5. Discuss the narrative structure. Full question inside

[Jen]

Discuss the narrative structure of The God of Small Things, which intertwines scenes from the past and the present, and Arundhati Roy’s writing style. Why do you suppose the author chose not to unfold the narrative in a more linear way?

[Diane]

I have never read anything like this before, such an intricately woven story. I loved that the story was not linear. We were for told of things to come so knowing the outcome was not the point of the story but the journey itself.

I had to pay close attention while reading this book. I felt that if I let my mind wander for just a moment I would miss key elements in the story.

[Patrick]

I think this is the most appropriate structure to use when dealing with the revelation of old secrets, using some elements of the present to explore old swathes of the (hidden) past. I quite enjoyed the half-witty, half-child-like language that she used throughout the novel. It made some harder topics funnier and helped us see things through the eyes of the younger children who experienced the various parts of the story.