Ashni Sonawala,

English Literature HL
Grade 11

The God of Small Things

Chapter 1: Paradise Pickles & Preserves

The God of Small things, explores familial relationships. It opens with the vivid
imagery of the humid monsoon in a town called Ayemenem, situated in Kerala
where the Christian-Indian Ipe family lives. The reader is introduced to the two
protagonists, Rahel and Estha who are dizygotic twins who have been reunited after
years of being separated. Other characters include Ammu, Mammachi, Pappachi,
Sophie Mol, Baby Kochamma and Kocha Maria.

Rahel and Estha hold a close, but somewhat outlandish relationship. “They were a
rare breed of Siamese twins” as said by the author in the book. When they were
younger, although they were physically separate, they had joint identities. In other
words, they shared memories and experiences with each other. However, they grew
up to have their own emotions and identities. As described in chapter 1, it can be
inferred that Rahel is a lively and imaginative girl unlike Estha who is more serious,
quiet and ‘occupies very little space in the world.’

Ammu, the mother of the twins has been treated poorly first by her father, Pappachi
and also by her alcoholic Husband who she leaves eventually. Later, she has an affair
with an untouchable, Velutha, which breaks the norms of society and isn’t accepted
by the family. Baby Kochamma is also an antagonist to the three of them and only
thinks about her self. In fact, she is one of the most bitter and jealous characters in
the story that she betrays Ammu and the twins in order to save herself. These weak
family relationships and the difficulties Ammu goes through bring out the
helplessness of the twins and their mother.

The line, ‘who should be loved and how much’ outlines one of the main themes of
the story of love and society and class. Social and political influences affect the Ipe
family to such an extent that

Towards the end of the chapter, we uncover what the mysterious title of the chapter
really means. Mammachi starts a factory named Paradise Pickles and Preserves
where she prepares banana jam secretly because the government banned it. The fact
that the family continues to run it implies how this is her family’s way of life and
how they are constantly engaging in such wrongdoings, which eventually leads to
their downfall. Moreover, it could possibly symbolize conservation because
throughout the chapter there are several circumstances that show how the Ipe’s
preserve old traditions and are very conservative in terms of caste and class
systems.
Ashni Sonawala,
English Literature HL
Grade 11