In both Midnight’s Children and The God of Small Things, idiosyncratic capitalizations are used abundantly in order to convey a deeper meaning from certain words in the text. This technique is employed throughout both novels in order to bring attention to the special significance of certain situations and words that add meaning to the plot.
Rushdie writes “Fresh From Fifty Fierce Weeks In Delhi!” (p. 50, paragraph 2, line 5) in his novel to combine aspects of alliteration and capitalization to express the statement as a title. He also uses the epithets of “The Lotus Goddess; the One Who Possesses Dung; who is Honey-Like, and Made of Gold; whose sons are Moisture and Mud…” (p. 223, paragraph 4, line 4) to put a character into context so that the reader can better understand it. Another example of Rushdie’s use of idiosyncratic capitalizations is “Certain wags in our audience had begun to heckle the Most Charming Man In The World”. (p. 475, line 13), which was used as an epithet, and a form of hyperbole in the sense that the narrator considered him to be the most charming man in the world.
Roy uses capitalizations to highlight significant events in her novel. “The Loss of Sophie Mol stepped softly around the Ayemenem House like a quiet thing in socks”. (p. 17, paragraph 1, line 1). The author uses this quote to emphasize a major event that is used as the central focus for the rest of the story. Also, Roy uses capitalization to name the recurrent tasks that the characters complete throughout their day, “For a Breath of Fresh Air. To Pay for the Milk. To Let Out a Trapped Wasp”. (p. 29, paragraph 1, line 2). Lastly, the quote “A few mornings ago she had opened her window (for a Breath of Fresh Air) and caught them red-handed in the act of Returning From Somewhere” (p. 283, paragraph 1, line 3) from The God of Small Things is used to assert that the human actions in that family have a lack of emotion or enthusiasm.
In both novels, I have noticed that the capitalization acts as a sign for a reader to pay more attention to those words that play a specific role in the plot. Capitalization is used in both novels to describe characters, emphasize actions, and list duties.
This is one of the 3 body ideas I have to write about. I feel like it's amazingly weak.
I would divide my paper this way:
I. Introduction, including thesis statement [write the thesis first; write the rest of the intro almost last]
II. Rushdie
A. Capitalization
1.
2.
3.
B. Personification
1.
2.
3.
C. Similes
1.
2.
3.
III. Roy
A. Capitalization
1.
2.
3.
B. Personification
1.
2.
3.
C. Similes
1.
2.
3.
IV. Conclusion
You have to imagine the indentations in that outline. In the 1., 2., 3. spaces, I'd put the examples -- very specific examples with LOTS of explanation about WHY you believe each one is true.
While your body paragraph does touch on the use of idiosyncratic capitalizations in both Midnight's Children and The God of Small Things, it could benefit from further analysis and development to strengthen your argument. Here are a few suggestions to improve your paragraph:
1. Start with a strong topic sentence: Begin your paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence that explicitly states your main argument. For example: "The authors employ idiosyncratic capitalizations in both Midnight's Children and The God of Small Things to evoke deeper meaning and emphasize significant elements in the plot."
2. Provide specific examples: As you have already done, include specific examples from the novels that demonstrate the use of idiosyncratic capitalizations. However, try to expand on each example by providing further analysis and explaining their significance. Consider addressing questions such as: What do these capitalizations reveal about the characters or the events? How do they contribute to the overall themes or motifs of the novels?
3. Connect the examples to the larger argument: Once you have presented and analyzed your examples, make sure to explicitly connect them back to your main argument about the purpose and impact of idiosyncratic capitalizations. Explain how these capitalizations collectively serve to highlight character traits, emphasize key events, or reinforce certain themes.
4. Use textual evidence: Incorporate direct quotations from the novels to support your analysis. By including specific lines or passages, you can provide concrete evidence of the authors' use of idiosyncratic capitalizations and reinforce the validity of your claims.
By implementing these suggestions, your body paragraph will become more focused and persuasive, offering a more in-depth exploration of the role and significance of idiosyncratic capitalizations in the two novels.