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.