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Invisible Barriers and Fragmented Lives: An Analysis of Alienation and Estrangement in Arundhati Roy's The God Of Small Things

Year 2023, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 172 - 188, 31.12.2023
https://doi.org/10.58306/wollt.1345902

Abstract

Arundhati Roy's novel, The God of Small Things, is a complex portrayal of alienation and estrangement experienced by its characters within the socio-political milieu of postcolonial India. Roy skillfully exposes the impact of societal norms and caste divisions on personal relationships, resulting in profound emotional isolation and rupture within the family unit. This evocative narrative sheds light on the disempowerment and disenfranchisement experienced by the estranged and marginalized voices. From this point of view, considering the theories of alienation, this article analyzes the various forms of alienation and estrangement depicted in the novel and explores their underlying causes and consequences. The analysis delves into the theme of familial alienation, focusing on the forbidden love between fraternal twins Estha and Rahel, and the subsequent estrangement within their family. Furthermore, the article examines the characters' alienation from the political and cultural landscape of India. It explores how the colonial legacy, combined with the rigid social hierarchy, leads to the marginalization of certain groups and individuals, ultimately deepening their sense of estrangement. Additionally, through a close reading of the novel, this article reveals how Roy employs narrative techniques such as fragmented chronology and lyrical prose to mirror the characters' fragmented identities and fragmented society. It explores the ways in which alienation and estrangement manifest themselves in the novel, and how they are inextricably linked to broader social and historical forces.

References

  • Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture.London, Routledge.
  • Fromm, E. (1955). The Sane Society. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Ghosh, R. (2008). Between Desire and Destiny: A Postcolonial Reading of Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. Atlantic Literary Review, 9(1), 15-24.
  • Ghosh, R. (2012). Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things: A Reader's Guide. Anthem Press.
  • Indrakumar, V. (2015). The Alienation of Untouchables and the Need for Self-Identity in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. Language in India, 15(3), 273-286.
  • Jameson, F. (1981). The Political Unconscious: Narrative as a Socially Symbolic Act. Cornell University Press.
  • Marx, K. (1844). Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. Progress Publishers.
  • Marx, K. (1990). Capital: A Critique of Political Economy (Vol. 1). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1867)
  • Nair, R. (2002). Interrogating the Margins: Postcolonial Identity, Caste, and Gender in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. In E. Dawson-Varughese (Ed.), Women's Fiction and Post-9/11 Contexts (pp. 67-88). Routledge.
  • Roy, A. (1997). The God of Small Things. Random House.
  • Seeman, M. (1959). On the Meaning of Alienation. American Sociological Review, 24(6), 783–791. https://doi.org/10.2307/2088565
  • Simmel, G. (1908). The Sociology of Secrecy and Secret Societies. American Journal of Sociology, 11(4), 441-498.
  • Verma, M. (2007). Postcolonial Feminist Discourse in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. In S. Nag (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Arundhati Roy (pp. 51-61). Sarup & Sons.
  • Weber, M. (1905). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Charles Scribner's Sons.

Görünmez Engeller ve Parçalanmış Hayatlar: Arundhati Roy'un The God Of Small Things İsimli Eserinde Yabancılaşma ve Uzaklaşma

Year 2023, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 172 - 188, 31.12.2023
https://doi.org/10.58306/wollt.1345902

Abstract

Arundhati Roy'un romanı The God of Small Things, sömürge sonrası Hindistan'ın sosyo-politik ortamında karakterlerin deneyimlediği yabancılaşma ve uzaklaşmanın karmaşık bir tasviridir. Roy, aile biriminde derin duygusal izolasyon ve kopuşa neden olan toplumsal normların ve kast ayrımlarının kişisel ilişkilere olan etkisini ustalıkla ortaya koymaktadır. Bu etkileyici anlatı, yabancılaşmış ve marjinalleşmiş seslerin yaşadığı güçsüzlük ve seçim haklarından yoksun kalma durumunu gözler önüne sermektedir. Bu bakış açısından, yabancılaşma teorilerinden hareketle, bu makale romanda tasvir edilen çeşitli yabancılaşma ve uzaklaşma biçimlerini analiz ederek temel nedenleri ve sonuçları incelenmektedir. Analiz, kardeş ikizler Estha ve Rahel arasındaki yasak aşka ve ardından aileleri içindeki uzaklaşmaya odaklanarak ailevi yabancılaşma temasına derinlemesine inmektedir. İlaveten, karakterlerin, Hindistan'ın siyasi ve kültürel ortamından uzaklaşmasını da incelenmektedir. Sömürge mirasının katı toplumsal hiyerarşiyle birleşmesinin, belirli grupların ve bireylerin marjinalleşmesine yol açarak onların yabancılaşma duygularını derinleştirdiği gözlenmektedir. Makale ayrıca, romana yakın bir okuma yaparak, Roy'un parçalanmış kronoloji ve lirik bir anlatı gibi anlatı tekniklerini kullanarak karakterlerin parçalanmış kimliklerini ve parçalanmış toplumu yansıttığını ortaya koymaktadır. Romanın içinde yabancılaşma ve uzaklaşmanın nasıl kendini gösterdiğini ve bunların daha geniş toplumsal ve tarihsel güçlerle nasıl bağlantılı olduğunun altı çizilmektedir.

References

  • Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture.London, Routledge.
  • Fromm, E. (1955). The Sane Society. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Ghosh, R. (2008). Between Desire and Destiny: A Postcolonial Reading of Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. Atlantic Literary Review, 9(1), 15-24.
  • Ghosh, R. (2012). Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things: A Reader's Guide. Anthem Press.
  • Indrakumar, V. (2015). The Alienation of Untouchables and the Need for Self-Identity in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. Language in India, 15(3), 273-286.
  • Jameson, F. (1981). The Political Unconscious: Narrative as a Socially Symbolic Act. Cornell University Press.
  • Marx, K. (1844). Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. Progress Publishers.
  • Marx, K. (1990). Capital: A Critique of Political Economy (Vol. 1). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1867)
  • Nair, R. (2002). Interrogating the Margins: Postcolonial Identity, Caste, and Gender in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. In E. Dawson-Varughese (Ed.), Women's Fiction and Post-9/11 Contexts (pp. 67-88). Routledge.
  • Roy, A. (1997). The God of Small Things. Random House.
  • Seeman, M. (1959). On the Meaning of Alienation. American Sociological Review, 24(6), 783–791. https://doi.org/10.2307/2088565
  • Simmel, G. (1908). The Sociology of Secrecy and Secret Societies. American Journal of Sociology, 11(4), 441-498.
  • Verma, M. (2007). Postcolonial Feminist Discourse in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. In S. Nag (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Arundhati Roy (pp. 51-61). Sarup & Sons.
  • Weber, M. (1905). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Charles Scribner's Sons.
There are 14 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects European Language, Literature and Culture, British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture, Modernist/Postmodernist Literature, Postcolonial Literature
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Mehmet Recep Taş 0000-0002-5838-1948

Elif Beyza Türkmenoğlu 0009-0008-6733-4423

Publication Date December 31, 2023
Submission Date August 18, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 4 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Taş, M. R., & Türkmenoğlu, E. B. (2023). Invisible Barriers and Fragmented Lives: An Analysis of Alienation and Estrangement in Arundhati Roy’s The God Of Small Things. Dünya Dilleri, Edebiyatları Ve Çeviri Çalışmaları Dergisi, 4(2), 172-188. https://doi.org/10.58306/wollt.1345902