The God of Small Things

The God of Small Things CPT Essay The God of Small Things is a very fascinating book about twin brothers and sisters Rahel and Estha literally born within minutes of each other in Ayemenem within Kerala, India. From the very beginning moments of the story to the very end it is evident to see the concrete similarities that the twins have, and throughout the book it is evident to see that their identities begin to separate as to form identities that are completely different from each other. The book is told within various timeframes and between chapters will go back and forth between events, jumping from a tragic death of a loved one to going to a carnival the next; but one begins to realize the importance each event holds on the life of these kids. It is clear to see through the beginning of the book that there is a definite clash of identities and the longing for the separation of the two. "In those early amorphous years when memory had only just begun, when life was full of Beginnings and no Ends, and Everything was Forever, Esthappen and Rahel thought of themselves 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." (The God of the Small Things 4) From the beginning of the novel the tone is set for Estha and Rahel to begin to start the process of finding their own identities through various events and various characters that impact their life either in a positive or negative way. Rahel and Estha live very simple lives but as the story unfolds it can be seen that through the influence of family, from the deaths that occur, and through the specific events the twins have between each other that begin to form different identities that change the course of their lives. By the end of the book the "joint identities" begin to dissipate, and what is started to be seen is a gap between the two who were so connected before. First, one can get a sense that