In the novel The God of Small Things, how does the writer satirize the caste system of India?

Answer

In the novel The God of Small Things, how does the writer satirize the caste system of India?

“The God of Small Things” (1997) is one of the Iconic novels of Arundhati Roy (1961-Present). She satirizes the caste system of India in the novel. The caste system in India is the paradigmatic ethnographic instance of social classification based on castes. It has its origins in ancient India and was transformed by various ruling elites in medieval, early-modern, and modern India. In the novel, Arundhati Roy classifies the characters based on castes like touchable and untouchable. Here are some points of discussion regarding her satire of the caste system in the novel.

Mocking the Language of Caste: Roy uses language to satirize the caste system by mimicking the formal and rigid language used to describe and enforce caste hierarchy. For example, she refers to the “touchables” and the “untouchables” instead of using their proper caste names. It highlights the dehumanizing language of the caste system. Roy satirizes this discrimination by using sarcastic language to describe the caste system, as in this quote,

 No ‘untouchable’ was allowed to touch a Hindu. The laws were there, but people found ways around them.

Discrimination of Caste System: In “The God of Small Things,” Roy mentions the discrimination of the caste system or touchable and untouchable. In the Novel, three characters belong to the category of the downtrodden or the untouchables. They are Vellya Paapen and his two sons, Kuttapen and Velutha. Traditionally, they are toddy trappers belonging to an untouchable caste.

The author gives a perfect picture of the Dalits with the device of the trio—Vellya Paapen, Kuttapen, and Velutha—who represent three types of Indian Dalits: the docile conformist, the discontented paralytic, and the rebel who moves for equality and risks his life.

The Absurdity of Caste Rules: The novel shows how the strict rules of the caste system can be arbitrary and absurd, such as the idea that the shape of one’s nose can determine one’s caste. This exaggeration highlights the absurdity of caste hierarchy and its ability to limit and dehumanize individuals.

Caste-based Violence: Velutha lives the life of a lover, and Ammu, the young divorcee, makes him a lover. His relationship with Ammu develops gradually. But the other members of their family don’t accept this love affair.

It was a time when the unthinkable became thinkable, and the impossible really happened.

It intensifies after Ammu returns with her children to her parent’s home. When he was a kid, Velutha used to make little wooden toys for Ammu though he was to place them in her outstretched hand, he would not touch her. Eventually, she stops flattening her hand out. By allowing him to touch her on the river bank on a moonlit night, Ammu breaks down the social barriers that divide them. Ammu dreams of Velutha.

If he held her, he couldn’t kiss her. If he kissed her, he couldn’t see her. If he saw her, he couldn’t feel her.

The Consequences of Breaking Caste Rules: Roy also shows how breaking caste rules can have severe consequences, such as when Ammu, an upper-caste woman, has a relationship with Velutha. Her actions lead to her being ostracized by her community and eventually lead to her death. This critique highlights the oppressive nature of the caste system and its ability to destroy lives.

The Role of Education: The novel also satirizes the role of education in perpetuating the caste system. Roy shows how even educated individuals, such as Baby Kochamma, can be deeply ingrained with caste prejudices and perpetuate the system through their actions and beliefs.

“The God of Small Things” uses satire to highlight the absurdity, violence, and oppressive nature of the caste system in India, and Roy’s critique underscores the need for radical social change.