All I have to say is, It's about time! I have been waiting for Ammu and Velutha to get together and have an affair. They even came right out and said it earlier, I just didn't know when it was coming. It took the whole story though. They focus on the small things when they meet, like the small insects (bugs, again? jeez...) and each others' bodies. I thought the Tomorrow? Tomorrow thing was cute that they did at the end of each night. Like a promise to each other. It was kind of like they had that instead of a marriage, since they could never be together in public, like their own silent vows, just to each other, that only they knew about.
I am really undecided on whether I liked this novel or not. It was very hard to follow at times because it switched between the past a present so much. It was also very sad, but there was so much to get out of this novel. I really liked the main storyline of everything, I just think it would have held my attention more if it would not have jumped around so much. I really liked all the little symblolism and all the little foreshadowing. All the little things that you pick up on while reading this novel really fits with the title. It really is all about the small things. I really liked how the last word was "Tomorrow". It made it seem like there was more to come, like it would never be over, which I thought was very cute. I think there were more things that I liked about this book than I didn't. It was hard to get in to in the beginning, but the end was worth it. The more I think about it, the more I liked it.
Sunday
TGOST Ch. 19 & 20
The twins are at the Police Station with Baby, and they tell the investigator that they went to Velutha's house by choice, and that Sophie's death was not murder. The police are not about to let this happen because then they would have killed an innocent person (Velutha). Baby tells a bunch of lies, and she tortures the children so they will go along with her. She is a horrible person as far as I am concerned. I would never be able to live with a secret like that on my shoulders for the rest of my life. First of all, it is horrible that she manipulates the innocent children, and second of all, she does it to go against an innocent man, who could die. I can't believe she is so heartless. I don't care who it is, if they are dying so painfully, how could you lie and just prolong it? I really do not like baby at all!
Baby tells the children that they could go to jail for what happened, but she says that they can get out of it by answering yes to the investigator's question. The officer only needs one of the twins, so Estha then has to go and identify Velutha, who is barely alive. All of his bruises and cuts can be seen from the beating, and it is a very horrible sight. Yet another event to add to the list of things that scarred Estha for life. All Estha does is say yes to the questions he is asked. After all this happens, Baby is afraid that they will find out that she is lying. Ammu must run away without her children, and Estha is sent away to live with his Babu.
The part at the train station is very sad because this is the last time the two will see each other, but they do not know it. "I'll be home for you soon" is said, and we know this is not true, so it is very sad. There are also some things that happened in this chapter that I found quite disturbing, and I will just leave it at that...
Baby tells the children that they could go to jail for what happened, but she says that they can get out of it by answering yes to the investigator's question. The officer only needs one of the twins, so Estha then has to go and identify Velutha, who is barely alive. All of his bruises and cuts can be seen from the beating, and it is a very horrible sight. Yet another event to add to the list of things that scarred Estha for life. All Estha does is say yes to the questions he is asked. After all this happens, Baby is afraid that they will find out that she is lying. Ammu must run away without her children, and Estha is sent away to live with his Babu.
The part at the train station is very sad because this is the last time the two will see each other, but they do not know it. "I'll be home for you soon" is said, and we know this is not true, so it is very sad. There are also some things that happened in this chapter that I found quite disturbing, and I will just leave it at that...
TGOST Ch. 17 & 18
Estha is sitting on his bed watching Rahel sleep, which is kind of weird, but it reminds him of his mother. He ironed Rahel's clothes for her, which I thought was kind of weird. Even though I do not personally believe this, I thought that would be seen as a woman's job, and Rahel would have ironed Estha's clothes, not the other way around.
It talks about Sophie's death, and the official version that was in the papers. It is kind of weird that the children thought that they were going to get in trouble and go to jail because of it, but it is auctually Velutha that is taking the blame. I thought they mentioned that there was someone sleeping under the bush that the children did not notice. Velutha swimming across the river and the Sophie's death must have been in the same night. Why else would Velutha be sleeping out under a bush. I didn't think that when they noted a man sleeping under a bush, it would be a big deal, but I guess it is. They also talk about the Pickly factory, and that Velutha is also getting in trouble for being communist in the company.
The story then goes back to the day of Sophie's death, and it describes all the policemen there with their handcuffs, investigating. The policemen find the twins and Velutha in his History house. They beat him, and they almost kill him. The children have to sit there and watch every second of this. Yet another event to add to the list of things gone wrong for these children. No wonder why Estha doesn't talk any more. I would never talk either if I had to deal with the things that he has gone through. I can't believe that the policemen think they have done a good thing for the children. They think that they have saved them from this untouchable man, but really this is just one more thing that will scar them for life. I have two words to describe this: ridiculous and crazy.
It talks about Sophie's death, and the official version that was in the papers. It is kind of weird that the children thought that they were going to get in trouble and go to jail because of it, but it is auctually Velutha that is taking the blame. I thought they mentioned that there was someone sleeping under the bush that the children did not notice. Velutha swimming across the river and the Sophie's death must have been in the same night. Why else would Velutha be sleeping out under a bush. I didn't think that when they noted a man sleeping under a bush, it would be a big deal, but I guess it is. They also talk about the Pickly factory, and that Velutha is also getting in trouble for being communist in the company.
The story then goes back to the day of Sophie's death, and it describes all the policemen there with their handcuffs, investigating. The policemen find the twins and Velutha in his History house. They beat him, and they almost kill him. The children have to sit there and watch every second of this. Yet another event to add to the list of things gone wrong for these children. No wonder why Estha doesn't talk any more. I would never talk either if I had to deal with the things that he has gone through. I can't believe that the policemen think they have done a good thing for the children. They think that they have saved them from this untouchable man, but really this is just one more thing that will scar them for life. I have two words to describe this: ridiculous and crazy.
TGOST Ch. 15 & 16
Chapter 15 is very short, and it is about a man, whose name is never mentioned in this chapter. He is sitting at the top of thirteen steps. He takes off his clothes and swims across the river to the house. He left no trace that he was there, and he was naked except for nail polish on his fingers. Since the nail polish is mentioned, I assume that this man is Velutha. This seemed very random, and I don't really know why this was here. I'm sure it will come into play later. I thought it was interesting that the painted nails were used to distinguish and identify this man.
Estha, Rahel, and Sophie are planning to run away to the History House in the boat on the river. Sophie insisted that she come along because it would make the parents more sad, and grateful if the children ever cam back. It is dark out, so the children can't see. They hit a log and the boat tips over. Rahel and Estha get to shore, but when they get there, they realize that Sophie is not with them. They run up and down the shore calling her name a couple of times, but she does not respond. They wonder if she is dead, and worry that they will go to jail. They don't seem like they want to find her very badly though, since it does not go into much detail about them looking for her. Maybe it was just because it was dark.
It's about time we find out what happened the night Sophie died. The story has been jumping back and forth forever, and it finally got to the point. I really don't like how the story is so jumpy, it makes it very hard to follow.
Estha, Rahel, and Sophie are planning to run away to the History House in the boat on the river. Sophie insisted that she come along because it would make the parents more sad, and grateful if the children ever cam back. It is dark out, so the children can't see. They hit a log and the boat tips over. Rahel and Estha get to shore, but when they get there, they realize that Sophie is not with them. They run up and down the shore calling her name a couple of times, but she does not respond. They wonder if she is dead, and worry that they will go to jail. They don't seem like they want to find her very badly though, since it does not go into much detail about them looking for her. Maybe it was just because it was dark.
It's about time we find out what happened the night Sophie died. The story has been jumping back and forth forever, and it finally got to the point. I really don't like how the story is so jumpy, it makes it very hard to follow.
TGOST Ch. 13 & 14
The story of how Chacko and Margaret met is told. They were both in England, he studying on a Rhoades scholarship, and she was a waitress. She told him a story about two brothers, one pessimist and the other an optimist, and they laughed a lot. I really liked this story. I thought it was very cute, even though the two were only in love for a short time, if even at all. The author really makes it sound that they are crazy about each other though. I really liked the story about the two brothers also. I thought it was pretty funny. It was kind of sad that the couple got a divorce right after Sophie was born though. It seemed like it hurt everyone involved, and even though it says she didn't know what she was doing or how bad it was hurting him, how could she not have known? That just doesn't make sense to me.
Margaret and Chacko exchange letters, and Margaret says that she is very happy with Joe in England. I don't really know why they would exchange letters if the divorce was so hurtful in the first place. This also didn't make sense to me. I guess writing back and forth made everything okay. Then Joe dies suddenly, and Chacko invites Margaret and Sophie to visit him, so they decide to go to India. Margaret never forgave herself for leaving Sophie.
Then the chapter kind of breaks and switches points of view. Sophie Mol's death is brought up again. It said that Mammachi and Baby Kochamma first heard the news. They had started to worry because the three children had been gone for quite some time and they knew that the river might be dangerous because they had just gotten quite a bit of rainfall. Why wouldn't they go look for the kids if they had been gone for a long time and no one had heard from them, especially if there was any chance they could have been doing something dangerous?
Vellya Ppaapen comes over to their house, drunk. He taled alot, and he revealed the affair between Ammu and Velutha to the family. Then, it jumps around alot around the time of Sophie's death, and I got really confused. I wish the author would just tell the story in order without jumping around so much. It is so hard to follow what is going on.
Comrade Pillai talk about the Paradise Preservative and Pickle company. I don't think it is going so well. The two also talk about Velutha. Comrade Pillai thinks that Velutha should be fired, and this is because he knows about the affair.
These chapters were very out of order and hard to follow. I really didn't like them.
Margaret and Chacko exchange letters, and Margaret says that she is very happy with Joe in England. I don't really know why they would exchange letters if the divorce was so hurtful in the first place. This also didn't make sense to me. I guess writing back and forth made everything okay. Then Joe dies suddenly, and Chacko invites Margaret and Sophie to visit him, so they decide to go to India. Margaret never forgave herself for leaving Sophie.
Then the chapter kind of breaks and switches points of view. Sophie Mol's death is brought up again. It said that Mammachi and Baby Kochamma first heard the news. They had started to worry because the three children had been gone for quite some time and they knew that the river might be dangerous because they had just gotten quite a bit of rainfall. Why wouldn't they go look for the kids if they had been gone for a long time and no one had heard from them, especially if there was any chance they could have been doing something dangerous?
Vellya Ppaapen comes over to their house, drunk. He taled alot, and he revealed the affair between Ammu and Velutha to the family. Then, it jumps around alot around the time of Sophie's death, and I got really confused. I wish the author would just tell the story in order without jumping around so much. It is so hard to follow what is going on.
Comrade Pillai talk about the Paradise Preservative and Pickle company. I don't think it is going so well. The two also talk about Velutha. Comrade Pillai thinks that Velutha should be fired, and this is because he knows about the affair.
These chapters were very out of order and hard to follow. I really didn't like them.
TGOST Ch. 11 & 12
This chapter starts out talking about a dream of Ammu's, which I found really weird, no offense. It was about her and a one-armed man, and it was just really weird. First it talks about how he can only do one thing at a time, and then they are in an ocean or something, and he cannot swim with one arm, but she can. The two don't touch though. This just seems very weird and random to me.
Rahel and Estha find their mother dreaming, and they watch her and think she is having a nightmare or something. They wake her up slowly because it says that you can never wake dreaming people up suddenly or you will give them a heart attack. She says that she was having a good dream, and that she was happy. The children seem unconvinced.
Ammu realizes that the kids have been to see Velutha, and she tells them they should not have, but she does not seem very passionate. There is no yelling or screaming. She just kind of says, how many times have I told you not to go over there, that's bad. The twins then see the stretch marks of being pregnant on Ammu's stomach, and they ask her many questions. They decide which stretch marks each of them made by kicking their mother's stomach. Ammu gets tired of the children being so close to her and shrugs them off. I thought this was kind of mean the way it was said in the book. It was like the children were just toys that could be pushed aside when they were unwanted. Ammu seems very depressesed because when she looks at her body in the mirror, she cries a lot.
Chapter 12 is all about Estha and Rahel at the temple watching some dancers act out a play. The play is about a family and their problems, and it is very violent. The siblings are very interested in this play, probably because it reminds them so much of their own family and their problems. I think that this helps the two realize that they are not the only ones in the world with problems, and it might make them feel a little better. This play also might symbolize a big decision for Estha, since the play relates to the family. In the play the son makes a very big decision about the other sons. This part really showed the culture of India, and it was kind of cool.
Rahel and Estha find their mother dreaming, and they watch her and think she is having a nightmare or something. They wake her up slowly because it says that you can never wake dreaming people up suddenly or you will give them a heart attack. She says that she was having a good dream, and that she was happy. The children seem unconvinced.
Ammu realizes that the kids have been to see Velutha, and she tells them they should not have, but she does not seem very passionate. There is no yelling or screaming. She just kind of says, how many times have I told you not to go over there, that's bad. The twins then see the stretch marks of being pregnant on Ammu's stomach, and they ask her many questions. They decide which stretch marks each of them made by kicking their mother's stomach. Ammu gets tired of the children being so close to her and shrugs them off. I thought this was kind of mean the way it was said in the book. It was like the children were just toys that could be pushed aside when they were unwanted. Ammu seems very depressesed because when she looks at her body in the mirror, she cries a lot.
Chapter 12 is all about Estha and Rahel at the temple watching some dancers act out a play. The play is about a family and their problems, and it is very violent. The siblings are very interested in this play, probably because it reminds them so much of their own family and their problems. I think that this helps the two realize that they are not the only ones in the world with problems, and it might make them feel a little better. This play also might symbolize a big decision for Estha, since the play relates to the family. In the play the son makes a very big decision about the other sons. This part really showed the culture of India, and it was kind of cool.
TGOST Ch. 9 & 10
Present day, Rahel is watching toads, yet another "small thing" as she thinks about the day that she, Estha, and Sophie Mol went to visit Velutha, and how good he treated them. She mentioned that he was nothing like the parents, that he did not judge them or anything. He was just himself, and he let everyone be themselves also.
Rahel also thinks about Estha as she goes to the old pickle factory. She says something about the day that Sophie Mol arrived. That was the day that Estha thought two thoughts, and sealed one in a jar. I'm curious to see what these two thoughts were. It seems like they affected Estha alot because of how reserved he always is. Maybe this is what made him that way because the last line of the chapter is "It's true. Things can change in a day." Maybe that day was the one that changed Estha, the day that something really bad happened to him.
Chapter 10 is a flashback to Estha sitting in the factory, stirring some kind of jam. It then reveals his two thoughts mentioned in the last chapter, and I was kind of disappointed. I thought they might reveal something big about his charater, altough I think they foreshadow something, but they were rather disappointing. Estha is still thinking about the Orangedrink Lemondrink man from the movie theatre described a few chapters earlier, and he is scared. Rahel then comes to the factory and interrupts. Rahel and Estha make a secret plan together while they are at the factory. The two go to Velutha's house across the river, but their boat sinks. They see Velutha's sick brother in the death corner, where other members of his family have died. When Velutha comes back home, he seems very excited that Rahel and Estha are at his house, being Ammu's children.
The author mentions directly in this chapter that Ammu and Velutha will have an affair. This is the first time that the author comes out and says it, but I've thought that it was going to happen for a while now.
Rahel also thinks about Estha as she goes to the old pickle factory. She says something about the day that Sophie Mol arrived. That was the day that Estha thought two thoughts, and sealed one in a jar. I'm curious to see what these two thoughts were. It seems like they affected Estha alot because of how reserved he always is. Maybe this is what made him that way because the last line of the chapter is "It's true. Things can change in a day." Maybe that day was the one that changed Estha, the day that something really bad happened to him.
Chapter 10 is a flashback to Estha sitting in the factory, stirring some kind of jam. It then reveals his two thoughts mentioned in the last chapter, and I was kind of disappointed. I thought they might reveal something big about his charater, altough I think they foreshadow something, but they were rather disappointing. Estha is still thinking about the Orangedrink Lemondrink man from the movie theatre described a few chapters earlier, and he is scared. Rahel then comes to the factory and interrupts. Rahel and Estha make a secret plan together while they are at the factory. The two go to Velutha's house across the river, but their boat sinks. They see Velutha's sick brother in the death corner, where other members of his family have died. When Velutha comes back home, he seems very excited that Rahel and Estha are at his house, being Ammu's children.
The author mentions directly in this chapter that Ammu and Velutha will have an affair. This is the first time that the author comes out and says it, but I've thought that it was going to happen for a while now.
TGOST Ch. 7 & 8
There is a lot of talk about insects at the end of chapter 6 and the beginning of chapter 7. The author makes a note of a lot of the little things in the story, like bugs. I suppose that is why the book is called The God of Small Things. At the beginning of Chapter 7, Rahel is looking through Pappachi's study for things that her and Estha had when they were children. Estha just stands by the door and watches his sister.
Then it flashes back to Ammu, and when she came back to Ayemenem. It mentioned that she was very talkative, as if trying to cover something up. This was the last time that Rahel saw her before she died. She died while away on something for business in a hotel room. Rahel and her Chacko watched her being creamated because the church would not bury her, but neither of them cried. Rahel said that she hated Ammu at this point.
Mammachi is playing the violin out on the veranda while she thinks about things. Her mind wanders to Margaret Kochamma, and it is obvious that Mammachi does not like her through the music coming from the violin. There is a party for Sophie Mol, and everyone seems to show good behavior at the beginning. Rahel and Velutha play in the backyard, and Ammu is jealous. She tells Rahel not to be so close to Velutha, but she seems to be just jealous. Maybe something will happen with this "love triangle" later on.
Then it flashes back to Ammu, and when she came back to Ayemenem. It mentioned that she was very talkative, as if trying to cover something up. This was the last time that Rahel saw her before she died. She died while away on something for business in a hotel room. Rahel and her Chacko watched her being creamated because the church would not bury her, but neither of them cried. Rahel said that she hated Ammu at this point.
Mammachi is playing the violin out on the veranda while she thinks about things. Her mind wanders to Margaret Kochamma, and it is obvious that Mammachi does not like her through the music coming from the violin. There is a party for Sophie Mol, and everyone seems to show good behavior at the beginning. Rahel and Velutha play in the backyard, and Ammu is jealous. She tells Rahel not to be so close to Velutha, but she seems to be just jealous. Maybe something will happen with this "love triangle" later on.
TGOST ch 5 & 6
There is a lot of focus on a the river in the beginning of chapter 5. The locals have used it for many things, like boating and taking baths, but this river has a bad smell and people cannot swim in it anymore. At the end of Chapter 5, Rahel and Comrade Pillai are looking at black and white photographs. There is also something mentioned about the children and parents being mixed up or something?
In Chapter 6, Rahel is at Cochin Airport and Sophie Mol is coming in on a flight. When Sophie and Chacko's ex-wife finally arrive, it is kind of awkward. Chacko keeps calling her his wife, but she does not correct him. It seems as though she wants to, but nothing ever comes out of her mouth. Maybe this symbolizes something later to come?
Sophie seems like she is very stuck-up. She has Rahel and Estha play fashion models with her in the airport. It shows that she has a little bit of an imagination, but she seems bossy. Sophie also seems like she is very spoiled, and she gets everything that she wants. Baby Kochamma tells Sophie that she reminds her of a character from The Tempest, a Shakespeare play, and Sophie does not understand at all. This makes me think that she is somewhat stuck up, being that she is from England. She seems like she only cares about herself, and I think that this will hurt her later on.
In Chapter 6, Rahel is at Cochin Airport and Sophie Mol is coming in on a flight. When Sophie and Chacko's ex-wife finally arrive, it is kind of awkward. Chacko keeps calling her his wife, but she does not correct him. It seems as though she wants to, but nothing ever comes out of her mouth. Maybe this symbolizes something later to come?
Sophie seems like she is very stuck-up. She has Rahel and Estha play fashion models with her in the airport. It shows that she has a little bit of an imagination, but she seems bossy. Sophie also seems like she is very spoiled, and she gets everything that she wants. Baby Kochamma tells Sophie that she reminds her of a character from The Tempest, a Shakespeare play, and Sophie does not understand at all. This makes me think that she is somewhat stuck up, being that she is from England. She seems like she only cares about herself, and I think that this will hurt her later on.
TGOST Ch. 3 & 4
It seems as though Rahel's brother has just completely let himself go. Everyting seems to be a mess. I thought it was extremely weird that she just kind of stood there and watched him as he changed when she walked in. I find it weird that he did not notice her standing there watching him either. Maybe he just didn't want to notice her?
I get why Estha is kind of weird and reserved now. At the movie theatre, while they were watching The Sound of Music, what happened was just weird and gross. Estha sounds like he was being kind of annoying, singing all the songs and everything. The drink man at the counter was really creepy. I thought it was really, really gross that drink man flirted with Ammu in front of Estha, after what he just did. How old was Estha when this happened? I'm kind of confused, but I'm thinking he had to be kind of young, like a teenager?
There was also talk about communists in the the Paradise Pickles company. I did not know there were communists in India, or even the Middle East. I guess I just didn't really know what they were? This story is very depressing so far. It seems like nothing is going right for any of the characters, and this is only the beginning. Hopefully things will turn out better for them.
I get why Estha is kind of weird and reserved now. At the movie theatre, while they were watching The Sound of Music, what happened was just weird and gross. Estha sounds like he was being kind of annoying, singing all the songs and everything. The drink man at the counter was really creepy. I thought it was really, really gross that drink man flirted with Ammu in front of Estha, after what he just did. How old was Estha when this happened? I'm kind of confused, but I'm thinking he had to be kind of young, like a teenager?
There was also talk about communists in the the Paradise Pickles company. I did not know there were communists in India, or even the Middle East. I guess I just didn't really know what they were? This story is very depressing so far. It seems like nothing is going right for any of the characters, and this is only the beginning. Hopefully things will turn out better for them.
Wednesday
The God Of Small Things Chapter 1 & 2
Let me just start off by saying that I was extremely confused by the start of this book. I can't really tell if the characters are male or female because their names all sound so similar to me. When the book starts off, it seems like so many characters are introduced and the backgrounds of these people are given. It is hard to keep all these people straight when you just hear a little about them and then it moves on to the next character.
As the book starts out, a person named Rahel, who is a woman coming back to her homeland of India. She is coming back to see her twin brother Estha and her mother Ammu. There was also a bigger part about Baby Kochamma which is her grand aunt. This part really confused me. I didn't know why they called Rahel's grand aunt a baby, or how that even worked. Rahel talks about how she and her twin brother used to be like one person, but they had grown apart over the years.
Rahel goes back to her old house and starts to remember familiar sights, sounds, and smells. She also remembers things that happened in her childhood, especially her cousin Sophie Mol's funeral. It says that Sophie drowned on a family trip to England or something like that. I think that this is going to come into play later in the novel, since this is the first thing that Rahel remembers when she comes back to her home. It also mentions how the title is starting to play into the book because Rahel noticed the "small things" at the funeral, like a bat crawling up Baby Kochamma's clothes and Sopie "screaming" as they buried her. It also says that this is the first time that the twins have seen each other in twenty three years, since the funeral.
As the book starts out, a person named Rahel, who is a woman coming back to her homeland of India. She is coming back to see her twin brother Estha and her mother Ammu. There was also a bigger part about Baby Kochamma which is her grand aunt. This part really confused me. I didn't know why they called Rahel's grand aunt a baby, or how that even worked. Rahel talks about how she and her twin brother used to be like one person, but they had grown apart over the years.
Rahel goes back to her old house and starts to remember familiar sights, sounds, and smells. She also remembers things that happened in her childhood, especially her cousin Sophie Mol's funeral. It says that Sophie drowned on a family trip to England or something like that. I think that this is going to come into play later in the novel, since this is the first thing that Rahel remembers when she comes back to her home. It also mentions how the title is starting to play into the book because Rahel noticed the "small things" at the funeral, like a bat crawling up Baby Kochamma's clothes and Sopie "screaming" as they buried her. It also says that this is the first time that the twins have seen each other in twenty three years, since the funeral.
I thought it was crazy that one little thing in the book mentioned about death said that thirty was viewed as an age old enough to die. In our culture, thirty is so young and that person would still have so much life left to live.
I think that I like Ammu so far. I liked that she did not listen to everything that her husband told her to do, like sleep with the man so her husband would not get fired. She seems like a strong and powerful woman, and I am excited to see what she does in throughout the story.
I'm not really sure what to think of the rest of the characters. No one seems to get along very well with one another. It seems like they are always arguing and fighting. I'm not really sure why, maybe a reason will be revealed later in the story??
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