I was confused when, in the airport, the Kochamma's were picking up Sophie Mol, they saw a celebrity, Andoor Basi, and Baby Kochamma, who is obsessed with popular culture, doesn't even bat an eye, and insults him and his acts of attention.

In this book, several things are randomly capitalized, such as, on page 94, Ammu says, "You haven't Learned your Lesson yet. Have you?" Sometimes in the text the things that are underlined, they are reacuring. This phrase does'nt come up again, at least not as far as i have read, and I'm wondering what the thoughts are on why Arandhati Roy uses this technigue, and what is being said about the characters.

What do you think Sophie Mols' first reaction of the Kochamma family was? Baby Kochamma was trying so hard to impress her and her mother, and even put on an English accent at one point. When they started singing the song in the car, I could only imagine Sophie's confusion and surprise.

On page 60, a man named Murlidharan is mentioned. He's the crosslegged crossing guard above a sign to Cochin. His description is of him being a lunatic, also he has no arms, and he wears a plastic bag on his head, fashioned to look like a chef's hat. I'm wondering what everyone thinks of him. At first, when I read about him I thought nothing of it, but then I read that segment again and started thinking about how he is the marker between their world and the city.

HELLO ALL,

THIS IS THE MARKER POST FOR THE MARKING PERIOD. I have tallied anything previous to this to give you credit for your posts. Keep posting, keep up the good work.

The better posts seem to reference the text and make a claim in the direction of analysis. Check out Sarah P's or Rob Civ's posts. Nate T-- nice job as well!

KEEP IN MIND YOU WILL MAKE A FORMAL WRITING ASSINGMENT BASED ON YOUR POSTS AND JOURNAL ENTRIES, so the better they are now, the less work you'll have to do later!

Lisa

And I have another question-

Why do you think that the moth is sensitive spot for the entire family?

It seems like something that wouldn't emotionally affect anyone but the person the incident happened to.

Where does the animosity between Baby Kochamma and the twins come from?

The obvious answer is that she thinks they are sneaky and untrustworthy, and that they will steal from her.

However, I think that there are other reasons for the animosity. It only started to surface as Estha and Rahel got older. Remember the bit about Ammu, Baby and Rahel in the bathroom? They were all loving towards each other then.

But as they get older, and move back in, I think that Baby Kochamma is secretly bitter about the attention the twins start to get. It's not always even positive attention, but it is attention nontheless. I think that Baby was (at least superficially) comfortable, if not happy, with her life, and took comfort in her small material world, and she didn't want anything to interfere with that.

On page 70, Rahel describes the mark on Velutha's back which confirms her suspicion that it was him at the Communist rally. "It had a light brown birthmark, shaped like a pointed dry leaf. He said it was a Lucky Leaf, that made the Monsoons come on time." (Roy 70). The timely arrival of the monsoon season plays in with the story quite nicely. Like the chaos brought about by monsoons, many of the affected areas undergoes massive change, rearranging, and destruction. The Monsoons do bring good, though, like a promising harvest season. So, much like their timely arrival, it plays in with "The God of Small Things" in the sense that Sophie Mol and Velutha's arrivals line up quite closely. This results in a string of chaos, including the death of Sophie and the revelation of Velutha's relationship with Ammu, which also leads to destruction. What the death does funcation as, however, is an adhesive for the members of the suffering family, which is like the goodness brought by the monsoons.

Rahel and Estha are some of the most remarkable twins that i have ever read or heard of. As young children they weren't siamese twins, but in the mid they were practically connected. It was as if they had a mental string that transfers all of the information from one brain to the other. As they grow older they make choices in there life that weren't necessarily they best choices. Rahel got married in the U.S., which ended up in a divorce. Estha decided not to go to school, which gave him a disadvantage for getting jobs and other opportunities. This gives me a false opinion about the twins because from the beginning i loved them and how they interacted, but as they got older they grew apart and i wanted them to stay close, but fate is fate and i can't change that.

When I look at all of the characters in The God Of Small Things, I am reminded again and again of Pappachi and how he was so upset that someone else had stolen his discovery and credited it for himself. This part makes Pappachi one of the most interesting characters, even though he has ruined his life with alcohol and stress, that is what makes him so interesting. I wonder if when he was a young child he was one of those kids who didn't seem like they liked anything, but deep inside he had some burning ideas and desires to explore the world.

Dear Bloggers, On page 52 Chacko talks about "The War of Dreams" in which, "We're prisoners of war... Our dreams have been doctored." I think what Chacko meant was that as citizens of India, a former colony of the disgustingly large British Empire, they have been practically brainwashed to worship western ideals and therefore unquestioningly subscribe to the rules, regulations, and social guidelines of the west, to better serve their western conquerors. Among social guidelines is the attachment to material possessions as a sign of wealth and status, a growing fear of death and aging, and the impatient search for concrete and certain knowledge. A South African anti-apartheid activist said, "the greatest weapon in the hands of the oppressors is the minds of the oppressed." I think that has a huge relevance to what is happening to the upper middle class citizens of India during the period of the book and even now. Looking at countries with a higher amount of personal material wealth, and believing it is that which will bring them peace and happiness. It is easy to understand, if you were a starving child on the streets of India or even a well fed on like Rahel and Estha, yet you see the glory of being a child in America, T.V. toys, Mcdonalds, the whole nine yards, it is easy to associate that with happiness. But is it? I guess to bring it home I would have to bring it around the earth to the Putney school. Though in many societies we would be considered the conquerors that Chacko speaks of, but though there is no debate for how fortunate we are to be in the position we are in, are we not also caught in the same "War of Dreams" that Chacko speaks of. We have just been so heavily indoctrinated that we cannot think of any other way to live it just seems natural, but do you really believe that peace will come in the material success that we so rigorously train ourselves for in school? Are our dreams so corroded to the physical that we can't break this cycle of working for what we can touch and take cold comfort in. Or is it still possible to dream beyond the cold comfort that makes us so powerful so determined to fill the void that we cannot identify with all sorts of silly objects from T.v. to fried chicken and Ben and Jerry's and a nice necklace and a smoking gun?

I was slightly alarmed by the thoughts that Estha had written in his work when was younger. His graphic description on page 150 of traffic safety issues does invoke a very powerful and gruesome image. "The job of a driver is very fatle His famly should be very angshious because the driver could easily be dead." I had previously assumed that Estha's innocence was the reason he reacted the way he did to what was happening to him at the movie theater. I can see from his thoughts that he wrote in grade school, however, that innocence is far from the case. I also feel, however, that Estha wrote the things he wrote for attention, and not because there was an actual part of him that had a problem coping with fatal and death-related imagery.

In this book, the things that I'm focusing are the family backgrounds and atmosphere which are not that happy. Such as some family members' death in their early age. I personally think Rahel and Estha are really poor kids. They didn't have father when they were born, their mother died when she was 31 years old, and some of the family members hate them. For example, there was a incident that Estha and Rahel visited Baby Kochamma's house. Baby Kochamma was really uncomfortable with them because she thought Rahel might steal some of her things. This distrust between family members shows the sad(or bad or something negative) atmosphere of the family.

It's really sad at the moment when Rahel and Estha finds their childhood treasure. In the note, Estha wrote about happy scene at Ammus birthday and gave her a diary as a present. Then they lay down and talked the night. It was a happy day to look back.

It seems like the family in this story is generally not that happy. I wonder if Sophie Mol is still alive in the story. I think eventhough her death was not the reason for the sad atmosphere in the family, the existence of Sophie Mol would make the family little bit happier. Because she was beloved by many of the family members because she got things that no one in her family got. Moreover, the things she got was something that the others wanted to get. I know similar but actually the opposite situation in my real life. My friend who also studies in America is the only boy child in his entire family.(All of his cousins are girls) So whenever he goes back to his home during break, the atmosphere around his family increases incredibly high only by his existence.

I find Ammu a very interesting character. Because she has gone through so much, between her parents and her abusive Ex husband. Her children defiantly feel her emotional turmoil, and deal with her baggage so to speak. Ammu loves her children but i also think she needed to deal with her parents and her husband before having children.

An assignment we did in class was about how Rahel made a list of people she loved and who is supposed to love. When we made the list mostly everyone i was supposed to love and actually love where identical. But what really made me think was how if our parents where not our parents would they still love us as they do or is it because we are there children that they love us the way we do.

As well as the reoccurring passages about the "cold moth on Rahel's heart" I have noticed that we are constantly reminded of the time being "ten to two". This is the time that is painted on a wristwatch. It is also mentioned in a way that is notably important. such as being at the end of a chapter or placed as its own sentence. How is "ten to two" important?

This family is full of weird, quirky people who always seem to be causing pain or being caused pain. I am beginning to think that this book is mostly focused on the negative things that happen in these people's lives. Do you guys think that it is the negative events that shape our lives?

during when Estha steps out to sing the sound of music, he meets the orangedrink lemondrink man. Estha never truly truly understands what happens between the two of them. and does as he is told. I don't think I have ever read something so wretched and disturbing when it is expressed so casually. Roy's discription of it is painfully accurate and beautifully disgusting. it made the story and the kind of people set in it so much more vivid.

Baby Kochamma's reaction to Rahel's return is a sour one. She doesn't understand the twin's siamese soul. To her, it is frightening so she approaches it with hostility. Baby assumes that Estha might talk to his sister and when he doesn't she takes it out on Rahel, arguing that Rahel shouldn't have assumed he would acknowledge her. Even though she didn't. It is evident her struggle to understand their relationship as well as Estha's silence. and when she is still confronted with blankness, her reaction is an extremely hostile one.

In Roy’s book, she uses beautiful sensory language. That is what stood out most for me. For, when I write poetry or pros, I try and use as much sensory language as I can. It is a beautiful way of writing and expressing thoughts in a less obvious way. For me, the combination of words in unusual order is incredibly important to writing, it adds feeling and mood.

In this particular book, she gives everything a personality. When describing the scenery and the buildings, she uses incredible language to give each object personality and emotion. I think it has an effect on the plot. Since the language draws you into each word and each scene, the plot is happening in your mind, rather than on the paper. The use of sensory language in this novel is very successful.

Comrade K. N. M. Pillai has lived beside Rahel and Estha's house for a long time. He used to be kind to Rahel and Estha. Even though, Esthat is not answering to his questions. However, Comrade K. N. M. Pillai does not care even if he cannot make any conversation. Moreover, when Rahel came back to Ayemenem after divorced, Pillai tried to make conversation with Rahel. I'm not saying he is good or not, but I'm saying why he wants to have conversation with Rahel or Estha? Both of them are not helpful for him. Phillai is kind of a communist(?), and I think he has something in his mind by keep in touch with Rahel and Estha because they are children's of fairly powerful person in that county.

In this book, Rahel and Estha setted up as a twin, who are mentally connected to each other. One knows what happened to other one. One feels what other one feels. One experiences what other one experience. These phenomena are unrealistic and hard to believe. Especially, I am surprised when they went to the hotel after the movie, Estha walked to Rahel's room and stand in front of the door without any sign, Rahel opened the door because she knew that Estha was there. This event is really fascinating to me, what will be other events because of their connection? What Rahel and Estha think about this when they are really old? I am really curious about this phenomenon.

Since Mamachi started her pickle business, Papachi sarted to hit Mamachi a lot. However, I don't think Papachi is really bad husband. Papachi was one of the high governer in India, also, he was imperial Entomologist which has high fame. When Mamachi started her pickle factory, Papachi was about 20 years older than Mamachi. I think Papachi regarded himself as old man who cannot do anything, but Mamachi is young and passionate into her business, so Papachi started to feel foolish about himself, and realease that anger by hitting Mamachi. Finally, he broke his chair that he really liked, and show his regret about hitting Mamachi.

Ammu's character is very interesting to me, at first I thought she was just a single mother struggling to raise to children under the shame of being divorced. Then as I read further, I started to think that she was just a mean person who treated her children badly because she had been treated so badly in the past by her husband. Now I'm starting to discover the relationship between Velutha and her, realizing how difficult it could be to be in love with an "untouchable". I was wondering if anyone had any further insights to her character?

As Ive been reading I have been noting down some of the hints given about Ammu's death. Towards the beginning of the book Rahel talks about how Ammu goes to the police station after Sophie mols death to tell them there had been a "mistake". And during the parade of people holding flags Rahel said she had seen Velutha in the parade. I think that her death had something to do with Velutha, I was wondering what all of you thought. Do you think its relevant?

What is the significance of the recurring words regarding "A cold moth lifted a cold leg" pg 113 and the moth on Rahel's heard lifted a downy leg. Then put it back. Its little leg was cold." pg 131?

-Seung il and Jake

Why does the family love sophie mol so much? What is so intresting about her? - Ingrid & Morgan

Why does Estha like to walk on a rainy day Why Chacko still likes England, even though his wife had abandoned him. What might Rahel thought of when Estha did not welcome her coming back. What did Rahel and Estha imagined at Sophie Mol's funeral. What do you think about this? Shin & YJ

why did the church not accept to bury Ammu? What did they have against her? I think that it might have to do with what shape she was in when she was in Ayemenem before her death. they could have buried her near the house or spred her ashes around the house or where she love to be, but it they didn't do anything with the ashes.

According to what we have found out so far, what do you think happens to Ammu? What do you think killed her? - Ingrid and Morgan

why does Rahel not love her mother when she gets back from the Nazareth Convent? -Ingrid and Morgan

After Margaret's new husband Joe dies, Chacko invites Margaret for Christmas. As the family is driving Margaret back to the airport, they encounter a group of communist protesters. They surround the car and Rahel says that she saw Velutha in the crowd. I feel as though Rahel is telling the truth even though she doesn't want it to be the truth. Rahel and Estha both love Velutha, there would be no reason for them to be ashamed of seeing hom in the protesters even if they are against communism. On the other hand when Ammu tried to slap Rahel for shouting out to Velutha, she was implying that Ammu is very ashamed that her lover would be in such a ridiculous Protest.

Roy uses the "moth" constantly within this book. For instance, "The moth on Rahel's heart spread its velvet wings, and the chill crept into her bones." (pg 108) Or another quote, "How Pappachi's Moth whispered in his children's veins!" (pg 69) These two quotes are just a couple example's out of the book. Roy Constantly uses it when something dramatic is happening to a character. Or a way of describing an event. This symbolizes to me that inside each member of that family lives a moth. Each on creeps around in their blood. It spreads throughout them like an overwhelming sense of pain. It is past on through the family generations, and I'm wondering if you are feeling that it's symbolized in the same way or a different one? Does the moth seam like a scare over the family, or more of a description?

Sophie Mol tells Estha and Rahel that "We've come here [India] to recover from the shock." (Roy 145). I think it's strange, however, for Margaret to take Sophie to the home of her ex-husband in order to recover from the recent loss of her husband. Upon arrival, Sophie is very intrigued by the scenes she sees such as the dead elephant, and the things she hears from Estha and Rahel. It was her first time in a developing country, so I'm sure she was taken aback by the culture shock, even though we don't hear about her until her unfortunate trip to the river. I think that Margaret took her daughter to India immediately after Joe died to be able to see a vast chunk of her heritage, even though Sophie and Chacko aren't especially close. Margaret Kochamme knew that after that visit, it would be the end. What she does not forsee, however, is the tragedy that ends in Sophie's death.

In response to these two questions: Where does the animosity between Baby Kochamma and the twins come from? I think that Baby Kochamma just doesn't understand Estha's and Rahel's relationship, and so she is a little bit afraid and jealous, and then she gets upset and happy when they don't speak to eachother. I do not think that Baby's feelings were the same when the twins were young, and I wonder when she changed the way she felt. Do you think Rahel really did see Velutha in the crowd, and why didn't Ammu want her to have seen him? I believe that Rahel really did see Velutha. I just have a feeling, from the way the author wrote the scene. Maybe Velutha didn't want the family to know that he was there, so he hid. Or, maybe Ammu knew something everyone else didn't and didn't want Rahel to point it out.

In response to the following discussion question: When Chacko says, "We're Prisoners of War. Our dreams have been doctored.We belong nowhere. We sail unanchored on troubled seas. We may never be allowed ashore. Our sorrows will never be sad enough. Our joys never happy enough. Our dreams never big enough. Our lives never important enough." (52) do you think he is referring to the troubles of his own life, or about the collective problems in Estha and Rahel's lives? I think that Chacko is talking about the collective problems of the world as a whole, not himself, Estha or Rahel specifically. However, I think he might relate his life to this idea, as he has had a fairly hard life (divorce, running a factory). I feel like Rahel's and Estha's lives are still young and new at this point in the book, and their lives would need to be more concrete. I do not think there is enough pattern in the twins' lives to be able to tell if Chacko is referring to them.

Everything is really coming together in the book, things are starting to make sense and i am throughly enjoying the story as it comes together piece by piece. Theres a quote that i really its

"Ammu explained to Estha and Rahel that people always loved best what they Identified most with." (page 98) I liked this quote because it got me thinking along with what we did in class today with the assighment that talked about who we love most and who we are suposed to love. my list both ways consisted of my family but it made me wonder would my parents love me if i wasnt there child. this quote just got me thinking.

I like how the more I read the more things fall into place, at the beginning things went very slowly. Most of the things she wrote about really had not much to do with what was said in a previous paragraph. Now with all of the characters defined and the settings figured out, its easier to keep track of who is doing what to whom and where.

Morgan-Charles, Lily B, Noah W. Why does Baby Kochamma find security in material items, and what is the cause?

Morgan-Charles, Lily B, Noah W. Compare and contrast Chacko, Baby Kochamma, and Ammu's failed relationships, and how each affected and shaped them.

Morgan-Charles, Lily B, Noah W. Do you think Rahel really did see Velutha in the crowd, and why didn't Ammu want her to have seen him?

Morgan-Charles, Lily B., Noah W. Where does the animosity between Baby Kochamma and the twins come from?

Baba and Pappachi seem to be very similar, they both beat their wives. Does the fact that Mammachi never left Pappachi make her appear to be a weaker person? Ammu left Baba, does that say that she is a stronger person?

Rahel writes a list of people whom she is supposed to love. What does this list have to do with the ethics of India at that point in time?

There is a moth that appears multiple time in the story. What do you think the author is trying to say?

What do you think Estha's reasoning for staying behind the counter with the Orangedrink Lemondrink man was after it was clear that he was being abused?

When Chacko says, "We're Prisoners of War. Our dreams have been doctored.We belong nowhere. We sail unanchored on troubled seas. We may never be allowed ashore. Our sorrows will never be sad enough. Our joys never happy enough. Our dreams never big enough. Our lives never important enough." (52) do you thin he is referring to the troubles of his own life, or about the collective problems in Estha and Rahel's lives?

What do you think the deeper meaning of the gray moth that haunts the family is? What does it symbolize?

The author says that the book ends in the beginning and starts in the middle, how do you think this adds to the story?- Serena

Sophie Mol's arrival changes Estha and Rahel's life do you think it changes their relationship with each other?- Serena

When margaret left Chacko she was pregnant and found another man named Joe. How do you think Sophie Mol felt about growing up without her father? -Rob Civ

This book is very confusing to read. The time changes back and forth. It comes back when Rahel first came to Ayemenem to see Estha, and then it changes to 1969 with a happy Kochamas familty, then to Rahels childhood and finally when Sophie Mol's family arriving at a airport. One real sad thing about is that when Rahel returns to Ayemenem to see her twin brother, Estha, Estha does not look at her nor realize her. She waits in Kochamas house while Estha is having a long walk on a rainy day, when Estha comes back, without looking at anyone, he goes straight to his room. Rahel follows and watches him.

I like this more than before because there more are stories going on. Personally, I think Estha is really interesting character. He looks very emotional. He usually doesn't talk that much but he sang a song during the movie because he was really into the movie. This is not what normal(?) people do.

The book is getting quite intense!

I really like how Arundhati Roy's writing flows so beautifully and is almost like poetry.

"Past Baby Kochamma. Past The Audience that had to move its legs again. Thiswayandthat. The red sign over the door said EXIT in a red light. Estha EXITed." (Roy 96). I think this is called poetic liscense?

On page 135, Estha is singing a poem about a tall girl with fair hair. I think she is talking about Sophie Mol because on the page before they are describing her: " Then, there, among the wash'n'wear and shiny suit cases, Sophie Mol." Do you agree with me that the poem is about Sophie Mol? Also why did the author have Sophie Mol die? Is it because if she had not died Velutha and Ammu wouldn't have gotten caught? I've noticed that Estha and Rahel are always talking about Sophie Mol. Why?

There is so much to grasp in this book, so much to understand and think about. This is the type of book you'd want to read three times just so you would fully understand everything. Right now in "The God of Small Things" Sophie Mol has just flown in to India with her mother. "Then, there, among the wash'n'wear suits and shinny suitscases, Sohpie Mol Thimble-drinker. Coffin-cartwheeler." (pg 134) The story is about to change, about to become a series of events that will turn all their lives upside down. Now the book will truly begin.

I was surprised with Ammu's reaction to Rahel's comment "why don't you marry him then?". Ammu said "When you hurt people, they begin to love you less. Thats what careless words do. They make people love you a little less.". This is shocking to me because a mother should never say that to her child. If this comment did have an effect, I think that it made Rahel love her mother a little less. I definately had less respect for Ammu after this.

The latest reading, when they meet Sophie Mol, was a good one. You learn more about the Pickle Factory and Chacko, which leads up to the airport. I liked learning about Comrade Pillai and Lenin as well. You coninue to learn about Estha and Rahel's conmnection, and learn more about the setting and charachters of the book. I like Sophie Mol a lot and am really interested about what will happen next. Roy continues to be an awesome author and the future meets the past.