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Response to JJ's "How India's Caste System Survives" |

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Response to JJ's "How India's Caste System Survives" |

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Good post JJ. It's interesting to see how some countries simply cannot rid themselves of socially unjust policies. This goes well with your article on untouchables being forced to collect human waste with their hands, despite laws condemning it. This belief is so rooted in India's culture and roots that its rather impossible to stop.

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Response to Sara's "Red and Buried" | AA

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Response to Sara's "Red and Buried" | AA

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Great post Sara. I had no idea that the Communist party was so dominant in Kerala. I guess this goes hand in hand with the article on women's empowerment you discussed. I think its funny how communism preaches equality and justice for all in a country that is lacking both of those things, yet it is still quite unpopular nationally.

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Response to Sara's "A Rare Government Success Story for Women's Empowerment" | A

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Response to Sara's "A Rare Government Success Story for Women's Empowerment" | A

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Because it still believes the caste system, I thought India was a completely socially underdeveloped country. However this article changes my mind because I can see that in India, women are given a shot at equality. Its not complete social justice for women yet, but its a step in the right direction. Good article Sara.

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Written by Alice Truax and published by the New York Times, the review provides a glowing overview of The God of Small Things. Truax aptly describes TGST in the following sentence, "This ambitious meditation on the decline and fall of an Indian family is part political fable, part psychological drama, part fairy tale, and it begins at its chronological end, in a landscape of extravagant ruin." Truax goes on to provide a summary of family relationships and traumas, the plot, and the intricacies of the language. In writing almost as stylistic as that of Roy, she commends the author on her writing. Truax touches upon TGST's morales as well as Roy's writing: "Ms. Roy's shape-shifting narrative is also tremendously nourishing, crammed not only with remonstrances but also with inside jokes, metaphors, rogue capital letters, nonsense rhymes and unexpected elaborations." In her review, Truax lets readers understand just how intricate TGST is.

I really enjoyed reading this review. I think the author is very good at identifying the key parts of TGST and putting in a way that makes readers want to read the novel. Her descriptions of the novel's characters is apt - which I'm sure was hard to do given the mixed chronology of the novel itself. However, I think that Truax should have highlighted the underlying themes of the novel. She focused more on the plot, characters, and stylistic choices rather than on a deeper analysis of TGST. In conclusion, I think this review is very well written and useful for a surface overview of TGST.

https://www.nytimes.com/books/97/05/25/reviews/970525.25truaxt.html

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This review by Chang Wing Yi Monica provides not only an overview of The God of Small Things, but an analysis of its parts and stylistic approach. It examines the novel's postmodernism roots, and Roy's use of magic realism, time referencing, the semantics of metaphor, and narrative voice. Chang notes, "Creating "good art" is achieved to a large extent by avoiding or disparaging restrictive and inhibiting boundaries in language as well as interpersonal and political relations." Roy succeeds tremendously in this aspect; her book not only explores and fights modern linguistic standards, but takes up a political stance as well. The literature review also provides a thoughtful analysis of Roy's "prodigious composition" in her use of time -- and what would help the novel classify as magic realism. She states, "Since the book is about the deconstruction of the rigid caste system and unfair social customs of the past, the disconnection in time symbolises a revolutionary mentality." In essence, Roy's novel cannot simply be interpreted as a story of two egged twins living in a prejudiced world. It must be taken in complete context.

In TGST, Roy fights. Against linguistic standards. Against stylistic choices. Against politics. Against prejudice. Against what is deemed as "normal." I believe that Change is successful in her attempts analyse TGST. I really enjoyed her categorisation of the main elements of the novel, as it helps readers better understand how TGST is more than the sum of its parts. In reading her review and analysis, I came across many things I hadn't thought to consider before; for example, Roy's use of a young girl as narrator helps "bring out the quality as a marginalised sex." Chang's literature review provides an interesting and thoughtful twist on Roy's The God of Small Things.

http://commons.ln.edu.hk/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=eng_etd

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One passage in the novel that especially impacted me was when Roy spends a couple pages describing the modernization of Ayemenem, and then shortly states that a watch, buried under a couple feet of dirt, still indicates ten to two. This part got to me because it seemed that when Rahel had come back from the US, her town wasn't the same. Now this was mostly due to the tragedy that had occurred with Sophie Mol, but I liked to think that the modernization of Ayemenem contributed.

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This review praises what Roy's TGST turned into. It describes the novel as having "sensuous prose, a dreamlike style infused with breathtakingly beautiful images and keen insight into human nature." It states that Roy did an overall wonderful job in portraying the shattering of a family through the eyes of children. It even quotes a wonderful line of the book, which shows the children's candid understanding of adult life "at times like these, only the Small Things are ever said. The Big Things lurk unsaid inside." However, it states that sometimes, Roy gets lost in pages of description, including minimalistic details unimportant to the meaning of the story. The author then says that this only happens once or twice in the novel.

I believe this review to be quite accurate. I agree with most of what the author said, especially the children's understanding of adult lives. However, I don't believe that Roy gets lost in minimalistic detail, because that is the very soul of the novel. She is writing a book through the eyes of children, and children tend to pay attention to the unimportant, to what is invisible to the adult eye. This and Roy's capitalization of "important words" contribute quite well to the feeling of the novel (seen through the eyes of innocence and youth).

http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-679-45731-2

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Response to JJ's "Kerala's Democratic Communism" post | SG

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Response to JJ's "Kerala's Democratic Communism" post | SG

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Very interesting post JJ. I did not realise that Kerala was so unique in its factors. It seems that the culmination of the three religions, communism, and an economy of exportation has created a state unlike any other, at least in India. I think this is why social programs like Kudumbrashee (which I posted about) are so successful in Kerala, and why the educational attainment rate is so high. Meyer's analysis of the state is very interesting. Nice find!

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Response to Antoine's "Marxism vs Leninism" post | SG

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Response to Antoine's "Marxism vs Leninism" post | SG

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The KhanAcademy video on Marxism vs Leninism provides a thought-provoking overview of the two types of Communism. To be honest, I did not know the particularities of each strand before watching this video, so I found it highly educative. I think it was a great post for the Padlet as TGST often refers to both types of Communism. However, the Communist Party of India (Marxist - Leninist) is associated with both. Nice post Antoine.

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Response to Antoine's "Why the Caste System Still Matters" | SG

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Response to Antoine's "Why the Caste System Still Matters" | SG

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Antoine's description and overview of the caste system is important to understanding TGST as a whole. It is shocking to me that despite the abolition of the caste system, social stratification is still present and used by the Indian government. If the government still abides by ancient social classes, why should the public have any reason to stop? Violence, death, and prejudice still are rampant in India because of this use – as shown by Ammu's relationship with Velutha, a Dalit. In end, great post Antoine.

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Response to SG's "A Rare Government Success Story for Women's Empowerment in Kerala" post | JD

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Response to SG's "A Rare Government Success Story for Women's Empowerment in Kerala" post | JD

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Great post Sara. Kerala is very impressive in regards to not only its political culture, but societal culture as well. Their employment of the Kudumbrashee program is unlike another in India – I think it is important for a nation to combat gender double standards and misoginy head on. However, I don't think this is very visible in TGST. Particularly for Ammu, there is a lot of misogny and double standards. Hopefully this has changed in Kerala.

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Response to AA's "The UK & India" post | JD

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Response to AA's "The UK & India" post | JD

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Nice post Antoine. I think it's important to know a bit of India's colonial background before reading this novel since many aspects, including Roy's use of language, can relate to British colonisation and presence in Indian history. In addition, I like your connection about how characters in the TGST tend to idealise British people, most notably Sophie Mol and Margaret Kochamma.

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Nice post Sara. I think it was a good idea to add a map of Kerala because it helps us understand where the TGST is taking place. It also can help us understand why things are a certain way in Kerala – economically, socially, and politically. Kerala's position on the coast of India probably is why there is a large congregation of different religions there, since most traveled by boat.

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The first state to democratically elect a Communist government, Kerala is unique. To make this happen, the state had to have certain economic, cultural, and political forces. In a report by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Karl E. Meyer (of the NYT) describes these forces. Economically, the state is built on exportation, which helps bring in migrants and diversity. Culturally, the three religious communities (Hinduism, Islam, Christianity) are represented in great numbers and in harmony -- and the latter two came originally as merchants, not as conquerers. Politically, Kerala employs a type of democratic communism -- which makes Kerala an "oasis of civility". This is demonstrated through Kerala's support of women and their extensive social campaigns. This connects to the novel in that TGST takes place in Kerala. This video provides an evaluative view of Kerala as a state in regards to political, economic, and social affairs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3AlXiCtaB8

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Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs

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Karl Meyer: Kerala's Democratic Communism

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Ayemenem is the home of Rahel and Estha and setting of TGST. Its river forms a crucial part of the novel; it is where Sophie Mol drowns. In addition, Velutha and his family live across the river, and it is where Ammu would go visit him. Though the river is described as tranquil, it does become "angry" when it rains. It also has deeper sections, like the "Big Deep". Many of the novel's characters personify the Ayemenem river, which adds a dimension of awareness and omniscience to the river.

https://beutifulkerala.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/kumarakom-aymenem.jpg

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Pappachi's moth is a recurrent symbol in TGST. Though Pappachi initially discovered this moth as a new species, other lepidopterists did not recognise it till many years later - without his name attached. The moth is a symbol of Pappachi's greatest failure, and the reason why he becomes violent and angry towards Mammachi and Rahel. Rahel continues to be affected by the "moth" for the rest of her life, most notably when she is sad.

http://gostperiod4.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/8/6/25861470/6203491_orig.png

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Arundhati Roy is the author of The God of Small Things and a political activist in environmental causes as well as human rights. Though TGST is her only novel, it is the biggest selling book by a non expatriate Indian author. She is also the winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction (1997). Daughter of a plantation manager and a Syrian Christian women's rights activist, Roy has continued the theme of activism in her own life. She has written numerous essays critiquing the United States, the Indian government, as well as the policies of capitalism, neo-imperialism, globalisation, and nuclear war. She studied architecture in New Delhi and later married Pradip Krishen, a filmmaker. Roy won the Sydney Peace Prize in 2004 for her work in advocating non-violence.

http://s3.firstpost.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/arundhati380r.jpg

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Public outcry and widespread protests have recently surged in India following the suicide of Rohith Vermula, a PhD candidate - who was a Dalit. A champion for Dalit rights, Vermula became a national hero following his death; in a letter he had left behind, he details his mistreatment at the hands of the "bureaucratic university administration". Though India is a strong proponent of affirmative action, it is important to note that racial discrimination and prejudice lies deeply rooted within its political and societal system. The author of the article, Shashi Tharoor, states that in order to overcome this solidified discrimination of Dalits, India must "transcend the politics of identity and focus on broader development goals and socioeconomic challenges." This article connects to the novel because it describes not only the presence of class-discrimination in India in 2016 but what the nation can do to overcome it. Class discrimination is a topic that is very apparent in TGST.

https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/india-caste-system-vemula-suicide-by-shashi-tharoor-2016-02

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Communism is a theme very present in TGST, however there exists two types of it. Karl Marx was a German philosopher. He is considered to have founded communism in his book "The Communist Manifesto". Vladimir Lenin was a Russian politician who led the Bolshevik revolution. This revolution put Karl Marx's philosophical communism to a practical use. The inherent difference between Marx's communism and Lenin's communism is that the former is more philosophical, while the latter is practical. Marx also wanted a peaceful transition from capitalism, to socialism, and eventually to communism. Lenin undertook a more radical approach, choosing violence over peaceful diplomacy.

TGST sees two types of communism. One is based on Marx, the other on Lenin. Therefore, one is more peaceful, while the other is more radical.

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Communism | The 20th century | World history | Khan Academy

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In TGST, the region the characters live in, Kelara, is greatly affected by monsoons and a strong rainy season. As a result, they have lush vegetation surrounding them during most of the novel. When Rahel comes home to Ayemenem, she is greeted by this exact weather. Baby Kochamma's

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India’s ‘Untouchables’ Are Still Being Forced to Collect Human Waste by Hand | JD

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India’s ‘Untouchables’ Are Still Being Forced to Collect Human Waste by Hand | JD

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Low-caste people in Indian communities are still being forced to remove human waste from latrines despite legal prohibitions. A group from New York called the Human Rights Watch explain what the people of the lowest class are faced to do (The Dalits or Untouchables) and how they are threatened if they don't want to do their job. Laws are trying to ban this work yet it remains widespread across India. The women are to collect waste from private homes, while the men do the more physically demanding, and hazardous, maintenance of septic tanks and public sewers. Many suffer injuries and serious health problems.

http://time.com/3172895/dalits-sewage-untouchables-hrs-human-waste-india-caste/

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Breaking news and analysis from TIME.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science and entertainment news.

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In TGST, the relationship between the UK and India is very well shown. Even though Mamachi strongly dislikes Margaret Kochama for divorcing her son, the rest of Rahel's family idealizes both British individuals (Margaret and Sophie). At one point in the novel, after Kochu Maria calls Sophie an angel, the narrator states "Little angels were beach-colored and wore bell-bottoms. Little demons were mud-brown in Airport-Fairy frocks with forehead bumps that might turn into horns."

The colonization of India began in the 1600s, when the British East India Company began taking over Indian trade. It only ended more than 300 years later, in 1947. Since then, relations have been smooth, with both countries trading quite frequently. It seems that in TGST, the tradition of viewing the colonizers as superior to the colonized is still active.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34767180

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India's caste system was supposed to be abolished with the creation of the liberal constitution in 1950, however, it still dominates everyday life. Politicians such as the chief minister of Gujarat, are emphasizing the caste system in their policies. While various laws forbid discrimination by caste, the Indian government is still reserving high standing jobs and government posts for people with high castes. Caste discrimination is present in more than the Indian government however. Family leaders (usually men) often carefully arrange marriages so that their sons or daughters will marry someone of high caste. In some extreme parts of India, men and women are killed for transgressing this law.

Caste system is present in TGST, seeing as that is what the author is protesting against. Velutha is an untouchable, and (as far as I've read) he's been accused of a terrible crime by his father. I believe that it's because he is transgressing castes by sleeping with Ammu.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/02/economist-explains-9

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India is among the most religiously diverse countries in the world. While most of its population follows Hinduism, the rest of the population comprises a myriad of Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Sikhists, Janis's. In "The God of Small Things", religion plays quite a major role. Syrian Christians are considered high class, and the caste system does not exist within their beliefs. The novel's Hindi characters, such as Velutha, are seen as inferior to the Christians and are classified based on caste. Velutha is an untouchable.

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Mammachi's Paradise Pickles and Preservatives is perhaps the best example of the preservation of values in TGST. The entire family works at the pickle factory, which pickles cucumbers to preserve them. Like pickles are preserved, the family and the people of Ayemenem adhere to the traditional values of the Hindu caste system and misogynism. Though the caste system was outlawed upon India's independence in 1947, many of the people in the novel and in the real world still follow it by condemning Dalits (Paravans) to unfair work and a lack of rights. Similarly, the characters of TGST place a gender double standard, most notably between Ammu and Chacko. Although both are divorced, Ammu recieves the scorn of her abusive family while Chacko is all but rewarded.

http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/inside-our-kitchen/article/supermarket-standoff-45

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Pictured below is a Syrian Christian wedding in Kerala. In TGST, many of the characters are Syrian Christians, including Baby Kochamma and Mammachi. These two women often use their religion to justify their actions -- and consider themselves superior to TGST's Hindu characters. Nonetheless, they often adhere to traditional Hindu customs, most notably that of the caste, and treat the novel's Paravans (Untouchables) the same way a Hindu would. This contradicting reality seems to be part of everyday life in Roy's The God of Small Things.

http://www.buzzintown.com/article-review--the-connection-between-syria-kerala/id--1038.html

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India's most educated state and the first state in the world to democratically elect a Communist party, Kerala is home to 34.8 million (2012) Hindus, Christians, and Muslims. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has held power in the state for 28 of the past 54 years, is facing its decline in the face of globalization and the rise of the bourgeois. The CPI(M) originally grew popular due to large economic inequality, the education of the poor (which allowed for indoctrination), little sectarian conflict, and ironically, the persecution of communists.

Since the article was published in 2011, the CPI(M) has lost its majority in Kerala and in the rest of India. However, it is important to understand that the party's influence in Kerala also wields large presence in TGST; a contrast is drawn between its supporters (Velutha), and its foes (Baby Kochamma).

http://www.economist.com/node/18587059

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A Rare Government Success Story for Women’s Empowerment in Kerala | SG

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A Rare Government Success Story for Women’s Empowerment in Kerala | SG

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The state of Kerala has been widely recognized for its government-sponsored women empowerment programs, whose goal is to attain economic independence for Kerala women. Through a program called Kudumbashree, which counts 3.7 million women and over $275 million in thrift, Kerala women are encouraged to "run their own businesses, which include taxi services, handicraft shops, schools for disabled children, homes for destitute families and small paper mills." The program has been recognized by the Indian government as well as the United Nations for its success. Pictured below is a member of the Kudumbashree's collective farming program - which has helped many aspiring women farmers gain social and economic independence. This news article connects to the novel because women hold a predominate role in TGST - because it takes place in Kerala. The article can give us some sort of insight to daily life in the state and in TGST.

http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/a-rare-government-success-story-for-womens-empowerment-in-kerala/

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A Rare Government Success Story for Women’s Empowerment in Kerala

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From a few thousand women, the Kudumbashree program in the southwestern state of Kerala has grown into a giant community enterprise with 3.7 million members.

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Is India's Caste System Still Alive? | SG

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Is India's Caste System Still Alive? | SG

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This video of India's caste system provides a good overview of its presence in modern day India, despite its outlawing in 1950. In TGST, our protagonist Velutha is part of the "untouchables" varna, which defines him for the rest of the novel. The video includes information on the caste system's origins, its instillment during British colonization, and its vestiges over Indian society - and the ostracization faced by many "untouchables".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyCQDIwHlXY

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This map of Kerala was included to give a better visualization of the state TGST takes place in. The key towns of Malappuram and Kottayam are pictured, while Ayemenem is not.

http://www.mapsofworld.com/india/kerala/kerala.jpg