The quote "Madness slunk in through a chink in History. It only took a moment" from Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" suggests the fragility of historical progress and the suddenness with which chaos or disorder can emerge. It highlights how small, seemingly inconsequential cracks in our understanding of history can lead to significant upheaval. This indicates that even a brief lapse can allow darkness, or madness, to infiltrate otherwise structured narratives of the past.

Roy's portrayal of history encompasses the complexity of human experiences and the unpredictable nature of events. The use of the word "slunk" implies a stealthy, insidious approach to destruction or disorder, suggesting that madness can often go unnoticed until it's too late. This reflects the overarching themes of the novel, where personal and societal histories intertwine, revealing how moments of madness can alter lives unexpectedly.