Reproductive Labour and Patriarchy: A Marxist Feminist Analysis of The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Abstract

 This paper explores the ways in which the novel presents unpaid domestic and emotional labour of female characters as well as patriarchal family frameworks which capitalizes on this labour, using domestic and economic control. The novel explores various aspects of female oppression in a highly patriarchal and capitalist society through characters like Ammu, Mammachi and Baby Kochamma. The paper employs qualitative study which explores reproductive labour and patriarchy in The God of small things by Roy from the Marxist feminist perspective suggested by Fedirici. The findings suggest that The God of small things presents patriarchy as a deeply rooted social system that controls female characters through male dominance, family authority and owner ship of private property. The paper demonstrates that the male characters possess social and economic power while female characters remain dependent and marginalized within family and social institution. The overall study concludes that The God of Small Things critically exposes how patriarchy, and capitalism collectively sustain the social, economic, and emotional oppression of women in South Asian context.