--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She had short, thick forearms, fingers…" description: "\"“She had short, thick forearms, fingers like cocktail sausages, and a broad fleshy nose with flared nostrils. Deep folds of skin connected her nose to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/283/arundhati-roy-346_christianity_she-had-short-thick-forearms-fingers-lik_1508712.jpg" --- # She had short, thick forearms, fingers like cocktail… ![“She had short, thick forearms, fingers like cocktail sausages, and a broad fleshy nose with flared nostrils. Deep folds of skin connected her nose to either side of her chin, and separated that section of her face from the rest of it, like a snout. Her head was too large for her body. She looked…” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/283/arundhati-roy-346_christianity_she-had-short-thick-forearms-fingers-lik_1508712.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/283/arundhati-roy-346_christianity_she-had-short-thick-forearms-fingers-lik_1508712.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/283/arundhati-roy-346_christianity_she-had-short-thick-forearms-fingers-lik_1508712.jpg) > ““She had short, thick forearms, fingers like cocktail sausages, and a broad fleshy nose with flared nostrils. Deep folds of skin connected her nose to either side of her chin, and separated that section of her face from the rest of it, like a snout. Her head was too large for her body. She looked like a bottled fetus that had escaped from its jar of formaldehyde in a Biology lab an unshriveled and thickened with age. She kept damp cash in her bodice, which she tied tightly around her chest to flatten her unchristian breasts, Her kunukku earrings were thick and gold. Her earlobes had been distended into weighted loops that swung around her neck, her earrings sitting in them like gleeful children in a merry-go-(not all the way)-round. Her right lobe had split open once and was sewn together by Dr. Verghese Verghese. Kochu Maria couldn't stop wearing her kunukku because if she did, how would people know that despite her lowly cook's job (seventy-five rupees a month) she was a Syrian Christian, Mar Thomite? Not a Pelaya, or a Pulaya, or a Paravan. But a Touchable, upper-caste Christian (into whom Christianity had seeped like tea from a teabag). Split lobes stitched back were a better option by far. Kochu Maria hadn't yet made her acquaintance with the television addict waiting inside her. The Hulk Hogan addict. She hadn't yet seen a television set...”” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage paints a vivid, grotesque portrait of a woman whose physical traits and adornments signal caste, religion, and social status, highlighting how identity is constructed through bodily markers and material symbols. **In simple terms:** A woman's appearance reveals her social and religious identity. Key Takeaway Notice how physical details convey social hierarchy. Themes identity class religion body appearance social hierarchy Mood critical reflective somber Type literary descriptive social commentary When to use this quote - employment discrimination - social stigma - cultural representation - visual storytelling Key Concepts caste markers material culture colonial legacy body politics Questions to Reflect On - How do physical markers shape personal identity? - What are the consequences of judging by appearance? A Different Perspective The focus on physical description may reduce the character to a collection of traits, overlooking inner life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) ## Related quotes > [“No one could see the thoughts when the body looked normal to them. The voice wanted it to just be the two of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-rose-steil/no-one-could-see-the-thoughts-when-the-body-looked-normal-to-them-the/) [Rachael Rose Steil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-rose-steil/) > [The body has to be looked after: one has to be very caring about the body and very loving to the body. And then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-body-has-to-be-looked-after-one-has-to-be-very-caring-about-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“It was as if my soul were thinking separately from the body: she looked upon the body as a foreign substance, as we look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-was-as-if-my-soul-were-thinking-separately-from-the-body-she/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [My own pregnancies were all about me, me, me. My aches, my pains, my swollen feet, and my body that looked like the Michelin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-park/my-own-pregnancies-were-all-about-me-me-me-my-aches-my-pains-my/) [Barbara Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-park/) > [I've never worried about what my body looked like, I've been more concerned about what it can do, but since I've turned 40 that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/i-ve-never-worried-about-what-my-body-looked-like-i-ve-been-more/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [You are not beautiful because I looked at your body, but because I looked into your eyes and I saw what was in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/you-are-not-beautiful-because-i-looked-at-your-body-but-because-i/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [One day I had to sit down with myself and decide that I loved myself no matter what my body looked like and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/one-day-i-had-to-sit-down-with-myself-and-decide-that-i-loved-myself/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [I felt embarrassed about how my body looked being so pale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/i-felt-embarrassed-about-how-my-body-looked-being-so-pale/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [Do you remember what your body looked like without scars?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie/do-you-remember-what-your-body-looked-like-without-scars/) [Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie/) > [His markings, month by month, became more beautiful, lines of autumn bracken colours with shapes which reminded me of currents on a quiet sea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-tangye/his-markings-month-by-month-became-more-beautiful-lines-of-autumn/) [Derek Tangye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-tangye/) > [“I didn't drink, I told him, with that embarrassed feeling I got whenever I was reminded that I had a body, that I looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/i-didn-t-drink-i-told-him-with-that-embarrassed-feeling-i-got/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [“There she was, lying on a single bed in a room so small that there wasn't even space for a chair, and the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/there-she-was-lying-on-a-single-bed-in-a-room-so-small-that-there/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“He ran his palm up the curve of her back and then removed his arm from around her, amused at how swiftly she rolled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/he-ran-his-palm-up-the-curve-of-her-back-and-then-removed-his-arm/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [For me, the Mount Rushmore of greats would be Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino or Lou Thesz. You can do either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/for-me-the-mount-rushmore-of-greats-would-be-ric-flair-dusty-rhodes/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [When the script for 'The Wrestler' kept coming to me I said, This movie is so good if you put me in the film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hulk-hogan/when-the-script-for-the-wrestler-kept-coming-to-me-i-said-this-movie/) [Hulk Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hulk-hogan/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? 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You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) [Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She had short, thick forearms, fingers like cocktail sausages, and a broad fleshy nose with flared nostrils. Deep folds of skin connected her nose to either side of her chin, and separated that section of her face from the rest of it, like a snout. Her head was too large for her body. She looked like a bottled fetus that had escaped from its jar of formaldehyde in a Biology lab an unshriveled and thickened with age. She kept damp cash in her bodice, which she tied tightly around her chest to flatten her unchristian breasts, Her kunukku earrings were thick and gold. Her earlobes had been distended into weighted loops that swung around her neck, her earrings sitting in them like gleeful children in a merry-go-(not all the way)-round. Her right lobe had split open once and was sewn together by Dr. Verghese Verghese. Kochu Maria couldn't stop wearing her kunukku because if she did, how would people know that despite her lowly cook's job (seventy-five rupees a month) she was a Syrian Christian, Mar Thomite? Not a Pelaya, or a Pulaya, or a Paravan. But a Touchable, upper-caste Christian (into whom Christianity had seeped like tea from a teabag). Split lobes stitched back were a better option by far. Kochu Maria hadn't yet made her acquaintance with the television addict waiting inside her. The Hulk Hogan addict. 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