Trauma, Memory, Caste, and Political Resistance in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things

Abstract

Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things (1997) is a landmark postcolonial novel that intertwines personal trauma with political history, exposing the deep-rooted injustices embedded in Indian society. This research paper examines the novel through the lenses of trauma theory, postcolonial criticism, caste studies, and feminist theory. It explores how Roy’s nonlinear narrative structure mirrors the fragmented nature of memory and trauma, how caste and social transgression shape the tragic fate of Velutha and Ammu, and how the novel critiques state violence, patriarchal norms, and political hypocrisy. The analysis argues that Roy’s novel is not merely a story of a family’s disintegration but a profound commentary on the oppressive structures that govern Indian social life. The paper concludes that The God of Small Things exemplifies the power of literature to challenge dominant narratives, expose systemic injustice, and foreground marginalized voices.