What does silence represent in the novel, What Strange Paradise?

Throughout the novel, silence is used to represent cowardice and a lack of conviction. Quiet Uncle is the primary symbol of cowardice, but other characters like Nicholas and Vanna's father are also unable to speak boldly when the moment demands it. The reoccurring symbol of silence also represents the larger silence of the entire Western world, implicating the West's cowardice and complicity in the refugee crisis.