17th Annual Student Research Conference
Language & Literature
Escaping the Masculine in The God of Small Things
Daniel B. Witzofsky
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
Arundhati Roy’s novel The God of Small Things (1997) breaks free from traditional storytelling structures that have been typical, according to French feminist thinker Helene Cixous, of the dominating masculine paradigm. Roy rejects a linear, rational ordering to the placement of events in the novel and instead creates a progression that moves to its own rhythm. While this structure works as an example of a writer casting off the masculine paradigm, it also creates a framework for the struggle involved in making such a rejection as seen through the events of the novel. This paper will demonstrate the effectiveness of Roy’s structure and will examine the risks that she suggests are involved in the rejection of both the masculine and feminine paradigms.
Keywords:
Topic(s):English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 45-3
Location: VH 1304
Time: 4:15