The Gender Dynamics in Arundhati Roy's the God of Small Things

This paper analyses the gender dynamics in The God of Small things. It highlights the oppression of women within a rigid social structure and exposing the often-overlooked personal and societal struggles women face. Set in Ayemenem, Kerala the different threads of the yarn are unravelled through a disjointed narrative style. The incidents of the novel occur between 1969 and 1993. Given the rural setting and the background of Orthodox Syrian Christian family, patriarchy rules large in the lives of these people. The novel interrogates and critiques patriarchy, the source of oppression, particularly in the context of Indian society. Through Ammu and Rahel, Roy envisions a future free from gender and caste oppression. Ultimately, the novel emerges as a powerful critique of social injustice and a literary space where suppressed female histories are articulated, challenging dominant narratives and reimagining resistance from the margins. Literature becomes a powerful medium for social change, and Roy ultimately creates ‘herstory’ through female rebellion in The God of Small Things.