A study on the intersectionality of several social factors and gender-based violence, with the importance of matriarchal society in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things

This study actually analyzes the intersectionality of race, gender, class and other social factors and gender-based violence in the novel The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy along with the solution of what if matriarchy dominates men, and where women have the right to actually choose their sexual partner and whom should have their children’s genes. The novel explores the intertwined lives of two Indian twins growing up in Kerala, delving into the themes of caste, class, gender and also gender based violence that women face according to their social status, class and caste in south India. So, with this, the study applies a fascinating scenario as a solution where a matriarchal society hold the power of reproduction and choose their genetic partners for their children, where it has got potential benefits like increased autonomy, where women’s reproductive agency and choice, improved family planning, can possibly reduce gender-based violence, men’s roles revalued focusing more on nurturing, protection and provision for childcare like more engaged fatherhood. But the study also includes potential challenges and outcomes like gender roles will be reversed, genetic selection of partners, social resistance, psychological impact. Arundhati Roy actually emphasis on the childhood experiences of fraternal twins, whose lives are destroyed by the “Love laws” prevalent in 1960’s Kerala. The novel explores how rules, social structures and gender identities actually oppress and violate women in society.

Keywords: Gender violence, matriarchal society, gender roles, caste, class