Critical Survey And Critical Analysis on Social Realism in The God of Small Things of Arundhati Roy

Abstract

Abstract

Arundhati Roy’s main aim is to show the real condition of society through her theory of social realism. This research paper examines how Arundhati Roy presents the glimpse of social realism and true picture of society through many incidents in the novel. The God of Small Things is a great work by Arundhati Roy which presents the glimpse of social realism. In this novel Roy creates a microcosm that encompasses wife battling infidelity, emotional insecurity, pride and death within one family in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Gender discrimination, untouchability, corrupt police administration, problems and clashes of culture all are the best examples of social realism. The theme of the novel is the confrontation between ?The Big Man? and ?The Small Man?. ?The Big Man? stands for lantern and ?The Small Man? stands for candle. In the novel two small persons Ammu and Velutha have to leave the world for big things. There are many social problems in Roy’s novel The God of Small Things. The most important social issue of the contemporary society is untouchability. Velutha represent the untouchable who has been since a long time exploited by society simply because he belongs to the so called lower caste. Roy also tells that a respectable woman is called a veshya. The relation of Ammu and Velutha is the key note of the novel that brings about catastrphe and misffortune on all. The most obvious motif of the novel is the inseparable role of sex in human life where no other factor can work. Universal laws of human biology cause the tragedy of Ammmu and Velutha. Ammu’s insignificant presence in the family and society forces her to go against dominant mainstream culture that blocks her ways of freedom and liberty. Human society is an amalgam of difference in terms of status, interest, talent and opinions because heterogeneity and diversity are the facts in human life. Through The God of Small Things Roy tries to sensitize this society to the cruelty of some of its useless traditions. It describes the details regarding the changing political scene in Kerala problems besetting woman in a male dominating society.