Character Analysis - Estha

Estha’s Character and Love

Arundhati Roy wrote The God of Small Things for many reasons, some political and some social. It is clear in the novel that the idea of love is very important to her. In almost every aspect of the novel, love ties in some way. We see this idea in the way the characters interact with each other (there are many different types of relationships) and in the background for the novel, such as the political issue of touchables and untouchables in India. Specifically, Roy includes characters like Esthappen Yako (Estha) to represent and idea about love, and Estha’s character represents half of the idea of love, which Rahel is the other half. The type of love represented in this novel cannot really be defined because it’s a love that transcends all cultures and time, which may also be why the book does not follow a chronological order.

The complementarity of Estha and Rahel is intentionally designed to emphasize the two halves of love. The idea of fraternal twins representing love is very unorthodox, but makes sense due to their perfect complementarity. Throughout the novel the two are seen together, but when they are apart the terrible emptiness they feel is clear. “The emptiness in one twin was only a version of quietness in the other” (Roy 21). It is evident that the relationship Estha and Rahel feel is necessary to each other’s beings, and ties in to the idea that Estha represents only one half of love. When Estha and Rahel are together they are whole, and together they represent a love that is complete. Even Ammu, the twins’ mother, realizes that Estha and Rahel depend on each other in a complex and internal way. Ammu says, “‘Promise me you’ll always love each other,’ she’d say, as she drew her children to her. ‘Promise,’ Estha and Rahel would say. Not finding words with which to tell her that for them there was no Each, no Other” (Roy 214-215). The way the twins feel as though they are one is evidence of their representing love.

            Throughout the novel and from the scenes that describe Estha, the audience comes to think of Estha as a kind, innocent, and methodical boy. He also takes initiative, and this can be seen in the way he feels protective over Rahel, how he is the one to decide that Sophie Mol, Rahel, and he should run away, and how he is the one to row the boat across the river. It is also clear that Estha is deeply disturbed after being molested by the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man. This incident sticks with Estha for all of his life, and part of the reason he is so deeply disturbed is because molestation is a violation of innocence and love, two things that Estha helps represent in the novel. Because his character represents the more practical and serious type of love, contrary to Rahel to acts more on emotion, the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man completely changes Estha’s world of order and innocence. After Estha is molested he starts to feel sick and goes to the bathroom with Ammu and tries to vomit. “Estha convulsed, but nothing came. Just thoughts”(Roy 103). The sickness and disgust Estha feels shows that this type of thing is so foreign and terrible to him, as it should be, and he is trying to vomit almost as if he’s trying to get the experience out of him, an experience that violates love and innocence.

Roy sets the background of the story with political issues in India. In particular, the idea of Touchables and Untouchables is repeated throughout the novel, and the issue evolves with the story. The forbidden love between Ammu and Velutha contrasts the traditional and sacred rule that Touchables and Untouchables should not touch, let alone love each other. Roy also challenges the idea of “love laws” with the love between Rahel and Estha. Although Roy is not necessarily stating that she believes a love between brother and sister that goes beyond family love is right, the idea is that love should have no rules, and Estha’s character supports and represents this idea. Roy describes the moment between Rahel and Estha by saying, “only that once again they broke the Love Laws. That lay down who should be loved. And how. And how much” (Roy 311).  The “Love Laws” show that the idea of love has been lost. That there are rules for loving someone, when there should not be. In this scene Estha, who has stopped talking altogether, communicates with love because that is the only way he knows how.

The God of Small Things says a lot about love and how love should and should not be viewed. By using characters such as Estha to represent the idea of love and that love delicate but strong and should not have rules, Roy can convey her message more clearly by having such a character that develops throughout the novel. Even those Rahel does represent the other half of love, we can see clearly in Estha the effects of certain situations, like the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, and through his personality the clear representation of an idea of love.