A Rebel Writer's First Revolt
8 days ago
- #Political Writing
- #Arundhati Roy
- #Memoir
- Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize in 1997 for 'The God of Small Things' but shifted focus to political essays critiquing India's elites.
- Roy's writings cover Hindu-nationalist violence, Kashmir, poverty, and corporate crimes, leading to legal troubles and accusations of being 'antinational.'
- Despite her fame, Roy remains vocal in India, using her platform to highlight global issues like Israel's actions in Gaza.
- Roy's memoir, 'Mother Mary Comes to Me,' explores her complex relationship with her mother, Mary Roy, a pioneering educator and single mother.
- Mary Roy's influence was profound, shaping Arundhati's defiance and writing style, though their relationship was marked by cruelty and estrangement.
- Roy's literary strength lies in visceral, experiential storytelling, as seen in 'The God of Small Things,' though her later works became more didactic.
- Roy identifies as an outsider, shaped by her mother's rejection by their Syrian Christian community for marrying outside it.
- The memoir reveals Roy's journey to independence, her financial struggles, and her unapologetic defiance of critics and societal expectations.