Reader Response Theory Abjection and The God of Small Things
Barbara Gardner’s presentation/paper on Arundhati Roy’s novel The God of Small Things centers on the abjection suffered by the twins Estha, Rahel, and their mother Ammu due to “the lack of a named, acceptable, and accepting father” (1). Gardner’s scope of the novel is viewed through Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva. Using Kristeva’s definitions of what abjection is and how it is caused, the presentation winds its way through the novel picking up bits and pieces of the abjection faced by the three main characters. ... This abjection due to the lack of a paternal presence (because of divorce) and the fact that Estha and Rahel are from what is deemed an “intercommunity love marriage” (Roy, 45) very much echoes the first 7 years of my life. ... Gardner’s comments on the abjection suffered by Estha and Rahel because of their parents’ marriage and “race” parallels my suffering as well.