2010 Student Research Conference:
23rd Annual Student Research Conference

Untouchability and Incest: The Love Laws' Commentary in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things
Alissa M. Walkner
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor

The transgression of the broken Love Laws, in Arundhati Roy's novel The God of Small Things (1997), is central to the author's condemnation of the caste system as it acts at the trigger for the death of Sophie Mol. Two incidents are instrinsically bound by these breakages: Ammu's and Velutha's affair and Estha's and Rahel's incest. Roy situates Sophie Mol's death as the crux within the perverted circular relationship between these characters, resulting in their familial rupture. I suggest that Roy employs the Love Laws and the discomfort of the audience derived from their breakages, to comment upon the injustices of the caste system and its effect on the individual human soul. Roy exploits the tender balance of the family unit in order to heighten the readers emotional response to the recurrence of harrowing events. The cause of this pain is ultimately accredited to the prejudiced caste system.

Keywords: Arundhati Roy, Love Laws, Sophie Mol, The God of Small Things , caste system

Topic(s):English
Asian Studies

Presentation Type: Oral Paper

Session: 48-3
Location: VH 1432
Time: 1:45

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