Love laws

Roy also discusses love laws of Indian society in this novel. These love laws are the social

boundaries/social norms that society has set, the rules that decide how every single person in a

society should, or should not act. In this chapter, Roy defines the love laws as “the laws that lay

down who should be loved, and how and how much”. Roy shows that these love laws are so

deeply embedded in the Indian culture that going against these laws isn’t only considered

morally or ethically wrong but is also considered a punishable sin.

This whole concept of love laws was deeply disturbing for Roy hence she portrays the characters

who seem to transgress, break these laws.

In this chapter, for instance, Mammachi’s relationship with her son Chacko is described. It’s a

very unusual relationship unlike the typical mother-son relationship. Since the day Chacko

defended Mammachi in front of Pappachi, she has made Chacko “the repository of all her

womanly feelings. Her Man. Her only Love”. She doesn’t want another woman to take her place

in his affections. She gives money to the women Chacko was sleeping with so that Chacko won’t

develop any inclination for a woman.