Paradise to Pollution: An Eco-Critical Study of Kerala’s Environment in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things

Peer-Reviewed
The Criterion

The Criterion: An International Journal in English ISSN: 0976-8165

Open Access

Indian Literature

Paradise to Pollution: An Eco-Critical Study of Kerala’s Environment in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things

Haritha T, Dr M. Samundeeswari
Volume / Issue
Vol. 17, Issue 1 · February 2026

Pages
356-367

Article ID
2026V17N1096

Abstract

Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things has been thoroughly examined through the perspectives of caste, gender, and postcolonial identity. This article advocates for an Eco critical interpretation of the novel, positioning it within the theoretical frameworks established by academics such as Cheryll Glotfelty, Lawrence Buell, and Greg Garrard. By emphasizing the novel’s portrayal of nature not merely as a passive backdrop but as an active participant intertwined with human experiences, this analysis uncovers how environmental degradation reflects the collapse of familial bonds, cultural values, and childhood innocence. Ayemenem, which once felt like a lush, living paradise in the characters’ childhoods full of warmth, color, and a sense of belonging gradually becomes faded, polluted, and broken. The trees don’t seem as green, the air feels heavier, and the rivers that once carried secrets and dreams now carry waste. This slow decay mirrors the emotional unscrambling of the characters and the larger social fractures around them. This shows how time, loss, and cruelty can corrode both people and places. Through this perspective, Roy’s novel stands out as a deep reflection on the interconnection between ecological and social crisis, demonstrating how the exploitation of nature is similar to systemic violence within human societies. Ultimately, this Eco critical perspective highlights the novel’s pressing significance in a time of global environmental and humanitarian challenges, providing fresh insights into the complex relationship between place, memory, and identity.

Keywords

Ecological degradationEnvironmental justiceMemory and landscapeCaste and ecology

Article History

Received
31-01-2026
Accepted
13 February 2026
Published Online
3 February 2026

How to Cite

Haritha T, Dr M. Samundeeswari. “Paradise to Pollution: An Eco-Critical Study of Kerala’s Environment in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things.” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 17, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 356-367. ISSN: 0976-8165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.66376/criterion.v17.n1.26

Back to Vol. 17, Issue 1 · February 2026 The Criterion · ISSN 0976-8165

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