The Connection Between Estha and Rahel

     It is established early on in the novel, that Estha and Rahel do not have a normal brother-sister bond. Rather, the two are linked, seemingly sharing a brain, which their individual memories becoming shared ones. In describing how Baby Kochamma categorizes the twins, the narrator says, "Anyway she thinks of Estha and Rahel as Them, because, separately the two of them are no longer what They were or ever thought They'd be" (5), making it clear that the two act as a unit. The Estha and Rahel the community knew as children were only those identities because of their overall shared identity, which was created from the thoughts flowing through the shared minds of the twins. However, the twins are separated, forcing each child to learn to function alone. As the two are pulled apart by miles of distance, the connection dissipates, leaving each twin with his or her own thoughts. For Estha, who has grown mute, being alone with his thoughts almost brings him a sort of peace as he is in control of his own mind. Rahel grows independent, but is still fiercely attached to Estha, which is revealed when her sole reasoning to return home, after not refusing to return for family funerals, is finding out Estha has been Returned. I initially predicted Rahel's return would be positive for Estha, but it almost seems the opposite. "It had been quiet in Estha's head until Rahel came. But with her she had brought the sound of passing trains, the light and shade and light and shade that falls on you if you have a window seat. The world, locked out for years, suddenly flooded in, and now Estha couldn't hear himself through the noise" (16). Estha had been content with the silence in his head, not having to think to translate his feelings to words, however Rahel's return once again merges their minds, forcing Estha to be confronted with Rahel's experiences as he feels that he is on the train in her place. Estha's inner voice was clearly very weak from the start, explaining why it never had the power to be vocally translated, and with Rahel's more dominant voice and inner analysis of every experience pouring in, Estha's quiet thoughts are drowned out.