Trauma. The word brings to mind the effects of such major events as war, rape, kidnapping, abuse, torture, or other similar assault. The emotional aftermath of such events is easily recognizable by the medical and psychological communities, and increasingly by the general public. Emotional trauma can result from such common occurrences as a car accident, the end of a significant relationship, a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience, the discovery of a life-threatening illness or disabling condition or other similar situations, which for Estha, were his roles in the deaths of Sophie Mol and Velutha, and his molestation. Traumatizing events can take a serious emotional toll on those involved, even if the event did not cause physical damage, especially if the involved person is a child, like Estha. In The God of Small Things (TGST) by Arundhati Roy, Estha, a young child, is exposed to series of traumatic events over a period of two weeks in addition to his already unstable life. First, at the Abhilash Talkies, he is the victim of a pedophile. Then within the next two weeks, his cousin, Sophie Mol drowns to death, and Estha witnesses the beating of Velutha, a father figure in his life, which led to Velutha's death soon afterwards. Estha holds himself responsible for the molestation, and both Sophie Mol's and Velutha's deaths, which reflects the naivety and self-centeredness of a child. Additionally, Estha is Returned shortly after the "Terror," which shatters his already shaky home life and comfort zone.
             Due to the nature of these events, the proximity of their occurrences and Estha's inability to properly cope because of his age, and inexperience with coping mechanisms, Estha withdraws from his environment leading to his eventual silence. It is unclear when Estha went mute, because "Estha had always been a quiet child, so no one could pinpoint with any degre...