Sophie Mol

The character of Sophie Mol is alluded to more in the book in death than actually described in life. Yet, despite her lack of words, she has a large impact on Estha and Rahel. Perhaps it is not so much Sophie Mol who impacts them, but the idea of Sophie Mol, both in life and death. The week preceding her arrival is described as the "What Will Sophie Mol Think? week" (36). This shows that the Ayemenen house held Sophie Mol's name to high standard, as a half white girl from a more privileged background. In her arrival and after her death, there is a focus on the fact that she was beautiful while she was alive. Estha and Rahel do not seem to like Sophie Mol, based primarily on the idea of her, as they see their relatives drawn to the beautiful young girl, dividing the limited quantity of love the twins believe exists in a person. However, despite being from a different world, Sophie Mol does not come across as entirely stuck up. She takes interest in befriending the twins, too young and innocent to see the difference between them despite the tales of bastard children from her mother. Sophie Mol actively wants to join the twins escape plan, convincing them if she leaves with them Ammu will feel truly guilty. However, her death almost signifies that Estha and Rahel are only ever meant to have each other, and anyone who tries to join their siamese soul is destined for something awful. Furthermore, the death of Sophie Mol marks the loss of the twins innocence, as they have to learn to be accountable in the following years. In the opening of the book, Rahel believes she sees Sophie Mol suffocating from her burial, not her drowing, signifying that Rahel struggles it believe it was her, or rather their, in reference to the unit of Estha and Rahel, escape plan that lead to her drowning.