deals with her son's infliction and also when Kino decides to escape with the Pearl.
• Coyotito - He's Kino and Juana's infant son, who is their hope for the future. He is a central character because his parents' actions all revolve around him..
• Juan Tomas - He's Kino's elder brother. He protected Kino while in hiding and gave advice since he is the eldest in the family.

III Setting

· Describe the time and place of the story: 
 The setting of the novel is in La Paz,Mexico, a small fishing village where Kino and his family reside, it is also a place where you can find a lot of pearls that time. The doctor and the other people live in the town, which is located nearby. Kino decided to sell his pearl in the capital. He left his fishing village and travels north. Much of the action takes place on the beaches along the way.


· Comments about the setting
 The setting is just appropriate with the flow of the story. The setting added more excitement and intensified the situations. 

IV Plot: The Action/Summary of What Happened in the Story

· Summary of the story

• Coyotito was stung by a scorpion..
• The doctor refused to help them that's why Kino and Juana went to the sea to find a pearl.
• Kino found a pearl but there was a man who attempted to get the pearl.
• Kino and his family found themselves tracked by someone.
• Kino fought with the trackers but Coyotito died.
• Juana and Kino went back to town and brought back the pearl to where it belong - the sea.

V. Theme


· What is the author trying to say in this story? Is there a moral to this story?
 John Steinbeck showed that most people are envious of wealth of other people, especially newly inherited wealth; many people will try to take part of that wealth by any means possible, both legal and illegal. When Kino acquired the pearl, the townsfolk grow jealous and plot ways to seize a portion of the riches. Wealth can have dire consequences as it breeds greed, envy, and evil, sometimes in the possessor of the wealth and sometimes in those who surround the wealthy. Kino's discovery of the pearl should have brought him wealth and happiness; instead, it brings ill tidings and creates vast sorrow in his life. 

· This book showed me/I learned from this story:
The book taught me to be contented in life and not focus on the earthly things in this world. This book showed me how important family is, that we must not let anything replace it in our hearts.
· State a problem in the story and how it was solved
When Kino found a pearl, he was so overwhelmed that he did not realize that he became greedy. He even hurt his wife for the sake of the pearl. Before he realized his mistakes, it costs the most precious person in his life- his son.



VI Evaluation of the Book

· What are your thoughts about the book? 
I really like the book because Steinbeck showed realism, that not people are happy when someone succeeds, there will always be someone who'll pull that person down. We must not be blinded by wealth that money must not be the king in our heart. The love of money is the root of evil.