The Representation of the Female Labor Force within Patriarchal Frameworks and the Politics of Sexual Intimacy in Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things

Abstract

This paper examines the representation of the female labor force in The God of Small Things, analyzing both women engaged in professional workplaces and those running small enterprises from home. The study investigates whether Indian women are depicted as diverse and multifaceted, reflecting real-life complexities, or whether they are portrayed through stereotypical lenses as victims, incompetent, and unskilled. Grounded in Gaye Tuchman's concept of symbolic annihilation, the analysis focuses on revealing trivialization, omission and condemnation of working women; it also incorporates Kate Millett's ideas from Sexual Politics to explore patriarchal power dynamics in intimate heterosexual relationships. The findings reveal that most women hold low-paying, subordinate positions with no authority, making them vulnerable to instability in their life. Women in the novel exhibit little interest in education, prioritizing marriage, romance, and courtship instead. Even Mammachi, the only financially independent female character, lacks control over her own life and remains subjected to her husband's dominance and violence. Additionally, the study highlights how sexual intimacy in the novel is intricately linked to power, with women feeling more empowered when their male partners occupy a lower social or cultural status.