--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Madness slunk in through a chink in…" description: "\"Madness slunk in through a chink in History. It only took a moment.\" — Arundhati Roy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/arundhati-roy-346_chinks_madness-slunk-in-through-a-chink-in-hist_3070700.png" --- # Madness slunk in through a chink in History. It only took… ![“Madness slunk in through a chink in History. It only took a moment.” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/arundhati-roy-346_chinks_madness-slunk-in-through-a-chink-in-hist_3070700.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/arundhati-roy-346_chinks_madness-slunk-in-through-a-chink-in-hist_3070700.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/arundhati-roy-346_chinks_madness-slunk-in-through-a-chink-in-hist_3070700.png) > “Madness slunk in through a chink in History. It only took a moment.” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical moments can be infiltrated by madness, altering the course of events. **In simple terms:** Madness can shift history. Key Takeaway Remain vigilant to subtle changes in society. Themes history madness change Mood cautious alert Type critical analytical When to use this quote - political movements - cultural shifts - personal decisions Key Concepts political theory social dynamics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do we detect early signs of societal shift? - What safeguards prevent chaos? A Different Perspective Madness may be misinterpreted as normalcy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The only important thing to realise about history is that it all took place in the last five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-green/the-only-important-thing-to-realise-about-history-is-that-it-all-took/) [Celia Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-green/) > [“History took hold of me and never let me go thereafter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/history-took-hold-of-me-and-never-let-me-go-thereafter/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The past actually happened. History is what someone took the time to write down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-whitney-brown/the-past-actually-happened-history-is-what-someone-took-the-time-to/) [A. Whitney Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-whitney-brown/) > [Throughout history, it took centuries for the habits of one culture to materially affect another. Now, that which becomes popular in one country can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-hock/throughout-history-it-took-centuries-for-the-habits-of-one-culture-to/) [Dee Hock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-hock/) > [“For a second I felt content, an emotion so unfamiliar it took me a moment to identify it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/for-a-second-i-felt-content-an-emotion-so-unfamiliar-it-took-me-a/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [“When my mate died, it took me a very, very long time to come back." It took her a moment to think of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/when-my-mate-died-it-took-me-a-very-very-long-time-to-come-back-it/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Oh, all I needed Was one look One magic moment Was all it took. From that moment I love you so Now that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/oh-all-i-needed-was-one-look-one-magic-moment-was-all-it-took-from/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [“It took me a moment to speak. My heart pumped madly as though I’d run for miles in pursuit of something vital. In this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-sorel/it-took-me-a-moment-to-speak-my-heart-pumped-madly-as-though-i-d-run/) J.J. Sorel > [The image of the presence, whatever it was, waiting there for him to go -this image had not yet been so concrete for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/the-image-of-the-presence-whatever-it-was-waiting-there-for-him-to-go/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“...when you took a moment to see what was around you, noticed all the little things, it made you feel…lighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/when-you-took-a-moment-to-see-what-was-around-you-noticed-all-the/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I felt something stir within me. It took a moment to recognise it. Anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-goodman/i-felt-something-stir-within-me-it-took-a-moment-to-recognise-it-anger/) [Alison Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-goodman/) > [I do not think I responded immediately, for it took me a moment or two to fully digest these words of Miss Kenton. Moreover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-do-not-think-i-responded-immediately-for-it-took-me-a-moment-or-two/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“I took a moment to drink him in. His hair sticking in twenty-one directions since he’d yanked off his beanie. His Botticelli face. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinne-lee/i-took-a-moment-to-drink-him-in-his-hair-sticking-in-twenty-one/) [Robinne Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinne-lee/) > [It took only a moment to cause this head to fall and a hundred years will not suffice to produce its like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-miller/it-took-only-a-moment-to-cause-this-head-to-fall-and-a-hundred-years/) Russell Miller > [He took a moment to get over the shock, and to remind himself that this had surely been difficult for her and she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-maclean/he-took-a-moment-to-get-over-the-shock-and-to-remind-himself-that/) [Julianne MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-maclean/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Chinks quotes > [Nothing is so engaging as the little domestic cares into which you appear to be entering, and as to reading it is useful for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-is-so-engaging-as-the-little-domestic-cares-into-which-you/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Every family has chinks in their armour. I don't know of any family that is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-shah/every-family-has-chinks-in-their-armour-i-don-t-know-of-any-family/) [Shefali Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-shah/) > [Democracy is the fig leaf of elitism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/democracy-is-the-fig-leaf-of-elitism/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [Our errors and failings are chinks in the heart's armor through which our true colors can shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/our-errors-and-failings-are-chinks-in-the-heart-s-armor-through-which/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [They smell of all the baths they didnt take. The trouble with China is, there are too many chinks here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/they-smell-of-all-the-baths-they-didnt-take-the-trouble-with-china-is/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Come on now! You kick out the gooks, the next thing you know, you have to kick out the chinks, the spicks, the spooks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/come-on-now-you-kick-out-the-gooks-the-next-thing-you-know-you-have/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [“From the very first time she'd been able to find the chinks in his armor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/from-the-very-first-time-she-d-been-able-to-find-the-chinks-in-his/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [If any Englishman said he has never called a Chinaman a chink he is lying. There is nothing bad about doing that. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-whelan/if-any-englishman-said-he-has-never-called-a-chinaman-a-chink-he-is/) Dave Whelan > [If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/if-the-doors-of-perception-were-cleansed-everything-would-appear-to/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The passion for revenge should never blind you to the pragmatics of the situation. There are some people who are so blighted by their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/the-passion-for-revenge-should-never-blind-you-to-the-pragmatics-of/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [The gothic is singular in this; one seems easily at home in the renaissance; one is not too strange in the Byzantine; as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/the-gothic-is-singular-in-this-one-seems-easily-at-home-in-the/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [If I should be fated to walk no more with Nature, be compelled to leave all I most devoutly love in the wilderness, return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/if-i-should-be-fated-to-walk-no-more-with-nature-be-compelled-to/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Visiting my mind is like visiting the Hermes factory. Sh\*t is real. You're not going to find a chink. It's 100,000 per cent Jimi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/visiting-my-mind-is-like-visiting-the-hermes-factory-sh-t-is-real-you/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [You have taught us much. Come with us and join the movement." "This movement of yours, does it have slogans?" inquired the Chink. "Right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/you-have-taught-us-much-come-with-us-and-join-the-movement-this/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [And it was there that I saw the most appealing creature in the whole shop. He had a slight chink out of one foot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-d-lacey/and-it-was-there-that-i-saw-the-most-appealing-creature-in-the-whole/) [Chris d'Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-d-lacey/) Browse all 46 Chinks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Madness slunk in through a chink in History. 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