The Thirst For Familial Love In The Select Fictional Writing of Arundhathi Roy’s, The God Of Small Things

Abstract

Arundhati Roy, the Indian woman writer, has a vital role in defining and formulating contemporary consciousness through her novel “The God of Small Things” which has earned her The Booker Prize and proves that Roy is not only a well trained architect and screen play writer but also a brilliant architect of different patterns of evolving feminist consciousness. The book explores the fictional depiction of various repressive forces marginalizing Indian women. The 20th century was marked by the emancipation of women from political, economic social and personal subjugation. Centuries of patriarchal hegemony had ensured that she was kept tethered to a secondary role everywhere. But thanks to the efforts of the suffragettes and their sympathizers, progressive legislation was set on foot to liberate women from time-old shackles. But psychologically, women remained a shackled lot. In spite of political, economic and social rights, they could not break free from the psychological prison that had conditioned them to a traditional image as ever sacrificing ever forgiving, long-suffering ‘angels of the house.’