In this titular chapter, Roy's writing becomes....something. It is different from the rest of the novel, or perhaps just more than the rest of the novel.
In your post, make an observation about the writing and an observation about the function and image of the God of Small Things.
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To me, in throughout the entire novel so far, the characters, besides Rahel and Estha, are concerned with and only care about the big picture and the important events in life. It all seems very fast paced and there is no room or time for frivolous things. In the chapter titled "The God of Small Things," Velutha is depicted as a character that does take time to enjoy the small things and bring them to life. This is true especially for Ammu as she has always had to bare a heavy burden with her ex-husband and two children. Velutha is her escape to a world where she can enjoy the smaller things in life. This is the chapter where we see Ammu noticing her body. She notices the small things she never had time to notice because of her feelings for Velutha.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel Roy likes to take a twist on things. Such as with Estha being molested and she likes to foreshadow things such as violence with Comrade Pillai's character, how he is a marxist and doesn't like or agree with untouchables such as Velutha wanting to be in the marchers. Or how it seems like it is a sin for Ammu to fall in love with Velutha when she is dying and realizes she had a relationship with him which would interfere in the caste system as Velutha is an untouchable. Overall i feel as if the book is fast pace and some topics/plot points are explained in less detail or skimmed over quick such as the death of Sophie Moi.
ReplyDelete- Jordan Gomez- Azenon Period 2
DeleteI feel that many characters don’t look at the details of any situations around them and only see the basics of things and the big pictures. This causes the writing to not go into detail for certain things depending on who is comprehending the event such as the twins blowing off Ammu’s dream and the small description of Sophie’s death. With the small things, it seems that this can be realized by those who are destined to die, as Velutha, the god of small things, is able to slow down and realize all the small details, he is also able to touch Ammu with this ability as she is also destined to death, but is now able to see these details like in her dreams. This destiny is connected to an escape, all beginning with Velutha.
ReplyDeleteAlex Dessin
Throughout the entire book it seems like Most of the things are very big picture and if there are small things they are important small things. In this chapter the things that are described the most are the ones that seem almost too unimportant, but that ultimately lead up to the greatest terror in the lives of the Ipe family and Velutha's. Ammu notices the small details of her body and dreams about Velutha only being able to do small things. These two seemingly insignificant things turn into something greater (into the "Terror").
ReplyDeleteRoy paints the small things in his writing as the most memorable, traumatic events or actions that create a strong impact on the characters. However the big things are essentially fillers to keep the story moving. I also thinks that's why the book and chapter title refer to small things as god, as god is a very powerful figure that greatly changes and impacts people in various ways.
ReplyDeleteIn this particular chapter, things finally seem to take a moment and breathe. The chapters so far have all been so fast and all over the place ultimately to lead us to the great terror. The dream that Ammu has, focuses on one thing and that one things focuses on one things at a time. Velutha showed his love to Ammu by focusing on one part of her at a time because to him, it was worth taking his time and this love and his social status is what takes his life.
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Throughout the novel it only showed the big picture of what's going on instead of the small details. Like how Sophie Mol died and all these other people died. However the only person that didn't care about the big things that happened is Velutha even though he is only portrayed as a side character because of his status but he got to see the small things in life and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteThe details in each of the big events that happen in every chapter are incredible, it's almost hard to imagine that the author itself was not present when it all happened. From the funeral of Sophie Mol at the begging, to the tragedy of Estha and so on. As the reader, I really imagined being in those moments with the characters and feeling the same way they were each feeling. I feel that those details and way of writing has stayed the same throughout the book. The focus does shift from character to character but the structure and careful choice of words by the author stay intact.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a secret that Velutha is the god of small things. I'm still not too sure why he's called it though, but it could have to do with his background as a paravan and also being and engineer. Being a Paravan he's not treated well and does not live very lavishly. In that type of lifestyle to keep going you have to enjoy the small thing in life. This might be a stretch but when he was younger he created small items to give to people, god is a creator and he could be the god of small things for this reason.
ReplyDeletechristine! period! 5! :)!
ReplyDeleteVelutha, the god of small things. To most of the characters in this novel, a god is the last thing that they’d call him. He’s labelled as an untouchable, nothing more than a paravan that knows how to work a hammer, but he’s the person that keeps everything together. All the characters have done some bad things and have felt some bad feelings. Ammu was abused by her husband in more ways than one and yells at her children to the point where they feel the need to hide their feelings. Rahel is jealous of Sophie Mol and grows a moth on her heart. Estha had to hold a monster’s phallus and he stirs around banana jam as if that would change the consistency and the illegal state of it. However, Velutha is the only one we see that has nothing to hold against him and although he’s the one who struggles the most in the novel, we hardly ever hear him complain. He stays innocent, more innocent than Rahel and Estha. He’s a fixer of not just broken things, but broken feelings too. He’s the one that left Ammu laughing in front of the bathroom mirror, a side of Ammu we hardly see in the novel. He’s the one that goes along with Estha and Rahel’s childish daydreams. He fixes everything because he is the god of small things, and as the god of small things, he is an example of a small thing. He is a paravan, just a small, tiny thing in a big caste system, and yet he makes all these characters happy whether it’s by carving a spoon or just by sticking to the world of carpentry. He, himself, is an example of how a small thing can snowball into a big thing. He is the god of small things.
Kat Camara (5)
ReplyDeleteIn this novel, Roy emphasizes the small moments, objects, and changes that symbolize and lead to the big things in life like death,and love. Love perhaps is the biggest indicator of who the God of Small Things is: Velutha. Instead of worrying or speaking of the acceptable norm they are breaking by being in an amorous relationship, the taboo couple solely focus on taking life day by day and focusing on the little things that matter. Neither Velutha or Ammu saw a plausible future together no matter how strong their love was and since they had nothing, "they stuck to the small things." This is why Velutha serves as the God of Small Things. From the small toys he makes for the twins, to his and Ammu's outtake on life and the caste. Thus, while the big things eventually reveal themselves, it is the small things of the novel that make the story come to life.
Throughout the novel, Roy transitions from describing big events that seem to be the most significant, to describing small things. These small things end up being significant in their own way for Velutha, who is the “God of Small Things”. Velutha is small in the caste system, but he is able to make such a great impact even with small things.
ReplyDeleteOut of all of the characters, I believe that Velutha is the God of Small Things. His relationship to Ammu is important as he disregards his social class when he is with her. He did not let his status divide him from Ammu and vice versa. Velutha was also the only character that we got to know who is of the lower class. He does not have much so he appreciates every aspect of his life no matter how small. His relationship with others is a part of the small things in his life.
ReplyDeleteVelutha is the god of small things. He is the man whose routinely small gestures and actions (which get overlooked due to his low caste status) affect the outcome of the book so greatly. What would have happened if a young velutha hadn't given ammu the small wooden boat? What would've happened if they hadn't shared a glance when Sophie mol first arrived? What would have happened had he not agreed to help the kids fix the boat? All the small, minute actions Velutha took eventually compiled into a tragic ending for everyone involved (to their own degree). Thus it makes sense that the book is titled after its narrative catalyst.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Velutha is the God of Small Things, He is viewed as the untouchable, He is a fixer and a creator, for example creating toys for the twins, he hands and mind together creates miracles and miraculous things. He’s also a healer that will fix broken feelings and self hate and insecurities. That’s why he is tied to Ammu. The things he can do, it’s the little things that are the most important like details he adds to whatever he does. For him to be low class he really makes a name for himself naturally. He is a fixer he fixes everything thing and person that has been broken hurt and damage. -Jessie Tabe
ReplyDeleteCameron Dewey Pd 2
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, Roy has been focusing on big, pivotal moments that occur and uses foreshadowing, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. However, in this chapter, she slows down the story and pauses to focus on “small things” of different characters, hence the name of the chapter. In this chapter, we’re able to see that the God of Small Things is Velutha because the chapter starts off with a dream between Ammu and Velutha, and in this dream all of the small parts of the two characters are noticed. Later in the chapter, it focuses on the small things, like hemming a ribbon, that Ammu does in order to calm herself down while Chacko is breaking down the door to her room. The function of the God of Small Things is to be there for characters like Ammu who are constantly burdened; the God of Small Things acts as somewhat of an escape and safety net for the characters in the story.
At the beginning of the book, Roy seems to be focusing on large ideas and broad statements that set up the the rest of the book. Later, she shifts away from the big topics and really focuses on the small details that add nuance to the characters and the story. With this, Roy is revealing the details of things she was setting up in the beginning. The small things end up being really significant.
ReplyDeleteRoy really emphasizes the importance of social class and status. With descriptions of every character she dives deep into what the character means in terms of the great meaning of the book. Her early descriptions of Chacko are totally different than later on in the novel, which adds to the mystery of what we read. On that note Velutha is someone I notice a lot in terms of being “A god of small things” from the beginning as mentioned earlier he is nothing to the audience but as the story moves we have a deeper appreciation for him, of course now that we have uncovered some details about him.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Velutha is the god of small things. Velutha concerns himself with the details and the seemingly insignificant actions. He makes small toys for the twins and the small act of giving Ammu the wooden boat actually had an impact on the story. He has a low caste status so he is small in society and often times overlooked. In the dream Ammu has their relationship is revealed, but because of his status they could never be together.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, the small things are the most important small things, they are the most memorable and are the ones to look out for. Velutha is known as the untouchable, like he is a God, he keeps everything together. In the novel, at some point, the characters have done something bad or someone did something bad to them. Reading the book, at some points it felt like i was there, and sometimes felt something when i read. Big events in this novel impacts the characters.
ReplyDeleteVelutha is the only charachter who is in a lower caste than the rest and is also the least talked about compared to the rest. Most of the book was focused on the big, life-altering moments such as death, addiction, and assault, but when it came to Velutha's relationship with Ammu, Roy focused on the small, meaningful things that they can appreciate. A buildup of the small things in life can equate to one huge moment but those smaller things can be long lasting and more impactful.
ReplyDeleteI felt like this chapter was definitely more descriptive and slow than all the others. The way she wrote it was a way to have the reader memorialize the moments of the chapter. It was very intentional to name it the god of small things because to write in a slow and long manner makes the reader look at the small things that happened. With Velutha, she sends a message of what his relationship with Ammu is like. She makes it very soft and light and puts it in the perspective of both characters and focuses on the small things that Ammu and the twins do together.
ReplyDeleteVickie Tu
Period 2
This chapter really concentrated on what was happening like the small things plus, it took a slower pace than the rest of the chapters & i believe that velutha is the god of small things because even though he is an untouchable he can still care for people around him.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter, just had the title would imply, focused on small things. Roy included more details than I can remember seeing in any other part of the novel. Doing this allowed for the pace to shift, as it was more description, rather than plot based. A character who moves at this slower speed would be Velutha (not physically of course). He is appreciative of the smaller things in life, and even too, could be seen as one of the smaller things; he is a minor character in the novel, and in the lowest caste in the system. Because of these things, to me, Velutha is the real God of Small Things.
ReplyDeleteAmera Mohamed 5: In the entire book we are crowded by big things to be worried about like Sophie Mol’s death and the Caste system and Women’s lack of rights. With all these big ideas no one has time to think about the small things except for Velutha. A man abandoned by the lush life of those in the upper class of the caste system has his own small relationship with Ammu despite the big belief in the country that untouchables shouldn’t be loved. The image of the god is Velutha because of that ability to focus on what other characters couldn’t. He himself is a small thing also because he is untouchable and since he is able to do what other small things couldn’t (be with a touchable) that would make him a more powerful almost god like because of his capability of being loved by someone touchable.
ReplyDeleteAt this point in the story, where small things are becoming more and more important, Velutha most symbolizes the god of small things. Velutha is the only untouchable in the story, and though he has an important role in the story, he is lightly mentioned throughout the story and doesn't have a strong impact. Because of Velutha's status and how characters view him, Roy chooses to focus on small things.
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ReplyDeleteIn the chapter “God of Small Things”, Roy really slows things down. She writes about Velutha taking the time to truly appreciate the small things about Ammu. The book is very much all over the place, moving back and forth through time periods, when Rahel was a child and Sophie Mol died to when she was watching her brother shower after years of estrangement. This particular chapter really focuses on the small things in life and how they should be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIn a way Velutha is the God of Small things. Roy transitions each chapter through sporadic flashbacks just like trauma.The small things is what makes an impact on each character individually.
ReplyDeleteIn a way Velutha is the God of Small things. Roy transitions each chapter through sporadic flashbacks just like trauma.The small things that happen throughout the novel is what makes an impact on each character individually. For example, when Ammu says things like "I love you less" that what takes a toll on the twins
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter, Roy definitely slowed things down and started to focus on the small things, just like the title of the book implies. Throughout most of the book, Roy was focused on the big things going on, but now she focuses on Velutha and how he is the God of Small Things and shows more of these small things and how it impacts the characters.
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ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for the late response.
Throughout the novel, we’re given puzzle pieces, which occasionally fit together as the puzzle progresses. In this particular chapter it seems to deliver a more grouped together section of pieces. The entire book is very imagery based, and then the interpretation of said imagery in the eyes of whoever experienced it. A majority of the book has been through the eyes of the twins but here we see it mostly through the eyes of Ammu. The childish lens is thrown out for a more mature one. It provides more because the understanding of the situation is more than an innocent child’s understanding. It’s deeper. In the chapter we’re shown the “God of small things”, which I interpret to be Velutha. He is solely explained through his imagery and represents the man that she wants but cannot have completely (in reference to how if they did one thing, they could not do another). - Caitlin Henderson
I don’t know whether or not I’m over evaluating or not, but I feel like the whole book, in a sense, especially from what I read is the product of fascination for the small things, I feel like previous chapters, chapters 1-9, is the narration of a childlike mind, a mind that is fascinated and ponders on the small things in life. We see Estah and Rachel finding fascination in speaking back words or even playing little games between each other. Those small moments between them seems to almost consume a quarter of a chapter. Those instances are elongated and broken into detail. But what I’ve noticed with this chapter is a shift in sensuality of those small things. It’s clear that Velutha is the God of Small Things. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that chapter 10 ends with Velutha thinking about Ammu and Ammu waking up from her dream in chapter 11 to encounter the very symbols she has of their forbidden love, the twins. But I do feel like there was a shift in sensuality. The small touches and feelings depicted in the chapter were not child like imagination it was an adult tone of desire, love, and passion. Something that has been, somewhat suppressed in previous chapters.
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In this section of the novel, Roy slows things down and the rhythm and pacing is different. It is slower and takes more notice and attention to the smaller things. The focus on Velutha throughout the book is always such a contrast from the rest of the characters and parts in the book because of how he is. Velutha is, I believe, a representation of the God of Small Things, as he is always able to focus on and see the things that others do not. As an untouchable, by much of the society he himself is not looked at or appreciated, just as small things are overlooked. Most people are so focused on big things, big picture, they do not see the small things. Velutha has always represented this contrast and the image of the God of Small Things in this section of the novel is painted to be Velutha.
ReplyDeleteJoanna Ray Period 5