The Minor-narrative of Transgression in The God of Small Things

Abstract

The debut novel of the Indian architect Arundhati Roy (1997) successfully won the Booker Prize (1997), offering bountiful insight into the real India through connecting dots of memory. Opposed to the master-narrative in the British canonical literary works, a minor-narrative is adopted in this novel, casting realistic light on the postcolonial India. This paper probes into the minor narrative of transgressions in various aspects: language, philosophy and ethnicity. The penetrating use of indigenous language such as Malayalam, the striking contrast between Christian God and “the God of small things”, and the love affair between different castes transgress and defy the social norms, reflecting Arundhati Roy’s wish for a just society in India.

key words : The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy postcolonial minor-narrative