Deprivation, Frustration, Jealousy, Vindictiveness, Four Destroyed Lives and Baby Kochamma in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things

Abstract

Arundhati Roy's family drama The God of Small Things (1997) has several women characters who represent typical Indian women. Among them some are tortured, some abuse others. Patriarchy, ill-treatment towards the ‘Untouchables,’ and the helplessness of married women are the center points of this celebrated novel. It not only portrays the struggle of women in the male-dominated conservative society but also shows how women can cause suffering to other women and men. In this novel women of three generations are discussed. Baby Kochamma belongs to the first generation, who is deprived, toxic, jealous, mean, manipulative, selfish, cruel, and revengeful. Her real name is Navomi Ipe. Roy’s debut novel has dealt with the sufferings of the ‘Untouchables’ and the divorced women through the characters of Ammu and Velutha. This novel mainly highlights the predicaments of a divorced woman, Ammu, who wants to live a new life with her secret lover Velutha. Unfortunately, she becomes prey to her aunt Baby Kochamma, who is deprived of love, home, and family. This deprivation makes her jealous, frustrated, and vindictive to Ammu, her lover Velutha, and the twins Rahel and  Eshtha. This paper aims to find out the causes of Ammu, Velutha, and her twin children Rahel and Estha’s sufferings and destruction through the character analysis of Baby Kochamma.