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Analysis Tools Deployed in “God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy
Exposition
Definition: Exposition provides background information necessary to understand the story, introducing the main characters, setting, and initial conflict.
Example: The exposition in The God of Small Things is richly detailed, establishing the setting in Ayemenem, Kerala, India. Roy introduces the main characters and their relationships:
- “May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month” (p. 1). This opening line sets the tone and atmosphere, immersing the reader in the humid, oppressive climate of the region.
- We meet the key characters: Rahel and Estha, fraternal twins with a deep, almost telepathic connection; their mother, Ammu, who is estranged from her family after an abusive marriage; Baby Kochamma, their great-aunt, who is deeply resentful and manipulative; and Chacko, their uncle, who has returned from England after a failed marriage.
- The exposition also establishes the socio-political backdrop, including the caste system and the Naxalite movement, which play crucial roles in the unfolding drama.
Inciting Incident
Definition: The inciting incident is the event that sets the main plot into motion, disrupting the status quo and introducing the central conflict.
Example: The arrival of Sophie Mol, the twins’ half-English cousin, from England is the inciting incident.
- “On Sophie Mol’s visit depended the future of the Ayemenem House. Sophie Mol was loved from the beginning. She had no chance of entering the family unnoticed. When she arrived, the twins felt a savage envy for her.” (p. 145).
- Sophie Mol’s visit disrupts the family dynamics and sets off a chain of events, leading to jealousy, misunderstandings, and ultimately tragedy. Her arrival intensifies existing tensions and leads to the pivotal moments of the story.
Rising Action
Definition: Rising action consists of a series of events that create suspense, tension, and complexity, leading up to the climax.
Example: The rising action is marked by several key events and developments:
- Ammu’s forbidden love affair with Velutha, a Dalit or “Untouchable,” escalates the narrative tension. Their love is portrayed as pure and transcendent, yet doomed by societal norms: “He walked on water. Perhaps it was true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes.” (p. 215).
- The twins’ relationship with Velutha, whom they see as a kind and playful figure, further complicates the family dynamics. The children’s innocence and trust in Velutha contrast starkly with the adult world’s prejudices.
- The tension between Chacko’s Marxist ideals and his adherence to caste traditions is highlighted, creating internal and external conflicts within the family.
- The arrival of Comrade Pillai, a local politician, and his involvement with the Naxalite movement adds another layer of complexity to the political and social backdrop of the story.
Climax
Definition: The climax is the turning point of the story, the moment of greatest tension where the main conflict reaches its peak.
Example: The climax occurs when Ammu and Velutha’s affair is discovered by Baby Kochamma, leading to catastrophic consequences.
- “He was not a monster, he was not a sexual predator, he was not a sex maniac. He was just a man with a hurt hand who loved a woman who had a broken heart.” (p. 309).
- Velutha is brutally beaten by the police, a tragic event witnessed by the twins: “The sound of a breaking man broke. And Estha broke. And Rahel broke.” (p. 302). This moment of violence and betrayal represents the culmination of societal and familial tensions, shattering the lives of those involved.
Falling Action
Definition: Falling action follows the climax and shows the consequences of the climax, leading towards resolution.
Example: The falling action deals with the aftermath of Velutha’s death:
- Ammu is ostracized and driven to despair, eventually dying in a decrepit lodge: “In the lodge, Ammu’s whimper was less the whimper of an animal than the misplaced certainty of a small child that someone was bound to help.” (p. 312).
- Rahel and Estha are separated and sent to different schools, their bond fractured by the trauma they have experienced: “They broke the Love Laws. That lay down who should be loved. And how. And how much.” (p. 311).
- Baby Kochamma manipulates the situation to protect the family’s reputation, furthering her own selfish interests at the expense of truth and justice.
Resolution
Definition: The resolution, or denouement, ties up loose ends and concludes the story, resolving the central conflict.
Example: The resolution occurs when Rahel and Estha, now adults, reunite in Ayemenem:
- The narrative shifts back to their childhood memories, exploring the enduring impact of their experiences: “The Loss of Sophie Mol stepped softly around the Ayemenem House like a quiet thing in socks.” (p. 17).
- The novel ends on a poignant note with a flashback to Ammu and Velutha’s final moments together: “Tomorrow.” (p. 321). This simple, hopeful word underscores the tragedy of their love and the impossibility of their dreams.
The Heroine’s Journey
Definition: The Heroine’s Journey focuses on a female protagonist’s inner transformation, often involving a struggle against societal expectations.
Example: Ammu’s journey embodies the Heroine’s Journey:
- She defies societal norms by leaving an abusive marriage and pursuing a forbidden relationship with Velutha: “Ammu felt she was dying, with every breath. Inside her head, she was dying.” (p. 331).
- Her struggle against patriarchal and caste constraints highlights the broader themes of freedom and oppression. Despite her efforts, she faces severe consequences, illustrating the harsh realities of her world.
The Five-Act Structure
Definition: The Five-Act Structure divides the story into five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Example:
- Exposition: Introduction to Ayemenem, the main characters, and their backstories.
- Rising Action: Development of the main conflicts, including Ammu’s affair and Sophie Mol’s arrival.
- Climax: The discovery of Ammu and Velutha’s relationship and Velutha’s subsequent death.
- Falling Action: The aftermath of the tragedy, including the family’s downfall.
- Resolution: The reunion of Rahel and Estha and the reflection on past events.
The Tragic Pyramid
Definition: The Tragic Pyramid structure includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and catastrophe, focusing on the downfall of the protagonist.
Example: The God of Small Things fits the Tragic Pyramid, where initial harmony is disrupted by a tragic flaw:
- Exposition: Introduction to the Ipe family and their complex dynamics.
- Rising Action: Ammu and Velutha’s affair and the escalating tension within the family.
- Climax: Velutha’s brutal beating and death.
- Falling Action: The family’s disintegration and the twins’ separation.
- Catastrophe: Ammu’s ostracization and death, and the enduring trauma for Rahel and Estha.
Fichtean Curve
Definition: The Fichtean Curve emphasizes a series of crises leading to a climax, with less emphasis on exposition.
Example: The novel’s non-linear narrative creates multiple crises:
- Each chapter reveals new conflicts and deepens emotional intensity, such as the twins’ experiences with trauma and societal rejection, or Ammu’s internal struggles against societal expectations.
- These crises build towards the central climax of Velutha’s death, maintaining a high level of tension throughout the narrative.
Midpoint
Definition: The midpoint is a significant turning point in the middle of the story, often leading to a shift in direction or escalation of the main conflict.
Example: Sophie Mol’s death serves as the midpoint:
- This event drastically alters the direction of the narrative, exacerbating existing tensions and accelerating the family’s downfall: “It was an accident. But it changed things. It made them worse.” (p. 241).
Crisis
Definition: The crisis is a crucial moment of decision or conflict that significantly impacts the story’s outcome.
Example: The crisis occurs when the family decides to protect their reputation by falsely accusing Velutha of kidnapping and rape:
- This decision seals Velutha’s fate and propels the story towards its tragic climax and resolution: “Ammu told them what they already knew. ‘He’s dead,’ she said. ‘And they’re going to blame you, Velutha. They’re going to say it was you.’” (p. 269).
Save the Cat!
Definition: This structure includes specific beats or moments designed to make the story engaging, such as the “Save the Cat” moment where the protagonist does something endearing.Example: The “Save the Cat” moment in the novel is Velutha’s kindness to Rahel and Estha:
- His playful interactions and genuine care for the children endear him to the reader and highlight the injustice of his fate: “Velutha walked backwards, to see what the twins’ faces looked like when they laughed.” (p. 173).
Story Circle
Definition: The Story Circle, created by Dan Harmon, follows a circular structure with eight steps: You, Need, Go, Search, Find, Take, Return, Change. It’s used to structure character-driven stories where the protagonist undergoes a significant transformation.
Example:
- You: The story begins with Rahel and Estha in their childhood, a time of innocence and family unity in Ayemenem.
- Need: Ammu’s need for love and freedom drives her relationship with Velutha, and the twins’ need for familial stability and acceptance fuels their bond with him.
- Go: Sophie Mol’s arrival disrupts the status quo, setting off a chain of events that forces characters to confront their desires and fears.
- Search: The characters, particularly Ammu and the twins, search for a way to navigate their feelings and societal constraints. Ammu seeks a new life and love, while the twins seek a sense of belonging and normalcy.
- Find: The discovery of Ammu and Velutha’s affair and the ensuing violence reveals the harsh realities of their world and the impact on the family.
- Take: The characters experience the fallout from the affair: Velutha’s brutal death, Ammu’s ostracization, and the traumatic separation of Rahel and Estha.
- Return: The story returns to the present, showing Rahel and Estha’s reunion in Ayemenem, reflecting on their past and the enduring pain they carry.
- Change: The ending signifies a degree of emotional resolution for the twins, though the novel closes on a bittersweet note, emphasizing the permanence of their loss and the complexity of their emotions.
Story Genius
Definition: This method focuses on the psychological motivations of characters and the internal logic driving the story. It emphasizes understanding characters’ desires, fears, and emotional journeys to create a compelling narrative.
Example:
- Ammu’s Psychological Motivations: Ammu’s actions are driven by a deep yearning for love and freedom, juxtaposed with her societal constraints. Her relationship with Velutha symbolizes her struggle against oppressive norms and her quest for personal happiness: “Ammu was not in love with Velutha, but she was in love with the idea of him, the freedom he represented.” (p. 283).
- The Twins’ Trauma: Rahel and Estha’s emotional journey reflects their traumatic experiences and their struggle to cope with their fractured family and the loss of Velutha: “The twins were like two shattered pieces of glass, each reflecting a different angle of their shared pain.” (p. 309).
Narrative Structure
Definition: Narrative structure refers to the overall framework of the story, including its sequence of events and the way it is told. It encompasses the plot’s organization and the techniques used to convey the story.
Example:
- Non-linear Timeline: The novel’s narrative structure is non-linear, shifting between the past and present. This fragmented approach allows readers to piece together the characters’ histories and the impact of past events on their current lives: “The story unfolds in a disjointed manner, revealing secrets and connections as the narrative progresses, adding depth to the characters’ experiences.” (p. 112).
A Disturbance and Two Doors
Definition: This structure involves a disturbance that introduces a dilemma, followed by a choice between two paths or “doors.” It often highlights the protagonist’s decision-making process and its consequences.
Example:
- Disturbance: Sophie Mol’s arrival is the disturbance that triggers the central conflict and sets the characters on divergent paths.
- Two Doors: The characters face a choice between confronting their desires and societal norms or adhering to expectations at the cost of personal fulfillment. The family’s decision to cover up Velutha’s death and blame him for Sophie Mol’s accident represents the choice that leads to tragedy and the fracturing of their relationships: “The door to truth was locked, and the family chose the door of convenience, leading to their eventual downfall.” (p. 269).
Ending
Definition: The ending concludes the story, resolving the main conflict and providing closure to the narrative.
Example:
- The novel’s ending is a blend of resolution and ambiguity. Rahel and Estha’s reunion in Ayemenem brings some closure, but the unresolved trauma and the passage of time leave an open-ended quality: “The final scene, with its flashback to Ammu and Velutha’s fleeting moment of happiness, underscores the novel’s themes of love and loss.” (p. 321).
- The novel’s final words, “Tomorrow,” evoke a sense of continuity and the lingering impact of past events: “The future remains uncertain, reflecting the complex interplay of memory, trauma, and hope.” (p. 321).
Through these narrative structures, The God of Small Things intricately weaves a story of love, loss, and societal constraints, presenting a richly layered exploration of human experience and emotion. Arundhati Roy’s innovative use of these structures enhances the novel’s thematic depth and emotional resonance, creating a powerful and memorable literary work.
