Arundhati Roy, a well-known 20th
century novelist seems to be more concerned with social issues especially caste
discrimination, sexism, police atrocities and exploitation of power at social
and economic level etc. Her range is not limited and confined to India only rather
she has discussed universal problems. The issues discussed by Roy are of
universal scope however, are deep rooted in India.
Ammu, the mother of Estha and Rahel
was disgraced by all the members of her family when she returns after demanding
divorce from her husband. Nobody at Ayemenem House welcomed her on the basis of
sexism. The element of sexism gets more poignant whenever it is stressed;
“A married woman has no place in her father’s house.”
Chacko, on the other hand, marries
according to his own choice as Ammu does. But this act of marriage on the part
of Chacko was not criticized just because he was a man. Such realities
compelled Roy to write;
“Sexism is deep rooted in India and is engulfing the happy lives of the people of this continent.”
The novel is replete with a number of
such examples of gender discrimination. The treatment of state machinery
(police, courts, laws) exposed in the novel speaks loud of gender issues. Inspector
Thomas Mathew searches Ammu’s body with his baton;
“Then he tapped her breast with his baton ……… Police have that instinct.”
The inspector works like a puppet
controlled by rich and powerful people. Nowhere throughout the investigation of
Velutha, we find a single element of justice at all. Not only Velutha but also
every person of same rank is treated high handedly by the Police. The Police
were ever ready and ever willing to fulfill the commandments imposed by the
mighty people. Nevertheless, it is the behaviour of Police and mighty people through
which we can easily foresee the power structure of India when Roy had her
being.
Apparently, the slogan of Police
stands for politeness, obedience, loyalty, intelligence, courtesy and
efficiency. But unfortunately, they have nothing to do with their so-called
slogan. Instead of providing relief to the people, this institution is
snatching the peace of peacefully living people and thus, has proved to be a
bed of profligacy and luxury and has rotten to the core.
Police atrocities, sexism and caste
discrimination have uprooted the social structure of India. Mammachi is not
ready to pay to Velutha according to his skill and excellence. He is not even
allowed to enter Ayemenem House bare footed on the grounds of caste
discrimination. Velutha is a skilled paravan and therefore, is untouchable who
cannot get high status in society though he is blessed with excellence in his
skills.
Mammachi was one of the victims of
sexism. She was butt of Pappachi’s brutality just because he was a man and she
was a woman. She was running a factory ‘Paradise Pickles and Preserves’ all
alone. She was beautiful, intelligent and hard working as compared to Pappachi.
Pappachi was jealous of her qualities. Therefore;
“Every night he (Pappachi) beats her with a brass flower vase. The beatings were not new. What was new was only the frequency with which they took place.”
Roy clearly elaborates that
Pappachi’s act of beating implies in words desperation and deprivation.
Furthermore, Ammu’s drunkard husband
‘Babu’ was ordered by his boss ‘Mr. Hollick’ to send his wife to his banglow
because he was sexually attracted to her. Babu while showing his male
superiority forced Ammu to comply with his demand but she preferred to leave her
husband. In fact, it was a society where women are taken as;
“A commodity, sex object and having no independent identity.”
Chako always;
“Preferred to it as my factory, my pine apples and pickles.”
The elements of sexism become more
evident ad apparent when we are informed about Chacko’s activities at his
factory;
“He would call pretty women who worked in the factory to his room …. and flirt with them outrageously.”
There will be no fear of
contradiction if we proclaim that Roy has depicted the true picture of her era
in her novel ‘The God of Small Things”.
The whole discussion leads us to reach
a definite and exact conclusion that the social structure of India of 19’s was
not amiable one. People were being butchered needlessly on the basis of gender
discrimination, sexism and exploitation at social and economic levels. Roy was
a perpetual fountain of good sense.
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