Arundhati Roy’s fiction: mapping the micro-narratives of the marginalized

Abstract

Postmodernism starts with shifting of ideas from modernism. In postmodernism, authors adopt multiple features like historic-metafiction, magic realism, intertextuality and many more. One of the major changes that happen in postmodernism is, focusing on micro-narrative rather than meta-narrative. Postmodernists give importance to every small issue in society. Arundhati Roy, being a postmodern writer, brings light to the shattered stories of people living in our society. The aim of this thesis is to illustrate the sufferings of marginalized groups, specifically Transgender, Dalits (untouchables), and women in Indian society by tracing Roy’s two novels, The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. The untold stories of these people from the fringes of the society, their experiences, and their views on issues that directly concern them are what Roy capitalizes in her fiction. She gives them voices to portray their terrible day to day sufferings in her novels The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. Further, this paper includes, biographical mapping of Arundhati Roy to depict how her real life experiences shape her fiction.