In The Round House by Louise Erdrich and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, events from the past are used to develop the characters and plots of the novels . In The Round House, Mooshum's stories about the windigoo that he tells in his dreams, the subplot involving Linda and Linden Lark, and the apparent negativity towards Catholicism displayed on the reservation show the pervasive influence of the past on the present. In The God of Small Things, the inclusion of Pappachi's moth throughout the novel, the constant reference to love laws, and the ongoing issues involving race relations show how much influence the past has on the present for the characters and plot. Round House, is a story of justice and tradition and how these two concepts can help and hinder each other. As Joe, the novel's protagonist, embarks on a quest to avenge his mother's rape and near-murder, he learns much about the culture and traditions that surround him on the reservation. Arguably, the most important aspect of Native American culture that Joe learns about are the stories of the windigoo that Mooshum tells in his dreams. These stories push Joe to seek revenge of his own and help him develop a better understanding of how and why racial conflict and Native American history are so important in the quest for justice for his mother. Traditional stories are also important in The God of Small Things. The concept of the laws of love established at the beginning of time influences the relationships of every single character in the novel. When Rahel and Esta are taken to the kathkali dance by their uncle, the reader is able to draw parallels between this ancient story showing how the laws of love were broken and much more...... middle of paper.... ..their novels, The Round House and The God of Small Things. Both of these authors present ancient religious and cultural traditions – namely the stories of the windigoo and the concept of love laws – as decisive factors in how the characters in their novels interact with each other and in the development of the plots. Past events, Pappachi's disappointment and Linda Lark's abandonment, prove important to how the characters live their lives in both of these novels. In both The Round House and The God of Small Things historically prevalent struggles such as those between native and foreign religions and those between whites and non-whites prove incredibly influential on how present-day characters view the world and those around them. In both works the authors show that the past has an enormous influence on the present.