The God of Small Things

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Velutha of Small Things

The small, more trivial things in life are more often than not eschewed, and because of this they are left to find a safe haven in furtive localities similar to “History House” or the river. Being the watch keeper of these small things can be good as well as bad, as shown through Velutha’s ultimate fate. In the novel “The God of Small Things”, Arundhati Roy shows the minute details that fill her characters' lives and furnish the dwellings that cannot protect them. Not only does Roy address the importance of small things, but she also does this through giving the title of “The God of Small Things” to Velutha. Although Velutha social status is of nearly no value, the God of Small Things is Velutha as a representation of all the small things that are often times overlooked.

In a society concerned with "Big Things" such as the caste system, political affiliations, and marriage, Roy directs the reader to the small things that often times hold more weight in the overall impact on the lives of the characters in the novel. These can be small creatures, wooden toys, nail polish, whispers, and emotions that are more often than not overlooked. All of these things seem to have no place or substance in the lives of characters like Baby Kochamma and Comrade Pillai; the society they live in is mostly concerned with social standing in regards to the case system, and politics. Roy points out that it is wrong to live according to only these ideas. He gives the example of Velutha, who seems to not care about social standing, and appears to live a better-off life than those around him. Even though he is an Untouchable, he goes into carpentry, a profession that is, according the caste system, only supposed to be filled by...

... middle of paper ...

...gh regard for the minor things in life.

Velutha is described as dying like an insect—diminutive, trampled and crushed. Although he dies this way, his death is very significant. In this sense, he is truly the “God of Small Things,” representing the importance of the little things in life. He is not invincible. Beaten and bruised even past his fatality, there is still something beautiful about his death; he dies as a result of taking a risk for his passion, and even though his dead bodies’ condition is horrific, Velutha’s nails are still painted red—the handiwork of Rahel and Esthahappen. The significant, most human piece of Velutha subsists. When he dies, the importance of these “Small Things” remains—with his death, the path of Ammu and the twins’ lives are defined.

Works Cited

Roy , Arundhati. The God of Small Things. New York: Random House, 1997. Print.

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