ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that the transgressive nature of the two relationships stems from stark caste as well as class differences. Arundhati Roy's depiction of these affective ties reveals not only the convergence but also the tension between the two systems of social stratification, and brings to the fore their implications for human intimacy. In The God of Small Things, Roy reveals the measures taken by the upper caste, upper class elite to consciously align class and caste categories, thereby severely limiting social mobility. Undoubtedly, Roy's portrayal of Velutha and Ammu's erotic liaison and the representation of the Dalit character's body are tied in with the subaltern-centred sensibility of the novel. The text includes numerous detailed descriptions of Velutha's physical beauty, as perceived by Ammu. Roy's novel brings to the fore the complex intersection of sometimes conflicting, sometimes mutually reinforcing, systems of social stratification based on caste, class and patriarchy, and their devastating consequences for human relationships.
