The God of Small Things: Key Quotes

“Caste is not a rumour. It’s a Great Divide.” This quote reveals how deeply divided the society is. The caste system is like a wide, insurmountable gap in their lives.
“They all broke the rules. They all crossed into forbidden territory.” Here, Roy shows the consequences of challenging the established Indian caste system.

Quotes on Love and Relationships

“When Ammu loved by night, her love was love. Not a mother’s duty, not a widow’s worry, not a whore’s favour… But Love.” The quote masterfully showcases Ammu’s defiance in seeking love against societal norms.
“She had loved him before she knew he was an Untouchable.” This shows the power of Ammu’s love for Velutha; she didn’t care about his social status.

“What was worse? To know that there were people who lived that way, like animals with no option but to endure their destiny or to live with the knowledge that she had wrongfully imprisoned and tortured a human being.” This quote showcases the twins’ realization of the cruel and unjust nature of their society.
“Anything can happen to anyone. It’s best to be prepared.” This reflects the harsh reality faced by the characters; that their existence is unstable and precarious at best.

“He owned his eyes. They were his. But who they were he didn’t know anymore.” Estha’s quote strongly exhibits the struggle with identity and memory that lingers throughout the novel.
“The past is always tense, the future perfect.” This quote encapsulates Roy’s concept of time and memory – the past is fraught with tension and the future holds the ironic notion of being ‘perfect’.

“May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month. The days are long and humid. The river shrinks and black crows gorge on bright mangoes in still, dustgreen trees. Red bananas ripen. Jackfruits burst. Dissolute bluebottles hum vacuously in the fruity air. Then they stun themselves against clear windowpanes and die, fatly baffled in the sun.” This quote from the beginning captures the poignant beauty and melancholy mystery that envelops the novel.
“Ammu said that human beings were creatures of habit, and it was amazing the kind of things they could get used to.” The quote reflects on how easily the characters accept their tragic circumstances, seeing them as normal features of life.