The God of Small Things Flashcards
Narrative Structure Quotes
“Boot on Bone”
Conveying Denstiny in Velutha’s Death
-aggressive imagery of “boot on bone” exists in different time periods, elucidating the inescapable consequences of attempting to break societal caste system
-implies death is the predestined consequence for breaking caste system
Paralells between Time Violation and Caste Violation
-comparison of escaping rigidity of caste system to tampering with the inflexibility of time. breaking free of one is similar to violating the other. This is Roy’s comparison she is trying to highlight.
-by comparing the caste system to time, Roy highlights how fundamental the caste system is and its degree of integration almost as if it is assumed as fact
Moth Context
context: papachi discovered a new moth species, wasn’t recpognized for his contribution
Moth: Materialistic Pride
quote: “mounted butterflies and moths”
in his office has mounted butterflies and moths - instead of family pictures, represents rep over family
-prioritization of occupational success over familial love
Fear
“icy legs”, “large dorsal tufts”
Banana Jam Quote
“Too thin for jelly, too thick for jam”
Effect of Polysyndeton
- highlights the farcical situation: points out absurdity of the strictness, and being simply unneccessary. draws connections for the reader back to the strictness of the caste system. subtle critique of the unneccessary rigidity of thecaste system
- overwhelms the reader, restricting their mental breathing, to simulate and force reader to contemplate the double entendre pertaining the constraints of the caste system.
Symbolism of Banana Jam
Symbolizes Ipe family, an unclassifiable cast alienated from society due to their violatoin of fundamental love laws and the reigning social class system.
-stuck in a void of unclassifiability
dramatic irony examples
“dancing as if your life depends on it” Act 2, torvald to nora
-resembles both immediate and overarching situation
-she is literally preventing the reading of Krogstad’s letter
-however the quote implies a larger meaning regarding the value of the entertainment and vanity they provide gives their lives value.
-usefulness and satisfying their hhusbands was the purpose of women of that time
-“I have been performing tricks for you Torvald” Act 3,
“spendthrift”
-works secret labor to fund her husbands treatment for “overwork” to travel to warmer weather - unappreciative
dramtic irony: when audience knwos something characters dont
situational irony
“not so hard hearted as to condemn a man for a single fault”
“I often wish you might be threatened by some great danger, so that I might risk my everything for your sake”
Papachi Characterization
-Imperial Entomologist government job
-socially dignified personality always wears an immaculate 3 piece suit with a golden pocket watch
-bought a sky blue plymouth and drives around, doesn’t allow anyone else from his family in it
-showcases his wealth, while expresses his rebellion towards chako stopping him from beating his wife, gain back control via material posession
similarities - pet names
squirrel, skylark, pretty little pet
vs
mosquito on a leash, sleeping partner
affectionately dimunitive terms to describe posession of women, and highlight their dependence and reliance on their husbands for support(fantasy)
-demonstrate the prevailing role of women, by demeaning them with posessive terms as a means of elucidating their unobtrusive submissive nature in society
similarities - pathetic fallacy
projection of human state or emotion on natural environment
River:
“once had the power to change lives”
“returned to the river, greeted her with a ghastly smile”
“limp hand raised from a hospital bed
Tree
symbolic of festivities and familial union, inspiring a joyful christmas in act 1
described as “stripped” and stage directions suggest tree is in a bedraggled state in act 2 to represent arisal of conflict
dols. house intro
the 3-act norwegian play in translation “a dolls house” written by Henrik Ibsen and premiered in 1879, discusses the themes of gender roles, love and marriage, through realism theater, and its protagonists Nora and Torvald
