The Multifaceted Use of Color in The God of Small Things Anonymous College

In the novel The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy employs numerous irregular stylistic devices which aid in her telling of the story. Set in the small town of Ayamenem in post-colonial India, the non-linear narrative follows the journey of twin protagonists Rahel and Estha as they grapple with a fractured family life, political turmoil, and a caste system in full effect. The harrowing lives and emotions of the characters offer the reader a taste of what life was like in southern India amid cultural, political, and class tensions during the late 20th century. In order to illustrate this, Roy repeatedly utilizes the symbolic nature of color throughout the text, which has a manifold of purposes. Colors such as red and blue are not only used as instruments to depict Communism and British imperialism, but also to foreshadow looming uncertainty, whereas green and yellow are often used to signify moments of alarm or hardship. In addition to emphasizing the underlying themes in the novel, Roy’s vivid use of color acts as a conduit through which the underlying feelings of the characters are revealed and emotional connotations are signified in the text.

The ubiquitous presence of color in The God Of Small Things serves as an indicator...