Identity Crisis, Marginalization, and Counter-Memory in the Novels of Arundhati Roy: A Postcolonial Viewpoint

Abstract

Arundhati Roy frequently explores the themes of identity, marginalization, counter-memory and
resistance in her novels. For instance, if one looks at the works like The God of Small Things and The Ministry of
Utmost Happiness, there’s an observable inquiry into postcolonial subjectivity, encompassing the varied conditions
of Indian socio-political realities. In this paper, we place an effort to understand Roy’s works and her representation
of identity as a flexible construct. Identity in her novels gets shaped by many things, like caste, gender, religion,
class, trauma and even historical memory. We shall draw upon theoretical backgrounds pertaining to
postcolonialism, feminism, trauma studies and intersectionality, to mainly understand how Roy portrays her
characters and communities who are subject to the margins of dominant or oppressive social structures. We shall
also investigate the manner in which the author critiques or questions traditional narratives of nationalism. Her
novels reflect the difficult lives and experiences of Dalits, women, religious minorities, transgender individuals
and other discriminated groups/communities whose voice has often been subdued throughout history. Through a
brilliant manner of story-telling and applying innovative narrative techniques, like fragmented temporality and
alternative memory, Roy creates a world where marginalized voices/identities can actually be understood and
well-articulated.