Taboos and Love Laws in "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy .

Taboos exist in all societies; they are the conventions that govern behaviour and conduct. The basic definition of taboo is: "Any conventional social restriction" (Webster's New World Dictionary 600). This characterizes what is meant by a taboo very clearly, but, taboos are not always universal; they change with time and place. Furthermore, taboos may exist in all societies but are not recognized nor are violators prosecuted the same in all. Usually, the various classifications of taboos …

…does not seem as important as some of the others. By using this technique, Roy demonstrates some of the great differences in opposing cultures. She exposes some of the imperfections of the world by giving the reader a glimpse of a culture struggling to cope with new societal expectations on top of traditional cultural and universal taboos. Works Cited Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things. Toronto: Vintage, 1997 Webster's New World Dictionary. Toronto: Pocket Books, 1995