Comment on the title of the novel The God of Small Things.

Answer

Comment on the title of the novel “The God of Small Things.”

“The God of Small Things” (1997) is a novel written by Arundhati Roy (1961-Present). The title might sound puzzling, but it holds deep meanings throughout the story. It discusses the importance of little things and the details we often overlook, which hold immense significance. Here, we will explore how the title is justified through various instances in the novel.

Little Moments, Big Impact: In “The God of Small Things,” small moments hold immense power. For instance, when the main characters, Ammu, Rahel, and Estha, go to the movie theatre, they experience a pivotal moment that shapes their lives. This seemingly small event becomes a turning point. It shows how something insignificant can lead to significant consequences.

Forbidden Love: Love in “The God of Small Things” is often portrayed as forbidden or unconventional.  From Ammu’s dream, we get the idea that “The God of Small Things” represents Velutha, the man whom she loves, even though society will never approve of them being together. In her dream, which takes place in chapter II and happens to be entitled “The God of Small Things”, Ammu dreams of a man with one arm who holds her close to him:

If he touched her, he couldn’t talk to her; if he loved her, he couldn’t leave; if he spoke, he couldn’t listen; if he fought, he couldn’t win.

When Ammu wakes from her dream, Rahel and Estha are there. Ammu notices a curl of shaved wood in Rahel’s hair and knows that the kids have been to see Velutha. She also knows something else: 

She knew who he was – the God of Loss, the God of Small Things. Of course, she did.

Innocent Relationship: Velutha’s identity as the God of Small Things is supported at the end of the book when we learn about Ammu and Velutha’s first romantic encounters. Since they know their love can’t exist in the real world, they never talk or think about the future or the “big things”; they stick to the here and now.

Even later, on the thirteen nights that followed this one, instinctively, they stuck to the Small Things. The Big Things ever lurked inside. They knew that there was nowhere for them to go. They had nothing. No future. So, they stuck to the small things.

Illicit Relationship as Small Things: The sexual relationship between Ammu and Velutha may be represented as “small things” if it is properly placed in the context of the Ayemenem family. That is because having illegitimate relations with women was something very ordinary for Chacko, the Ayemenem man. He had affairs with the women workers in the factory, and his mother Mammachi took it to be a normal affair as ‘man’s needs.’ 

Again, Baby Kochamma was madly after Father Mulligan to have a physical relationship with him. However, because of the restraint shown by the Father, she failed to have such a relationship with him. If that is so, illegitimate sexual relations can certainly be described as “small things”. It became a big thing when it came to Ammu’s relationship with Velutha because of other reasons such as the change in their attitude to Velutha, his untouchability, etc. Then society says: 

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

In conclusion, “The God of Small Things” beautifully justifies its title by exploring the profound impact of seemingly insignificant moments. Through its rich storytelling and compelling characters, the novel reminds us to cherish the small things in life, for they often hold the key to understanding the complexities of the human experience.