The God of Small Things: Chapters 4-6

Finally Sophie Mol is introduced. Well, introduced meaning that she is alive in the novel. She is a very interesting child. I think that she feels like Estha and Rahel are below her and childish. It wouldn't be completely unfounded, though. Rahel hid when being introduced and Estha got reprimanded by Ammu. Also, they randomly sprung the question of who she loved most on her quite suddenly out of the blue. I think that it might be tragic when Sophie Mol dies. I already know it is coming, but I have a feeling that the author is going to make me feel some attachment to the character so I am as upset as Estha and Rahel when she dies. I'm on to her. Poor Sophie Mol.

Poor Chacko, too. Even though he is her real dad, she loves Joe most. I know that in some cases step-dads can be way better than real dads, but Chacko was never even given the chance to be present in his daughter's life. I hope that Sophie Mol opens up to him more. She seemed rather uncomfortable when he was being affectionate with her. Then again, I suppose that Sophie Mol cannot open up too much to Chacko. Her number is up quite soon, I imagine. The clues from previous chapters hint to her death being not long after her arrival. I feel bad for Margaret. First she loses her husband, and then her daughter when they take a trip to try to ease the pain. I'm certain that happy endings do not exist any more. After the age of about 14, fictional novels are no longer allowed to have happy endings. It is some unwritten law.

Ammu is rather harsh with her children. She is an affectionate mother, but she has callous punishments for simple misdemeanors. I think that I would cry if my mother told me that she loved me less when I misbehaved. I am glad for my mother's unconditional love. If mothers stopped loving their children a little less every time they were bad, I think most mothers probably wouldn't love their children at all. When it comes to toddler years, I think it would be dipping down into the negatives. Rahel was deeply upset by that remark. I think Ammu should be a little more lenient with them. They are just kids. Then again, it is a different culture. I suppose I should not hold it to American standards. It just seems strange to me. I guess even love can be measured differently. Math is probably just about the only real constant throughout the world.

Poor Estha. That is so, so, so terrible. He was molested at the movie theater! I don't understand why he didn't leave. It didn't seem to even bother him until afterwards. Why on earth didn't he tell Ammu?! She seems like a pretty imposing woman. She probably would have told that slimeball what's up despite society's unwritten social laws. If she is anything, Ammu is protective of her children. Now Estha has this terrible thing to hold inside of him. Why didn't Rahel know about it? They seem to have a mental connection. Why didn't she see it or at least sense that something was tragically wrong with her twin? No wonder Estha is introverted nowadays! That had to be a rough time. He got molested, his cousin died, and he was later separated from Ammu and Rahel. What is even worse though, is that the man knows where he can find Estha now. He seemed a bit interested in Rahel, too. Don't they tell children about stranger danger in India?!

I must say that I enjoy the somewhat puzzling manner that the story is written. It reveals only tidbits at a time. Regardless of what just happened at the end of the chapter, it is a cliffhanger. Right now I'm really wondering what is going to happen to Sophie Mol. I want to know if she actually was alive when they buried her. That would be so awful. I also find it interesting how some words and phrases are capitalized even though they are not proper nouns. I know they are significant in some way, but I'm not sure what the method to her maddness is. Perhaps it is something to do with an Indian interpretation of English things?