Trauma And Traumatic Narrative In The God Of Small Things

Arundhati Roy (1961-) is the first Indian woman writer who is awarded the NationalBook Award and the Booker Prize for her first novel The God of Small Things in1997. Notonly is she an expert in fiction writing, but also a specialist in Indian history andpsychological research. Roy’s first novel The God of Small Things is a traumatic history of anupper-class family in the town of Ayemenem in Kerala, India.Many scholars have showed great interest in such an international bestseller. Broadlyspeaking, the research mainly focuses on cultural and historical elements from perspectives ofpost-colonialism, cultural invasion, caste system, social class, etc. as well as writing styles. Inaddition, some scholars tend to interpret the novel with reference to trauma theory ornarratology. However, few have contributed to examining this novel in the light of traumaticnarrative theory.Under the guidance of trauma theory, this thesis intends to explore how the novel TheGod of Small Things gives full expression to traumas with the aid of narrative strategies andexamine how the traumatized characters work through trauma experiences on their own.Besides Introduction and Conclusion, this thesis is divided into four chapters.Introduction gives a brief introduction to the author Arundahti Roy and her masterpieceThe God of Small Things, and a critical review at home and abroad. Then it discusses thesignificance of the thesis.Chapter One expounds trauma theory and literary narrative of trauma.Chapter Two explores the trauma representations in this novel. The first part analyzes thethree major traumatized characters, the twins Rahel and Estha and their mother, Ammu. Thenit goes on to generalize traumatic symptoms including intrusion, constriction and disconnection. In addition, it also analyzes the cultural and historical environment oftraumatic sources to demonstrate a traumatic world this novel creates.Chapter Three discusses the features of traumatic narrative in this novel. In this chapter,point of view, circular narrative structure and language games are examined meticulously toanalyze trauma narrative of the novel.Chapter Four gives an analysis of the way characters working through their traumas fromaspects: reconnecting interpersonal relationships, integrating the past with the presence, andreconstructing identity. In the novel, individual trauma is a miniature of the entire nation’straumatic experience. In that regard, the traumatic character’s successful recovery from thepast nightmare proves to be a mortal blow against Indian caste system, the nightmare ofIndian.Conclusion summarizes major points discussed in the proceeding chapters. It concludesthat the novel gives an account of the traumatic experiences of the Indians by employing theunique traumatic narrative techniques, which demonstrates Roy’s perception of trauma andher humanistic ethics. It voices the author’s hope for a bright future of India.