Milia McCoy

Period 3

Global Issue:

The effect of social conformity on the individual

Introduce the passage :

The Silence (Page 305)
What would happen if one day, for no reason, no one believes a word you say? It happens, you know. Suddenly, one
day, out of the blue. I'm always thinking about it. Last time, it was only six months, but the next time? No one can say;
there's no guarantee. I don't have confidence in how long I can hold out the next time. When I think of these things, I
really get shaken up. I'll dream about it and wake up in the middle of the night. It happens a little too often, in fact. And
when it happens, I wake my wife up and I hold on to her and cry. Sometimes for a whole hour, I'm so scared."

He broke off and looked out the window to the clouds. They'd barely moved. A heavy lid, bearing down from the
heavens. Absorbing all color from the control tower and airplanes and ground-transport vehicles and tarmac and men in
uniform.

"People like Aoki don't scare me. They're all over the place, but I don't trouble myself with them anymore. When I run
into them, I don't get involved. I see them coming and I head the other way. I can spot them in an instant. But at the
same time, I've got to admire the Aokis of this world. Their ability to lay low until the right moment, their knack for
latching on to opportunities, their skill in fucking with people's minds--that's no ordinary talent. I hate their kind so
much it makes me want to puke, but it is a talent.

"No, what really scares me is how easily, how uncritically, people will believe the crap that slime like Aoki deal out.
How these Aoki types produce nothing themselves, don't have an idea in the world, and talk so nice, how this slime can
sway gullible types to any opinion and get them to perform on cue, as a group. And this group never entertains even a
sliver of doubt that they could be wrong. They think nothing of hurting someone, senselessly, permanently. They don't
take any responsibility for their actions. Them. ​They're​ the real monsters. ​They're​ the ones I have nightmares about. In
those dreams, there's only the silence. And these faceless people. Their silence seeps into everything like ice water. And
then it goes all murky. And I'm dissolving and I'm screaming, but no one hears."

Explain how the passage does this:

- The effects (consequences) of social conformity in our modern life, influences the behavior and outlook of an
individual
- Written as dialogue, characterization of Ozawa is direct, resulting in an anxious and fearful person
- The antagonist shifts from Aoki (“Akois of the world”) to the society
- The narrator uses allusion (​Them​) to further develop the idea and flaws of societal conformity
- Murakami elaborates on the theme using figurative language, tense syntax, and frightened diction
- Devices add to the tone allowing more characterization to Ozawa
- Slight contrast between Ozawa’s individuality negatively impacted and Aoki’s positively impacted (ability to
manipulate)
- Using these devices, ​The Silence a​ ddresses themes of conformity and individuality as it influences the behavior
of an individual