Why does Velutha become the victim of the society?
The God of Small Things is a notable literary work by Arundhati Roy. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The God of Small Things.
Answer
Why does Velutha become the victim of the society? [2021]
Or, Write a short note on the character of Velutha. [2017]
Arundhati Roy (1961-Present), in her novel “The God of Small Things” (1997), shows how a cruel society destroys pure love and humanity. Velutha, an untouchable carpenter, becomes the victim of caste hatred and social injustice. His love for Ammu breaks the “Love Laws” and ends in tragedy.
Born as an Untouchable: Velutha is born in a low-caste Paravan family. He works for the upper-class Ipe family. Though he is honest and talented, he is never treated as equal. The narrator says,
“Where the Love Laws lay down who should be loved. And how. And how much.”
This system makes Velutha a victim from birth.
Forbidden Love with Ammu: Velutha and Ammu love each other deeply. But their love is “unthinkable and impossible.” Society cannot accept an upper-caste woman’s relation with an untouchable man. Ammu dreams of freedom, while Velutha risks everything for love. As the narrator says,
“Things can change in a day.”
Their secret meeting brings disaster when Baby Kochamma reports them to police.
Cruel Death and Social Injustice: Velutha is falsely accused of rape and murder. The policemen beat him brutally in front of the children. The narrator says,
“The early morning heat was full of the promise of worse to come.”
His death is not accidental but a result of social cruelty. Society kills him to save its fake morality.
In short, Velutha dies as the true victim of class, caste, and cruelty. His love and humanity challenge social limits. His death exposes the dark truth of society where justice serves the powerful, not the innocent.