Small Things Research Articles

Shoreline of “small things”: contextualizing a cultural dimension of dried fish in the Indian Sundarbans

Shoreline of “small things”: contextualizing a cultural dimension of dried fish in the Indian Sundarbans

Magic realism and Arundhati Roy’s god of small things

Magic realism and Arundhati Roy’s god of small things

Gender, Caste, and Love Laws in The God of Small Things: Contradictions and Trauma in a Post-Colonial Panorama

We identify the fundamental elements of reality and their simultaneous co-existence in Aymenem, a village in the Kottayam district of God’s Own Country, Kerala, where the post-colonial novel The God of Small Things is set. Arundhati Roy’s seminal work portrays those tumultuous times when India was plagued with socio-political malpractices such as poignant post-colonial legacies, pollical chaos, social discrimination, casteism, racism, class conflict, gender issues, patriarchy, and economic inequality – only to name a few. In this study, we seek to analyze individualistic perspectives, but also the collective effect of these fundamental elements of the societal irrationalities through the lens of post-colonialism, nature’s roleplay, casteism, gender, and contradiction. Not only do we briefly review the noteworthy reports and scholarly publications along these lines, but also report our contribution in the form of a holistic analysis of the individual-collective behavior, interpersonal and human-nature relationships presented in the novel. Finally, we also discuss our perspectives on the innate conflict, inner chaos, and contradictions at a time when we almost near three decades of the publication of the masterpiece family drama novel, The God of Small Things.

Survival Pain of Women in Anita Desai's Works

Anita Desai’s women characters suffer because of their inability to strike an emotional chord with their spouses and to vent out their feelings freely. In this novel, Desai portrays Monisha, the protagonist’s plight very graphically and carefully relates it to “the women who are like the female birds in the cage”. All her novels revolve around the traditional status of women in the society dominated by the male chauvinists. As with the other feminist writers like Gita Mehta, Shashi Deshpande, Arundhati Roy etc. the crucial issue taken up by Desai is women’s freedom. Freedom which men always possess but is denied to women flatly. Monisha like a caged bird trapped in an incompatible marriage with Jiban yearns to put her “head out of the window” but the “bars are closely set”. And here Monisha is characterized by a remarkable quest for the self. But unlike Sarita in Deshpande’s “Dark Holds No Terrors” or even Ammu in Arindhati Roy’s “The God of Small Things”, Monisha succumbs to the existential problems within the family fold. The novel ending in the tragic death of Monisha is a grim pointer towards the typical predicament of women in our times. And this is the tragedy of Indian Women leading to strings of suicides day after day. The present paper aims to dilate over this poignant social problem crying for urgent attention and remedial measures in this direction.

Estha and Trans Identity in The God of Small Things

Estha and Trans Identity in The God of Small Things

Re-envisioning Ecofeminism through a Comparative Study of Things Fall Apart and The God of Small Things

Re-envisioning Ecofeminism through a Comparative Study of Things Fall Apart and The God of Small Things

The Defiant Faces: Intersectionality in Arundhati Roy’s Resistance Narratives

This study examines the multilayered concept of resistance in Arundhati Roy’s novels The God of Small Things (1997) and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017). By foregrounding the voices of marginalized individuals, Roy critically examines systemic inequalities, caste discrimination, and state violence. While existing literary scholarship acknowledges the victimization and marginalization of subaltern women under traditional gender roles, caste systems, politics, and religion, this research highlights how these women actively resist such injustices. Utilizing theoretical frameworks from Guha, Spivak, Gramsci, and Crenshaw, the paper explores the intersectionality of personal and political resistance. It discusses Roy’s critique of power structures and her advocacy for justice and human dignity. Thus, the study unveils the layers of defiance in Roy’s unique portrayal of varied resistance strategies in her narratives.

A PhD in cups of espresso

When he started writing up his PhD thesis, Vittorio Aita was warned that it would be hard. However, he explains that taking pride in the small things and finding a lighthearted way to track his progress – in cups of espresso – kept him going even when the work was tough.

The Important Thing for me is not the Special or the Great One. The Small Thing Near to me is the Most Important One (Tcheonzamun 081st-096th)

French missionary Dallet (1874) wrote in his book that Korean language is truly different from Chinese language. Dallet (1874) described that old Chinese people utilized ‘The thousand character essay’ as the textbook for their children for educating Chinese characters. The people in Korea utilized this book of ‘The thousand character essay’ until now for Chinese character for their children. At present, ‘the thousand character essay’ is called as ‘Tcheonzamun’ in Korea. Park et al., (2021a; 2021b) studied the translation of several Tcheonzamum poems. This time, the present researcher tried to translate another poem of ‘The thousand character essay’ ((Tcheonzamun 081st-096th). The present researcher selected continuous 16 letters from ‘The thousand character essay (Tcheonzamun)’, and the researcher considered it as a poem. This time, the poem of (Tcheonzamun 081st-096th). There are two methods for the translation of Tcheonzamun poem. One is through the meaning of Chinese character; the other is through Korean pronunciation of Chinese character. This time the researcher tried to translate through the meaning of Chinese character of the poem. And Tcheonzamun book by Han (1583) was utilized for this study. The title of this work is ‘The important thing for me is not the special or the great one. The small thing near to me is the most important one (Tcheonzamun 081st-096th)’. The result obtained from this work will be described as follows. <Number in Tcheonzamun Chinese characters (the pronunciation on Korean language and written in English alphabet)> 081-084 始(Si) 制(Ze) 文(Mun) 字(Za). If you are going to do (始) something (制), is it not necessary to talk about (字) a big idea (文)? 085-088 乃(Nae) 服(Bog) 衣(Eui) 裳(Sang). No, it is not so. If you want to make (乃) clothes (服), it is necessary for you only to do (衣) this work of making dress (裳). 089-092 推(Tchu) 位(Wi) 讓(Yang) 國(Gug). If you expel (推) someone from the person’s place (位). You will also get kicked (讓) out of the place(國). 093-096 有(Yu) 虞(U) 陶(Do) 唐(Dang). If you make (有) someone to become sad (虞) with telling a lie or with doing cheat, and then, you yourself will be ruined (陶) at your work (唐).

A Passion for Small Things and Staying Primed: My Career in Virology and Immunology.

A love of science and animals, perseverance, and happenstance propelled my career in veterinary virology and immunology. I have focused on deadly enteric and respiratory viral infections in neonatal livestock and humans with an aim to understand their prevalence, pathogenesis, interspecies transmission, and immunity and develop vaccines. Research on animal coronaviruses (CoVs), including their broad interspecies transmission, provided a foundation to understand emerging zoonotic fatal human respiratory CoVs [severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)] and reverse zoonosis of SARS-CoV-2 to animals. A highlight of my early research was the discovery of the gut-mammary gland-sIgA axis, documenting a common mucosal immune system. The latter remains pivotal to designing maternal vaccines for passive immunity in neonates. Our discovery and innovative cell propagation of fastidious human and animal rotaviruses and caliciviruses and their infectivity in germ-free animals has provided cell-adapted and animal disease models for ongoing virologic and immunologic investigations and vaccines. Nevertheless, besides the research discoveries, my lasting legacy remains the outstanding mentees who have enriched my science and my life.

The Significance of Small Things: Small Hydropower in the People’s Republic of China, 1949–1983

The Significance of Small Things: Small Hydropower in the People’s Republic of China, 1949–1983

Othering Nature in Arundhati Roy’s 'The God of Small Things': A Postcolonial Ecocritical Study

By mainly referring to Huggan and Tiffin (2010) on postcolonial ecocriticism, the study aims to explore how Arundhati Roy’s novel The God of Small Things (1997) contributes new perspectives on the intertwining between postcolonial studies and ecocriticism. In addition, it explores how the anthropocentric attitude of human beings ruins their natural environment. The selected text is analyzed by utilizing the techniques of content analysis. Human beings are involved to ‘other’ natural environments for their economic gains in the name of development. It is the way of justifying their colonizing attitudes and manipulation of nature. The research finds out that the humans’ desires for economic development are materialized through putting aside the traditional ways of agriculture, building dams, clearing forests, and adopting modern ways of living which destroy the balance of their ecosystem. These factors eventually lead towards the ‘othering’ of nature and the natives in the hands of the colonizers, having some hidden economic and political agendas. Though, Roy’s selected text (1997) has been explored through different postcolonial perspectives but, the colonizers’ attitude towards nature and lands of the colonized is ignored. So, the study is an effort to fill this research gap.

Reclaiming Desire and Defying Conventions: An Analysis of Female Sexuality in Mrs Dalloway and the God of Small Things

The paper offers a detailed analysis of the complexities of female sexuality in Mrs Dalloway and The God of Small Things from a feminist perspective. It investigates how female protagonists overcome and defy societal norms and expectations concerning their sexual desires. The obstacles of conventional sexual norms align with the ‘repressive hypothesis’, coined by Michele Foucault in The History of Sexuality which posits that the modern discourse on sexuality is characterized by repression. This theory is used to depict how societal repression shapes and is shaped by the narratives of Clarissa and Ammu. The paper is qualitative and uses close textual analysis as an analytical tool. For the study, primary data were collected from textbooks, and secondary sources including various books, websites, articles, and journals were used to gather secondary data. The clear finding is that Clarissa has a sexual desire for Sally which is not accepted by post world war British society and Ammu, being a divorcee and upper-class woman, reclaims her sexual agency and attempts to fulfill her sexual desire by making a romantic relationship with Velutha which is prohibited in the post-colonial Indian society. Through the blending of sexual desires with more general societal issues like race, class, and cultural identities, both novels deconstructed conventional depictions of female sexuality. Thus, the study contributes to the ongoing conversation on the role of women’s sexual desires and their place in a postmodern world where autonomy, self-expression, and the deconstruction of conventional norms are of paramount importance.

Gendered Authorship of the Female Identity: A Gynocritical Comparative Study between Norwegian Wood and the God of Small Things

The paper seeks to elucidate the differences in the representation of women in male- and female-authored texts, specifically analyzing Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood and Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Numerous critics over the years have noted that male and female authors often portray femininity in markedly different ways. While male authors tend to perpetuate prejudiced or stereotypical views of women, female authors, drawing from their direct experiences of womanhood, provide more authentic depictions that foster female empowerment. Theoretically identifying this marked difference is thus the primary aim of this paper and hence this study employs a qualitative textual analysis, utilizing theoretical frameworks such as Michel Foucault’s discourses of sexuality, Elaine Showalter’s gynocriticism, Hélène Cixous’s écriture féminine, Judith Butler’s gender performativity, and Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of gender stereotypes. The findings reveal a significant divergence in the way that male- and female-authored texts characterize female figures. Murakami, in his portrayal of Naoko and Midori, has often associated reductive and stereotypical attributes that in essence undermine their agencies and voices; their attributes and mannerisms were shown to be limited to emotional and/or sexual contexts that conflate the female experience and undermine gender fluidity. In contrast, Roy depicted Ammu and Rahel in accordance to feminist sensibilities as they can be seen to portray androgyny as well as employ their sexualities to challenge and subvert social norms and stereotypes. The study therefore concludes that women-authored narratives provide more nuanced and authentic representations of female experiences, whereas male-authored texts frequently reinforce patriarchal frameworks and stereotypical assumptions of one-dimensional gender linearity.

What Can We Do About the Climate Crisis?

Understanding how our planet’s climate is changing because of human actions is super important if we want to keep living here. A changing climate means hotter weather, droughts, wildfires, heavy rains, storms, and floods. To fix things, we need to figure out which human activities are making the climate act this way and how we can change those activities. Everyone has a part to play—politicians, companies, engineers, and citizens. Small things like changing how we travel or use energy can help a lot. When the younger people who will inherit the planet come together and demand action on climate change, they can have a big impact. It helps when young people combine these demands with personal action, to show others that they, and lots of other people, care about this issue: by eating less red meat, using transportation wisely, pushing for changes in how businesses operate, and voting for leaders who care about the environment.

“Resistance and Empowerment: The Representation of Women in Arundhati Roy’s ‘The God of Small Things’ and ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness”

“Resistance and Empowerment: The Representation of Women in Arundhati Roy’s ‘The God of Small Things’ and ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness”

Beyond generic support: Contextual influences on careers of gender and sexuality diverse groups in higher education

AbstractDespite the emerging attention to career development for gender and/or sexuality diverse (GSD) students, the literature is largely limited to generic support, missing a specific focus on either careers or being GSD. Such a generic view about contextual influences makes it difficult to guide the design and implementation of concrete, feasible practices for supporting GSD students' careers. Extending the existing body of work, this study employed qualitative methods to explore more specific, nuanced contextual factors within the university setting that influence GSD students' career development. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 25 Australian university students who self‐identified as GSD. Our findings report seven major themes that could explain the influence of university contexts on the career development and experiences of GSD students. These themes include generic mentoring not always being useful, the negative effects of framing diversity as a “risk,” small things that can foster a sense of safety, the importance of designated areas and resources, the importance of advice on safe workplaces and being authentic at work, the importance of the visibility of key people, and the need for intersectional support. In addition to unpacking the influence of unique contextual features, these findings contribute to the extension of existing career frameworks such as the career self‐management model into GSD contexts. Our results also shed light on detailed, implementable practical solutions for universities, career counselors, and psychologists to support the career development of GSD students.

Gender Representation in Contemporary Indian Women Writers

This research paper delves into the nuanced exploration of gender representation in the literary works of two distinguished contemporary Indian women writers, Arundhati Roy and Jhumpa Lahiri. The investigation encompasses a historical analysis of their narratives, scrutinizing their impact on societal perceptions and the evolving discourse surrounding gender roles. Arundhati Roy's seminal work, "The God of Small Things," serves as a focal point for examining her adept dismantling of traditional gender norms within the socio-cultural fabric of India. Concurrently, Jhumpa Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories, "Interpreter of Maladies," provides a diasporic lens through which gender intersects with cultural identities. The paper progresses through individual analyses of Roy and Lahiri's works, unraveling their unique approaches to gender representation. While Roy challenges societal expectations in India through vivid portrayals of characters breaking free from established norms, Lahiri navigates the diasporic experience, intricately weaving the intersectionality of gender with cultural identity. Common themes and divergent approaches between the two authors are explored, contributing to a broader dialogue on gender representation in contemporary Indian literature. As the narrative unfolds, critical reception and scholarly debates surrounding Roy and Lahiri's works are considered, shedding light on the dynamic nature of gender representation within diverse cultural landscapes. The research also anticipates future trends, emphasizing emerging themes such as intersectionality, global feminist perspectives, and the integration of technology in shaping narratives. Ethical considerations and the advocacy for inclusive publishing practices are discussed, recognizing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. This research aims to amplify the voices of women in literature, providing a comprehensive understanding of their experiences while paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable literary landscape.

Black bodies in phenomenological bioethics: cultural othering, ‘Corporeal Uncanny’ and ethical quandaries of black nurses in Take My Hand and Small Great Things

The aims of the present article are twofold. First, it attempts to theorise the thematic and ontological intersection between phenomenological and black bioethics and proposes ‘Ontic-Black Bioethics’, a neologism to...

Small things, deep resonance: A sociology for dark times

ABSTRACT Jeffrey C Goldfarb responds to the commentaries and reflections of the authors in this volume.