The Psychological Fictional Novel “God of Small Things” is written by Indian Contemporary writer “Arundhati Roy”, originally published in 1997. The book was shortlisted for Booker prize in 1997. The setting of novel is in Aye Menem, a district of Kerala.
The God of Small Things By Arundati Roy
Summary of The God of Small Things By Arundhati Roy
The story of “God of Small Things” revolves around a Rich Christian family from Aye Menem, Kerala. The book story alternate between 1969 and 1993, and mostly it follows a plot of 1969. As the story begins, we follow a character, Mammachi, a hard-working woman who was married to Pappchi, an abusive husband who used to beat Mammachi. The married couple has two children, Ammu, a daughter, and Chacko, a son who is studying in England. In England, Chacko is married to girl named, Margaret. Chacko and Margaret have one daughter, Sophie. Margaret divorced Chacko and married to a man, Joe. Afterwards, Chacko returns to India and took over his family business.
Their family has business of Pickle which is taken care by Chacko. The story now jumps to life of Ammu, who was married to a man, Baba, who turns out to be drunken and abusive man like her father. The couples have two twin’s children, Estha Ipe, a boy and Rahel Ipe, a girl. One day, Baba forced Ammu to sleep with his boss. As Ammu denied to sleep with Baba’s boss, he beats her horribly. Since then, Ammu left her husband, Baba and comes back to her father’s home with her twins’ children.
There comes new character, Velutha, a masculine man from lower caste family who works in Ammu’s family business. On the other side, Chacko learns about Margaret’s present husband, Joe, who is no more. As Chacko has a chance to be with his wife and daughter again, he invited Margaret and Sophie in his village, Ayemenem. Chacko was going with his family to pick up his wife and daughter from airport. On the way to airport, Ammu saw Velutha and falls in love with him. One day, Ammu meets Velutha at night and makes love with him. For the next two weeks, Ammu meets Velutha at night daily to make love.
One day, Veltha’s father learns about Ammu and Velutha’s secret affair. He goes to Ammu’s mother and tells her about Ammu’s relation with his son. He gives her his son marriage proposal for Ammu. On the other hand, Ammu’s mother, Mammachi denied their marriage proposal as they are from lower caste. Afterwards, Mammachi locked Ammu in her room. Ammu’s twins, Estha and Rahel decides to run away from their home to a history house. As twins were running through boat, their boat capsized where Sophie drowned in water while Estha and Rachel swims across the river to history house. The twins don’t know that Velutha is also hiding in history house.
The story now features new character, Baby Kochamma, a sister of Ammu’s mother. She goes to police station and tells lies to Police Inspector about Velutha that he has tried to rape Ammu. She lies about twins too that Velutha has kidnapped them. Afterwards, Police inspector sends six constables to find Velutha and twins. As police constables finds Velutha in history house, they beat him horribly in front of Estha and Rahel. Velutha was beaten horribly by police officers, he loses his life in police station. Afterwards, Baby Kochamma tells lies to Chacko that Ammu has tried to save his daughter’s murderer, Velutha. Chacko in anger throws his sister, Ammu out of the house. She goes out with her twin daughter, Rahel while Estha was sent to his father, Baba’s home.
The story now jumps in year, 1993 where Estha and Rahel are reuniting after 23 years later in Aymenem. Everything has changed since they left, Mammachi is dead, Baby Kochamma is still alive passing her years by watching television with her cook. At the end of story, Estha and Rahel meets, they make love secretly even though they are brother and sister.
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