The God of Small Things

Lesson 10
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ELA

Unit 3

12th Grade

Lesson 10 of 37

Objective


Describe the turmoil in Kerala in 1969 based on the experiences of the characters in the novel.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy  pp. 58 – 68

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Target Task


Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes the relationship between Ammu and Chacko?

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Sample Response

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It can be reasonably inferred from the passage that the political climate in Kerala in 1969 is tense because

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Sample Response

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Writing Prompt

Describe the specific techniques Roy uses to convey the tension in India through the events at the train crossing that day. Use evidence from the chapter to support your answer.

Key Questions


  • Note the setting. Where is the family? Why?
  • What is the narrator’s tone toward Mammachi’s claim that “what her grandchildren suffered from was far worse than Inbreeding”? Explain.
  • Why does Chacko call Ammu a “true Bourgeoisie”? What is his tone? What kind of relationship do Ammu and Chacko seem to have?
  • How does Ammu tease him back on p. 62 when the column of men with red banners appears?
  • Who is Murlidharan? How does the description of him add to the reader’s understanding of the setting and conflicts of the novel? 
  • Note the multiple references to the color red on pp. 61–62. How does it contrast with the Plymouth? What is the significance?
  • According to what you know about Communism and the caste system, why would it seem they would be in opposition to each other
  • What does the narrator suggest on p. 64 is actually the case about communism in Kerala at first?
  • What was the “Peaceful Transition”?
  • Who are the Naxalites according to p. 66, and why would they strike “terror in every bourgeois heart”?
  • What does this chapter help the reader to understand about Kerala and India in 1969?
  • How does the sentence “On their shoulders…a recent fuse” help to characterize the mood in Kerala on this day and in general at this time?
  • What does Chacko say to Ammu that fills the car with silence? Why?

Notes


  • It is recommended that students do some brief background reading on Marxism/Communism in India prior to today’s reading of the novel. The “Background and Context” section of the University of Wisconsin's Teaching The God of Small Things In Wisconsin: A Guide for Educators provides such information.
  • Students will also need background on India’s caste system. The same document contains a brief explanation.

Next

Analyze the author’s characterization of Velutha.

Describe how Velutha’s character is used to reveal conflict in India.

Lesson 11
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