Arundhati Roy's "God of Small Things" is a novel that revolves around the workings of an Indian family in a society which lives rigidly by social norms and expectations. The story addresses issues such as love, history, family and Indian society. Ammu is a character that is integral to the storyline, as her experience in the novel helps to shed light on the issues that the author is trying to raise.

In this novel, Ammu is presented as the original transgressor. Her transgression lies in her defiance of society's rule, in not just one aspect, but in a variety of aspects. As a daughter, she defied her family's expectations by marrying a man of a different religion. As a wife, she was expected to defer to her husband's wishes, even if it came at her own expense. Instead, she divorced him and left home despite having to face...