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‘Pappachi’s Moth’ by Arundhati Roy is the fifth chapter of the NCERT Class 11 English Woven Words textbook. This story explores the destructive effects of pride, jealousy and unfulfilled ambition within a family. The narrative revolves around Pappachi, a retired entomologist, whose bitterness over a moth discovery shapes his abusive behaviour towards his wife. In this blog, we will provide you with the summary, character sketches, themes, literary devices and morals of the story. You can also download the free PDF of the notes for quick revision.
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Explore Notes of Class 11 English Woven Words
NCERT Notes Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth
Here we have provided the NCERT notes for Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth, including author highlights, synopsis, character sketches, themes, and a detailed summary.
About the Author and Key Highlights
Arundhati Roy, an acclaimed Indian author, is known for her evocative prose and social commentary, particularly in her novel The God of Small Things, from which this extract is taken. Set in Ayemenem, Kerala, ‘Pappachi’s Moth’ delves into the life of Pappachi, a retired Imperial Entomologist, whose unfulfilled ambition of having a moth named after him fuels his bitterness and domestic abuse. The story highlights Mammachi’s success in her pickle-making business, which exacerbates Pappachi’s jealousy, leading to emotional and physical turmoil within the family. The narrative combines personal tragedy with broader themes of societal expectations and suppressed talent, offering a glimpse into the complex dynamics of a dysfunctional family.
Synopsis of the Story
‘Pappachi’s Moth’ narrates the strained family dynamics in Ayemenem after Pappachi’s retirement from the Pusa Institute. Mammachi, despite her near-blindness, builds a successful pickle-making business, gaining attention that Pappachi resents due to his pride and jealousy. His failure to have a newly discovered moth named after him, later recognised as a distinct species, deepens his bitterness, symbolically haunting his family. Pappachi’s nightly beatings of Mammachi with a brass vase escalate until their son, Chacko, intervenes during a summer visit from Oxford, stopping the physical abuse but not the emotional distance, as Pappachi never speaks to Mammachi again. His petty acts, like sewing buttons onto shirts to portray neglect, and his exclusive use of a skyblue Plymouth car reflect his ongoing resentment. The story ends with Pappachi’s death from a heart attack, leaving Mammachi grieving more from habit than love, as their daughter Ammu reflects on the human tendency to accept even abuse as routine.
Main Characters in the Story
Understand the key characters who drive the narrative:
- Pappachi (Shri Benaan John Ipe): A retired Imperial Entomologist, proud and jealous, whose unfulfilled ambition over a moth discovery fuels his bitterness. His abusive behaviour and refusal to acknowledge Mammachi’s success define his domineering personality.
- Mammachi (Soshamma Ipe): Pappachi’s wife, a talented but nearly blind woman who finds success in her pickle-making business. Despite enduring Pappachi’s abuse, her resilience shines through, though she mourns him out of habit.
- Chacko: Pappachi and Mammachi’s son, a strong Oxford student who intervenes to stop Pappachi’s abuse. His protective action marks a turning point, though he cannot mend the family’s emotional rift.
- Ammu: Pappachi and Mammachi’s daughter, who observes the family dynamics with insight, noting that Mammachi’s grief stems from habit rather than love, reflecting her understanding of human nature.
- Kochu Maria: The household cook, a minor character who serves as an intermediary for Pappachi’s communication with Mammachi after their estrangement.
- Baby Kochamma: A minor character, also used by Pappachi as an intermediary, reflecting his refusal to directly engage with Mammachi.
Themes in the Story
The story explores several significant themes, explained below in simple terms:
- Pride and Unfulfilled Ambition: Pappachi’s pride in his entomological career and his failure to have the moth named after him led to lifelong bitterness, affecting his family.
- Jealousy and Domestic Abuse: Pappachi’s jealousy of Mammachi’s success fuels his abusive behaviour, highlighting how insecurity can manifest as violence.
- Patriarchy and Gender Roles: The story critiques societal expectations that deem Mammachi’s pickle-making unsuitable for a high-ranking official’s wife, reinforcing Pappachi’s control over her.
- Habit and Human Nature: Ammu’s observation that humans adapt to even abusive situations underscores the theme of resilience and the normalisation of suffering.
- Isolation and Emotional Distance: Pappachi’s refusal to speak to Mammachi after Chacko’s intervention creates a lasting emotional divide, reflecting the cost of pride and resentment.
Also Read: NCERT Notes Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 2 The Address (Free PDF)
Literary Devices in the Story
Arundhati Roy employs various literary devices to enhance the narrative’s emotional and thematic depth:
- Symbolism: Pappachi’s moth symbolises his unfulfilled ambition and lingering bitterness, haunting the family like a “pernicious ghost.” The skyblue Plymouth represents Pappachi’s need for control and revenge.
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions, such as Pappachi “weaving sullen circles” around chillies and turmeric or smashing his rocking chair in the moonlight, evoke his anger and isolation.
- Irony: The irony lies in Pappachi’s pride as a respected entomologist, contrasting with his petty, abusive behaviour at home, and Mammachi’s success despite her blindness clashing with his failure.
- Foreshadowing: The escalation of Pappachi’s beatings and his moth-related bitterness hint at the family’s emotional and physical toll, culminating in his death and Mammachi’s habitual grief.
- Metaphor: The moth’s “dense dorsal tufts” metaphorically reflect Pappachi’s heavy burden of resentment, carried into every home he lived in.
- Tone: The melancholic yet critical tone underscores the tragedy of the family’s dysfunction while subtly condemning patriarchal norms.
Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth Summary
‘Pappachi’s Moth’ by Arundhati Roy is a poignant extract that explores the devastating impact of pride and jealousy within a family. Below is a detailed summary of the key events in a clear and concise manner:
- Mammachi’s Success and Pappachi’s Retirement: After Pappachi retires as Joint Director, Entomology, and moves to Ayemenem, Mammachi starts a thriving pickle-making business, gaining popularity at a Kottayam Bible Society fair. Pappachi, seventeen years older and struggling with retirement, refuses to help, deeming it beneath his status, and grows jealous of her success.
- Pappachi’s Bitterness and Abuse: Pappachi’s pride is wounded by his failure to have a moth he discovered named after him, later recognised as a new species after his retirement. His resentment manifests in nightly beatings of Mammachi with a brass vase, escalating in frequency, and he destroys her violin out of jealousy over her talent.
- Chacko’s Intervention: During a summer visit from Oxford, Chacko, now strong from rowing, catches Pappachi beating Mammachi and physically restrains him, demanding that the abuse stop. Pappachi ceases the beatings but never speaks to Mammachi again, using intermediaries like Kochu Maria and Baby Kochamma.
- Pappachi’s Revenge and Isolation: Pappachi’s resentment persists through petty acts, like sewing buttons onto shirts to imply Mammachi’s neglect and buying a skyblue Plymouth he forbids the family from using. His elegant appearance in suits masks his inner turmoil, as he sweats in Ayemenem’s heat.
- Pappachi’s Death and Legacy: Pappachi dies of a heart attack, and Mammachi cries at his funeral, more from habit than love, as Ammu notes. The moth, a symbol of his unfulfilled ambition, continues to haunt the family, reflecting the lasting impact of his bitterness.
Moral of the Story
Below are the key moral lessons from the story:
- Pride and unfulfilled ambition can lead to destructive behaviour, harming both oneself and loved ones.
- Jealousy and patriarchal control can stifle talent and create emotional rifts within families.
- Humans may adapt to harmful situations, but this resilience can perpetuate suffering if not addressed.
- True success lies in resilience and creativity, as seen in Mammachi’s achievements, rather than in pride or status.
Download more NCERT Solutions of Class 11 English ‘Woven Words’ here!
| Chapter 1: The Lament Solution |
| Chapter 2: A Pair of Mustachios Solution |
| Chapter 3: The Rocking-horse Winner Solution |
| Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs Solution |
Explore Notes of Other NCERT Class 11 Subjects
| Geography | History | Political Science | Psychology | Sociology |
FAQs
Pappachi’s moth symbolises his unfulfilled ambition and lingering bitterness, as its delayed recognition as a new species haunts him, fueling his abusive behaviour and affecting his family.
Pappachi resents Mammachi’s success in her pickle-making business because it contrasts with his own sense of failure after retirement and the moth incident, and he views her achievements as undermining his status as a former high-ranking official.
Chacko’s intervention stops Pappachi’s physical abuse of Mammachi, but it leads to Pappachi’s complete emotional withdrawal, creating a lasting divide as he refuses to speak to her, communicating only through intermediaries.
The story critiques patriarchal norms that suppress women’s talents, the destructive effects of pride and jealousy, and the human tendency to normalise abuse, highlighting their toll on familial relationships.
For NCERT study material, follow the NCERT Notes and Solutions Class 11 English by Leverage Edu now.
