God of Small Things

               Velutha may be the God of Small Things to Rahel, Estha, and Ammu, being there for them in times of need, a best friend, someone to look up to, and even a God. Velutha is a character in The God Of Small Things, he has been through struggles and hardships, even people of Ayemenem spread rumors about him. Rahel, Estha, and Ammu have struggles of their own. Because Velutha is so strong and does not let the weak of the world get to him, he is someone that Rahel, Estha, and Ammu admire and put in a Godly vision. More than once they talk about how Velutha could not touch Ammu “If he touched her he couldn’t talk to her, if he loved her he couldn’t leave, if he spoke he couldn’t listen, if he fought he couldn’t win” (207). This time on page 207, when this is mentioned, Velutha is in Ammu’s dream. He wants to hold her but he can’t because he only has one arm. This is an example of struggle he has throughout the book to be able to satisfy and help their needs. He wants to be there for them as much as he can, but struggles are faced. Veluthia becomes a "God" in the eyes of Ammu, along with Rahel and Estha. He becomes a longing desire, and an escape from the hell they live in. "The God of Loss, The God of Small Things, The God of Goosebumps and Sudden Smiles" (312). Velutha brings smiles to their faces, when they struggle to be happy, and goosebumps to Ammu, because she is so desperately longing for him to hold her. Velutha is in a way a God to them, he makes them happy and he is someone to look over them.

Interesting Fact:The God Of Small things was not officially banned, but it faced controversy and challenges in India. Roy faced an obscenity trial for her depiction of love between a Christian woman and a low caste Hindu servant. The novel included pedophilia and incest, but apparently those issues were not what made the novel "obscene."