The God of Small Things

My Opinion:
Jealousy and hate play big rolls in this book. The fact that an older woman can ruin a member of her families life for no reason other than the man is from a different social class and a member of a political party that embarrassed her is beyond me. The main character, Ammu, is classified by her family yet the family isn't what we consider a close knit or accepting family. It seems like the only thing keeping this family bound is blood. The siblings and children of Ammu are also very distraught characters because of the lack of family support. This is exactly the opposite of the portrait that Ashima paints for us in the novel The Namesake. The children are scared by their families and they end up being messed up individuals when they reach adulthood. This had a very To Kill A Mockingbird feeling to it. This may be because it is a traumatic event told through the eyes of a child.
Remnants of the Caste System:
Ammu's love interest in this book is Velutha,a ex- Untouchable. Even though the caste system was abolished in the 1960s and this book took place in the 1960's it shows the stereotypes and opinions of people still hadn't really changed. (This could be though of as the segregation laws in the US even though the laws were revoked peoples' attitudes and opinions didn't change.) The caste stysem really plays a role in this book because Ammu is considered a shame and embarrassment to her family for being with a man below her own social status. It is a sad fact that represents a realistic issue.
The Caste system is a hierarchy based on Purity and the level of purity decides on the social interactions and occupations. The Untouchable level is seen below the pyramid. They were outcasts shunned and left to do all of the dirty work. Something interesting is that caste systems didn't only occur in India... they occurred in France, Spain, Africa and Japan as well! Even though the caste system was nullified it doesn't mean that it doesn't affect how people think and view the world, as seen in this novel.

Fun Note: When I took my Praxis II test for English certification there was a question about The God of Small Things.
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