Class 11 English Notes Chapter 5 (Short Stories –Pappachi’s Moth) – Woven Words Book

Alright class, let's delve into Chapter 5 of 'Woven Words', the short story 'Pappachi’s Moth' by Arundhati Roy. This story is an excerpt from her Booker Prize-winning novel, 'The God of Small Things'. For your government exam preparation, understanding the nuances of this text, its characters, themes, and symbolism is crucial.

'Pappachi’s Moth' - Detailed Notes

1. Author: Arundhati Roy

2. Source: Excerpt from the novel 'The God of Small Things'.

3. Setting: Ayemenem, Kerala, India. The story primarily focuses on the past experiences of the Ipe family.

4. Characters:

• Pappachi (Shri Benaan John Ipe):
  • The patriarch of the family.
  • A former Imperial Entomologist (a high-ranking government position during British rule and shortly after independence).
  • Suffered a major professional disappointment: a moth he discovered was not named after him due to a delay in taxonomic classification. It was later classified as a new species by someone else, but by then Pappachi had retired. This became a source of lifelong bitterness.
  • Characterized by his patriarchal attitude, short temper, and abusive behaviour towards his wife, Mammachi.
  • He is jealous of Mammachi's talents and success (her pickle-making business).
  • His Plymouth car is a symbol of his status and pride.
  • His fear of the moth (which he ironically discovered) becomes a haunting presence after his death.
• Mammachi (Soshamma Ipe):
  • Pappachi’s wife.
  • Endures years of domestic abuse from Pappachi.
  • A talented violinist (though discouraged by Pappachi) and a successful entrepreneur who starts 'Paradise Pickles & Preserves'.
  • She is nearly blind.
  • Finds protection from Pappachi's beatings only when her son, Chacko, physically intervenes.
  • Represents resilience and suppressed talent under patriarchal dominance.
• Chacko:
  • Pappachi and Mammachi’s son. Educated at Oxford (Rhodes Scholar), but considers himself a failure in comparison to his father's perceived status.
  • Takes over the pickle factory after Pappachi's death.
  • His intervention stops Pappachi's physical abuse of Mammachi.
• Ammu:
  • Pappachi and Mammachi’s daughter.
  • Mother of the twins, Rahel and Estha.
  • Her marriage failed, and she returned to the Ayemenem house. Pappachi showed little sympathy or support.
• Rahel and Estha:
  • Ammu's twin children, the central characters of the novel 'The God of Small Things'. They are observers of the family dynamics.
• Baby Kochamma (Navomi Ipe):
  • Pappachi’s younger sister. Educated but unmarried. Harbours her own frustrations and bitterness.

5. Plot Summary:

• The story introduces Pappachi, focusing on his past role as Imperial Entomologist and his defining disappointment – the moth discovery.
• It details his temperament: his fastidiousness, his temper tantrums, and his habit of beating Mammachi with a brass flower vase.
• The narrative explains how the beatings stopped only after their son Chacko, returning from Oxford, warned Pappachi never to touch Mammachi again.
• Pappachi's jealousy towards Mammachi's successful pickle business ('Paradise Pickles & Preserves') is highlighted. He refused to help her, belittled her efforts, and resented her success.
• Pappachi's death from a heart attack is described.
• The story concludes with the lingering, almost ghostly presence of Pappachi's moth, which Rahel sometimes felt landing on her heart. It symbolizes the pervasive, inescapable fear and bitterness Pappachi left behind.

6. Themes:

• Patriarchy and Male Dominance: Pappachi embodies the typical patriarch who expects subservience from his wife and family. His authority is maintained through fear and violence.
• Domestic Violence: The story unflinchingly portrays the physical and emotional abuse Mammachi suffers at the hands of Pappachi. It highlights the silence and acceptance surrounding such violence within families of that era.
• Unfulfilled Ambition and Bitterness: Pappachi's life is overshadowed by his failure to get the moth named after him. This professional disappointment sours his personality and relationships.
• Jealousy: Pappachi is deeply jealous of Mammachi's musical talent and later her entrepreneurial success, revealing his insecurity.
• Fear and Legacy: Pappachi's legacy is not one of achievement but of fear, symbolized by the moth. His ill-temper and abusive nature leave a lasting negative impact on the family, even after his death.
• Memory and Trauma: The narrative explores how traumatic memories (like the beatings) persist and shape the characters' lives.
• Social Status and Pride: Pappachi's identity is heavily tied to his former prestigious job and his car. His pride is easily wounded.

7. Symbolism:

• Pappachi’s Moth: This is the central symbol.
  • Represents Pappachi's bitterness, disappointment, and unfulfilled ambition.
  • Symbolizes the silent, pervasive fear and unease he instilled in his family.
  • Its "unusually dense dorsal tufts" can be seen as representing the weight of his oppressive presence.
  • Its association with darkness and night reflects the hidden, darker aspects of Pappachi's personality and the family's life.
  • For Rahel, it becomes a symbol of a nameless, lingering dread inherited from the past.
• The Plymouth Car: Represents Pappachi's pride, social status, and control. He maintained it meticulously, mirroring his desire for order and control in his life and family.
• The Brass Flower Vase: A symbol of Pappachi's violence and cruelty towards Mammachi.
• Mammachi's Pickles: Symbolize her suppressed talent, resilience, and eventual financial independence, which ironically fuels Pappachi's jealousy.

8. Literary Style:

• Non-linear Narrative: Though this excerpt is relatively focused, Roy's style often involves shifts in time and perspective.
• Vivid Imagery: Roy uses rich sensory details to bring the setting and characters to life (e.g., the description of the moth, the Ayemenem house).
• Figurative Language: Use of metaphors and similes adds depth to the narrative.

9. Key Points for Exam Focus:

• Pappachi's designation: Imperial Entomologist.
• Reason for his bitterness: Moth he discovered wasn't named after him.
• His abusive behaviour: Beat Mammachi with a brass vase.
• Who stopped the beatings: His son, Chacko.
• Mammachi's business: Paradise Pickles & Preserves.
• Symbolism of the moth: Fear, bitterness, unfulfilled ambition, Pappachi's haunting legacy.
• Pappachi's car: Plymouth.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. What was Pappachi's official designation before retirement?
   a) District Collector
   b) University Professor
   c) Imperial Entomologist
   d) Police Superintendent

2. What caused Pappachi's lifelong bitterness and disappointment?
   a) His son Chacko's return from Oxford.
   b) Mammachi starting her pickle business.
   c) His failure to get a promotion.
   d) A moth he discovered not being named after him.

3. With what object did Pappachi habitually beat Mammachi?
   a) A leather belt
   b) A wooden cane
   c) A brass flower vase
   d) His walking stick

4. Who intervened to stop Pappachi from beating Mammachi?
   a) Ammu
   b) Baby Kochamma
   c) Chacko
   d) The local priest

5. What successful business did Mammachi establish?
   a) A tailoring shop
   b) A small school
   c) Paradise Pickles & Preserves
   d) A handloom weaving unit

6. What does Pappachi's moth primarily symbolize in the story?
   a) Good luck and fortune
   b) Scientific achievement
   c) Fear, bitterness, and Pappachi's haunting presence
   d) The beauty of nature in Ayemenem

7. How did Pappachi react to Mammachi's success with her business?
   a) He was proud and supportive.
   b) He invested money in it.
   c) He was jealous and refused to help.
   d) He was indifferent.

8. What kind of car did Pappachi own and maintain meticulously?
   a) Ambassador
   b) Fiat
   c) Hindustan Contessa
   d) Plymouth

9. The story 'Pappachi's Moth' is an excerpt from which novel by Arundhati Roy?
   a) The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
   b) The God of Small Things
   c) An Ordinary Person's Guide to Empire
   d) Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction.

10. Which theme is central to the depiction of Pappachi's relationship with Mammachi?
    a) Romantic love
    b) Mutual respect
    c) Scientific collaboration
    d) Patriarchy and domestic violence

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c) Imperial Entomologist
2. d) A moth he discovered not being named after him.
3. c) A brass flower vase
4. c) Chacko
5. c) Paradise Pickles & Preserves
6. c) Fear, bitterness, and Pappachi's haunting presence
7. c) He was jealous and refused to help.
8. d) Plymouth
9. b) The God of Small Things
10. d) Patriarchy and domestic violence

Study these notes carefully, focusing on the characters' motivations, the central themes, and the symbolism employed. Understanding these aspects will be beneficial for your exams. Let me know if any part needs further clarification.