Love as a Destructive Force - GoST
By: Harshida Mistry, Lydia Yu, and Madeline King
Activity - Skits
Introduction
A destructive force is anything that is released to cause damage to property or lives, whether natural or man made.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is essentially a love story about a family who is destroyed by the Love Laws that governed their lives, actions, and emotions
An important theme within The God of Small Things is the “Love Laws” and what happens when they are broken. The “Love Laws” are the principles and standards of society that, however wrong, are so ingrained in the minds of the people that they feel more like laws of nature.
“At Pappachi's funeral, Mammachi cried and her contact lenses slid around in her eyes. Ammu told the twins that Mammachi was crying more because she was used to him than because she loved him. (2)”
“Frightened eyes and a fountain looked back at Ammu. "D'you know what happens when you hurt people?" Ammu said. "When you hurt people, they begin to love you less. That's what careless words do. They make people love you a little less." (112)
“The original plan had been that Estha would sleep with Chacko, and Rahel with Ammu and Baby Kochamma. But now that Estha wasn't well and Love had been re-apportioned (Ammu loved her a little less), Rahel would have to sleep with Chacko, and Estha with Ammu and Baby Kochamma”. (26)
Estha nodded down at Ammu's face tilted up to the train window. At Rahel, small and smudged with station dirt. All three of them bonded by the certain, separate knowledge that they had loved a man to death. (210)
Estha always thought of Pectin as the youngest of three brothers with hammers, Pectin, Hectin and Abednego. He imagined them building a wooden ship in failing light and a drizzle. Like Noah's sons. He could see them clearly in his mind. Racing against time. The sound of their hammering echoing dully under the brooding, storm-coming sky. And nearby in the jungle, in the eerie, storm-coming light, animals queued up in pairs: Girlboy. Girlboy. Girlboy. Girlboy. Twins were not allowed. (43)
Conclusion
Discussion Questions
What are some examples today or from the past of love being a destructive force?
How does religion connect to love as a destructive force?
When do you believe the Love Laws start and why?
How do other pieces of literature we have studied depict love as a destructive force?
How do the theories we've discussed connect to love as a destructive force? (Feminism, New Historicism, Psychoanalysis, and Marxism)
Bibliography
"Definition of destructive force." The Q&A wiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2013. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Definition_of_destructive_force>.
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Esthappen, then, and Rahel had learned that the world had. "The God of Small Things Quotes, The God of Small Things Important Quotes, The God of Small Things Quotations Sayings Chapters 1-13." Famous Quotes at AllGreatQuotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2013. <http://www.allgreatquotes.com/the_god_of_small_things_quotes.shtml>.
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"The God of Small Things - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_God_of_Small_Things>.
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"The God of Small Things Family Quotes Page 4." Shmoop: Homework Help, Teacher Resources, Test Prep. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2013. <http://www.shmoop.com/god-of-small-things/family-quotes-4.html>.