The God of Small Things

by Arundhati Roy

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The God of Small Things Questions and Answers

Justify the title of The God of Small Things.

Discuss satire and irony in The God of Small Things.

To what extent are race, social class and religion important?

In The God of Small Things, discuss Velutha's character in detail.  

Why does Ammu recognize Velutha as "the God of Small Things"?

Discuss social realism in The God of Small Things.

What is the overall mood and atmosphere of The God of Small Things?

Why was Velutha arrested?

In The God of Small Things, I feel like there is too much focus on Velutha and his family when it comes to caste. But I believe that caste can be applied to Mammachi, Rahel, and Ammu as well. I need more examples that show that these three characters are victims of patriarchy that is regulated by caste.

To what extent does religion become important in Roy's The God of Small Things?

Explain the double standard of "Men's Needs" in The God of Small Things.

How does patriarchy play a part in The God of Small Things?

'Suffering and exploitation in "The God Of Small Things" by Arundati Roy'-  Discuss.

To what extent does caste, religion and class become important in Roy's God Of Small Things?

Evaluate the theme of discrimination as depicted in The God of Small Things.

What is the source of evil in this novel?

To what extent are autobiographical elements present in the novel The God of Small Things?

Imagery and symbolism.

What kinds of 'splits' characterise diasporic literature and why?  How does diasporic literature negotiate the space 'in between'--be it geographical, cultural and/or personal?

In The God of Small Things, pages 209-214, 275-278, 314, and 321, how did forbidden love play a role in the novel?

How does Roy's representation of love in all of its forms contribute to the meaning of the novel The God of Small Things?

In The God of Small Things, what are the two time periods of the novel?

In The God of Small Things, what literary features does Roy use to create a vivid picture in chapter 10?

Is the God of Small Things a tale of suffering twins Rahel and Estha?  

What is the importance of the illimba tree in God of Small Things?

How and why does The God of Small Things use references to other books or films?

In Arundhati Roy's novel The God of Small Things, 'Velutha is the only shining light in the novel.'  Consider the presentation and role of Velutha in the novel.  How far do you agree with this view?

How does the caste system relate to the ideals of the communist party, and are there any reference to it in The God of Small Things?

If the source of cruelty and evil in the novel, The God of Small Things, is the class segregation system, what are the implications of this cruelty?

Write an essay comparing Ali Smith's Girl Meets Boy and Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things.

What ways can we look at Rahel through a feminist perspective in The God of Small Things, and what are some quotes and other pieces of evidence that suggest she is being discriminated against gender wise?

What is the meaning of this passage from chapter 11 of The God of Small Things? "Chinks of afternoon light stole into the room through the curtains and fell on Ammu’s tangerine-shaped transistor radio that she always took with her to the river. Tangerine-shaped too, was the Thing that Estha carried into The Sound of Music in his sticky Other Hand. Bright bars of sunlight brightened Ammu’s tangled hair. She waited, under the skin of her dream, not wanting to let her children in. 'She says you should never wake dreaming people suddenly,' Rahel said. 'She says they could easily have a Heart Attack.'"

Are we, indeed, allowed to love anyone whom we care for (like Rahel and Estha)?

Write an essay on the exploration of types of love—for example, romantic, familial, platonic—in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. How does Roy’s representation of love in all forms contribute to the meaning of the novel?

To what extent does race, caste and religion become important in Roy's The God of Small Things? The themes of the novel.

In The God of Small Things, who, or what, is the God of small things?

How can Lula Ann Bridewell in Toni Morrison's God Help the Child be compared with Velutha in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things through the concept of untouchability?

What is the significance of the title of the novel The Bluest Eye?

What is the point of the controversial last scene? What are some places in the novel Roy examines the concept of beauty in a broken world?

What are the main ways in which Roy playfully experiments with language in The God of Small Things?