EXPLORING THE REASONS FOR SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITY IN ROY’S NOVELS: THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS (1997) AND THE MINISTRY OF UTMOST HAPPINESS (2017)

Abstract

This study aims to explore Arundhati Roy’s novels The God of Small Things (1997) and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017) through Althusser’s concept of Ideological State Apparatus (ISA). The rationale for this study is grounded in the researcher’s interest to conduct a comprehensive analysis of reasons for the socio-economic disparity in the selected novels. The researcher observes that ISA conserve and widen the inconsistency which favor domination of upper class and suppression of already oppressed class in the selected works. The significant ISAs like education, religion, communication or media, politics, and family ISAs are present in the novels. The study, finally, concludes that there is a strong presence of ISA in Roy’s works and it directs the major incidents and characters in the novels.