Character: Esthappen, referred to as Estha, and Rahel are twins. Both are innocent children who are still learning their manners. When they grow up and separate, Rahel moves to America and gets married, and Estha leaves to go with Babu, their father who has left them. When he returns to Ayemenem, Rahel also returns because they have a special bond. Their mother is referred to as Ammu. She raises her children well with structure. Ammu has an affair with Velutha, an untouchable, getting her banished from her home. Velutha is a servant in the Ayemenem home, aand the twins grow to admire him. Mammachi is the twins’ grandmother; she does not talk much, but often plays the violin. She is married to Pappachi, and he physically abuses Mammachi with a vase until Chacko, their son, tells him to stop. Chacko is the twins’ uncle. His ex-wife Margaret is British, and they have a daughter named Sophie Mol. Margaret Kochamma and Sophie Mol move to Ayemenem when Joe, Sophie Mol’s stepfather, passes away in London. Baby Kochamma is the twins’ grandaunt. She is very sneaky; for example, she accuses Velutha of raping Ammu, and forces Estha to tell the police that Velutha kidnapped the twins.
Conflict: Many conflicts are presented in the book. One major conflict is the affair of Ammu with Velutha. Since he is an untouchable, he is not allowed to even come in contact with a touchable. Because of this affair, Ammu was banished from her own home and died early. Baby Kochamma accused Velutha of raping Ammu, but it was a lie only to protect their family image. Another conflict occurred during the death of Sophie Mol. Sophie Mol joined the twins on a boat when they were trying to escape because Ammu was angry at them. The boat flips, and Sophie Mol drowns in the river. Estha and Rahel are unconscious and wake up next to Velutha, who Baby Kochamma accuses Velutha of kidnapping the twins, and she forces Estha to tell this to the police.
Master Plot: One