TGOST Paper with comments

Injustice & Prejudice

            Social instability and class conflict in class systems all around the world is a timeless global issue. Arundhati Roy portrays this issue in India’s caste system, in her book The God of Small Things, which follows the story of two fraternal twins who reunite as young adults, after family tensions have kept them apart for many years. One of the characters that play an important role in the novel is Velutha, an untouchable who is in love with Ammu, the mother of the twins, and because of the Indian Love Laws, their love is forbidden. A key instance where the portrayal of this global issue is demonstrated is when Vellya Paapen, Velutha’s father, visits Mammachi, the twins’ grandmother, to apologize and beg for forgiveness after discovering his son’s affair with Ammu. In the entirety of the novel, the author uses the characterization of Baby Kochamma, the twins’ great aunt, to condemn this global issue as well as symbolism juxtaposition in this specific scene, underlining the injustice of the caste system and its inherent negative prejudice towards the lower class.

            The global issue of social injustice, specifically in India, is a matter that is constant throughout the entire novel. Arundhati Roy manages to sustain it with the characterization of Baby Kochamma. Baby Kochamma is a major character in the novel and her impact on the portrayal of the global issue is massive. A key part of the plot itself is when she accuses Velutha of raping and murdering Sophie Mol, the twins’ cousin, towards the end of the novel. As soon as she had seen her great niece’s dead body, Baby Kochamma immediately connected her death to Velutha and never even asked for the help of detectives to search for the true cause of Sophie Mol’s death. Throughout the novel, Baby Kochamma’s character is built upon being high-class and misjudging those at the bottom of the caste system. She chooses to not mention Velutha’s relationship with Ammu to the police, afraid that it would ruin her reputation, as it would become known that her niece was in a romantic relationship with an untouchable. Baby Kochamma’s character plays a major role in the portrayal of the global issue of social instability between the high and low classes, as there are constant occasions in which Baby Kochamma misjudges and contains prejudice against Velutha or other lower-class people.

            The use of Velutha’s “smell” as a symbol is an exemplary portrayal of social instability. More specifically, the first time Velutha’s smell is referenced is when Baby Kochamma, was troubled of how Ammu “…could stand the smell” and how she hasn’t noticed that “they have a particular smell, these Paravans” in lines 15 and 16 of page 78. In other words, Baby Kochamma wonders how Ammu can possibly be in a sexual relationship with Velutha and his repulsive “smell”. Baby Kochamma focuses on his terrible smell, completely ignoring his humanity and treating him like dirty animal. Overall, there is one effect that this choice of the author has on the reader and the meaning. This “smell” is a symbol for Velutha’s location on the caste system. Baby Kochamma doesn’t understand how Ammu can stand Velutha’s “smell” and be in a relationship with such a person, when really, she means Velutha’s role in society. Regardless of the fact that Velutha has never been disrespectful towards Baby Kochamma and has even contributed to her family, company and community, she is still disturbed by his “smell”. Baby Kochamma is a lot closer to the top of the caste system than Velutha and Vellya Paapen, which connects her criticism of Velutha and being disturbed by his low class with the global issue of social instability and the injustice of the cast system.

            Juxtaposition is the second main literary technique that Arundhati Roy uses to portray the social instability and the prejudice against the lower classes in the caste system. To Baby Kochamma’s eyes, Velutha is like a disturbing, bad “smell”, as if he is a dirty animal in the farm. Meanwhile, the twins respect and love Velutha, and to their eyes he is a great friend and even a great teacher. More specifically, after the point of view switches to Rahel, she describes how “[She and Velutha] had grown to be the best of friends” (page 78) after his return. Moreover, she adds that “he was teaching them to use a planer” (page 79) and that “It was Velutha who made Rahel her lucky fishing rod” (page 79). Furthermore, between the lines 31-35 Rahel expresses how much her and Estha loved being inside Velutha’s house, as well as sometimes eating his “red fish curry cooked with black tamarind” (page 79), which was considered by Estha the best fish curry in the world. All the memories that the twins have with Velutha are positive ones, and neither of them have ever criticized him because of his position on the caste system. There is a lot of contrast between how Velutha is viewed here in comparison to how he is viewed by Baby Kochamma only a page before. The reason for this contrast is to show how the innocent twins admire Velutha, regardless of his class, but Baby Kochamma, who is aware of Velutha’s role in society and has a negative prejudice against lower-class people, is disgusted by him.

            In conclusion, a global issue that is portrayed throughout the book is the injustice of the caste system and the negative prejudice that the higher classes have towards the lowest ones. In the scene with Vellya Paapen, Arundhati Roy uses Velutha’s smell as a symbol for his                   low-class and juxtaposition between how Baby Kochamma and how the twins view him, but overall in the entire novel, the characterization of Baby Kochamma is also a major contributor to the underlining and the condemning of the global issue. Social injustice is a universal matter and has existed ever since human societal complexes were first structured. Arundhati Roy, in her novel, portrays this global issue in a culture where it is much more present and severe due  its class system.

A. Knowledge, understanding and interpretation: 3 There is satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the extract and the work and an interpretation of their implications in relation to the global issue.
References to the extracts and to the work are mostly support the student’s ideas.
B. Analysis and Evaluation: 4 - Analysis and evaluation of the extract and the work are relevant and at times insightful.
There is a good understanding of how authorial choices are used to present the global issue.
C . Focus and Organisation: 4 - The essay maintains a mostly clear and sustained focus on the task; treatment of the extract and work as a whole.
The development of ideas is logical; ideas are cohesively connected in an effective manner.
5 . Language: 4 -The written language is clear and accurate; occasional errors do not hinder communication. Vocabulary and syntax are appropriate and varied.
Elements of style (for example, register, tone and rhetorical devices) are appropriate to the task and somewhat enhance the essay.
(task specific 15 becomes 16 -6) - Overall: You must show understanding of the passage as a whole and how it develops rather than isolating your response to two ideas within the passage. That is, start with the structure of the passage and include a discussion on why it is significant to the plot. Finally, more quotes and evidence would help and by limiting your response to two key points you are limiting the mark you can receive in Criterion A. Your discussion on the 'smell' and its significance is important but you ned to make your point and move to the next.