Family Dynamics
By Clayton Whitt & Josh Syre
Introduction
Activity
Do you have a sibling(s)?
Do you and your sibling(s) have a close-knit relationship?
If not, do you show any sort of appreciation towards them? How often?
Have one or two explain the relationship.
Most family-related relationships contain unconditional love, but not all show it or prove it in any way. Although most don't show it, they still feel it for their families.
Brother/Sister
- Fraternal twins -close relationship as kids
- Lived through same experiences as children and were supportive of each other -as time went on, relationship became more intimate
- When rahel left, the twins felt something missing between them and when he returned their relationship entered a new level
Before
“...together as me and separately, individually, as We or Us. As though they were a rare breed of Siamese twins, physically separate, but with joint identities” (Roy 4-5).
- Show similar personalities these twins had
- Shared a connection ever since they were children
- "never been shy of each other's bodies, but they had never been old enough (together) to know what shyness was".
After
“Separately, the two of them are no longer what they were or ever thought they’d be. Ever. Their lives have a size and a shape now."
- Relationship became more intimate and they realized how much they needed each other
- Relationship evolved
- Tried to persuade many that they weren't "of blood relationship"
Mother/Child
- Strict/loving mother
- Only parent to Rahel/Estha
- Has deep love- Left Baba when he began to be abusive to the twins and Ammu
- Left the world being remembered as a very loving mother
- Ammu is a strict mother
- Her words invoke uncertainty in her children's minds at times, in this situation, Rahel's.
- Her words cause Rahel to believe that Ammu does not love her as much.
"Everybody says that children need a Baba. And I say no. Not my children. D'you know why?"..."Because you're our Ammu and our Baba and you love us Double" (Roy 158).
- Ammu is a nontraditional woman who had a divorce
- Her kids are constantly reminded that they are only raised by one parent.
- Because she has to be both parents, she has uncontrollable love for her kids.
Husband/Wife
- In their society, marriage is viewed more as a way to bear children than made of love.
- Husbands are typically abusive of wives and use them as a physical scapegoat for their anger; commonly beat their wives.
- After returning to Ayemenem at the age of 31, Rahel enrolls in an architecture program in Delhi.
- There she meets Larry McCaslin, who she marries and goes back to the US with.
- They hardly show any affection towards each other; the marriage isn't highlighted very much in the book as it is supposed to have an unimportance to it.
"A year into the marriage, and the charm of Chacko’s studently sloth wore off for Margaret Kochamma. It no longer amused her that while she went to work, the flat remained in the same filthy mess that she had left it in." (Roy 142)
- Chacko charmed Margaret Kochamma when he lived in England, and they married.
- Despite his initial image of a businessman, Margaret finds Chacko incredibly lazy and leaves him for Joe, a dependable biologist.
- Margaret left him simply because of his behavior; interaction is important to build healthy relationships.
Discussion Questions
- Do families stay closer when they are together or when they are apart?
- Characters in the novel are torn between love and duty. Which characters truly love each other?
- What caused Rahel and Estha's relationship to distance more and more?
- How does Chacko feel about Ammu throughout the book? (Beginning, middle end)
- Why do you think we understand so little about Baba, Rahel and Estha's father?