A Textual Analysis of The God of Small Things PDF

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The Motif of Silence in The God of Small Things
Introduction
Arundhuti Roy’s The God of Small Things has secured a respectable position in the
canonized works of commonwealth literature with justifiable reasons. The work was remarkably
accomplished for a debut and Roy’s use of non-linear narrative using multiple perspectives
works beautifully to give an indefinite impression of things. The plot of the story revolves
around trauma and explores how traumatic incidents of the past influence the future and the
present of individuals, propelling them to do things they cannot otherwise identify themselves
with. This essay aims to identify in depth, a motif of trauma in Roy’s magnum opus. The central
argument of the discussion is that the author uses silence to meet many ends in the novel. Silence
in The God of Small Things is like the waters of the river which stands for different themes in the
novel. The fluidity of silence cradles the entire narrative and it has been strategically explored by
Roy. The question is whether silence in the story serves as a barrier to communication and a
perpetrator of injustice; or if it brings the different characters of the novel closer to one another,
with its pervasive presence throughout the course of the story. The essay aims to determine how

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the novel uses the motif of silence to suggest the anxiety of trauma, and how it drives people to
commit irredeemable actions.
Discussion
The motif of silence unveils the underlying trauma of the characters in the novel. A
deafening silence pervades the novel through and through, and the motif is established with the
setting of the plot and sustains itself till the very end when the twins consummate their
relationship. The story is set in the quiet, serene district of South India. The narrative shifts
back and forth between the 1993 and 1969, delineating the rather strange tales of the Ipe
household, as the twins Estha and Rahel struggle to come to terms with their traumatic past. The
act of unveiling the truths is carried out in silence, while chaos and sound dominate the
confusing plot of the story. The novel opens with Estha and Rahel’s reunion following an
indeterminately long gap since their childhood. The silent exchanges between them establishes
the theme of the story and the rest of the plot is informed by alternating phases of silence and
commotion; used for demonstrating trauma and passion respectively. Ammu, the mother of the
twins is left dumbfounded following a traumatic incident and can say nothing apart from the
words “He’s dead, I’ve killed him” (Roy: 178). On the ride back to Ayemenem in train. The
scene switches back to the past and the readers are introduced to the rest of the family members.
It is revealed that Rahel was once molested by the Orangedrink and Lemondrink man, which has
left him with debilitating memories of childhood. Rahel choses to suffer in silence and recalls the
moment in the present as she watches Estha get undressed in the moonlight, none of them say a
word. Silence, in this case is both a reaction to a traumatic past and a means to communicate
what cannot be articulated in words. The twins feel the sexual tension between them, their
silence is an indication that they both understand and accept the predicament.

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The characters in the play are either threatened to silence or succumb to it for survival; in
both cases they underlying trauma is hard to miss. Ammu refrains from talking for the rest of her
life following the death of her secret lover, Velutha. The twins are made to remain silent about
the injustice against Velutha, and Velutha belonging from the margins is never allowed a voice
of his own and perishes silently into oblivion. He is never given a choice to vocalize his stand
and the readers can only anticipate the trauma with which he had to die. Rahel and Estha witness
the entire incident and are traumatized to the point that they cannot speak a word about it even as
adults. Ammu and Velutha has to continue their affair in complete secrecy since exposure would
drive them to catastrophe. They therefore yield to silence for protecting themselves against the
evils of the world. Although, secrecy does not save them from the ills that befell in the ensuing
events and Ammu is once again seen resorting to silence following the traumatic incident of
Velutha’s death.
The motif of silence is carefully articulated to inform the different themes in the plot,
including differing versions of reality, past and the memory, blame and guilt, love, innocence,
fear, romance, morality and identity. All these themes are interwoven with trauma and how the
different characters respond to it. The motif of silence allows the author to explore tabooed
topics like incest, sexual transgression and endogamy with the subtlety integral to works of
literary fiction. In theoretical terms, Roy uses silence for communicating the things that cannot
be communicated using words. The twins for instance, grapple with the traumas of their
unsettling past; and they must do so in silence. Estha and Rahel hardly speak a word of the
turmoil that characterized their childhood, although the author conveys their distress through a
routine use of silence. Rahel refrains from talking about the sexual molestation. This suggests