Silence

Silence is one of the major motifs that runs throughout the novel. Most of the time, it is Faye, the narrator, who imparts the novel's messages about silence by not divulging details about herself.

Faye wants to hide. She no longer wants to try to persuade anyone of anything. She no longer participates in literary discussions, as she has stopped judging people by the books they read. She fails to leave messages with her loan officer until the end of the novel. Faye does not even mention her name when she talks to the loan officer. The loan officer must confirm that it is Faye to whom she is speaking. By being silent, Faye serves a purpose for those who talk to her. She is like the animals she has her students include in their stories. It is hard for the students to write about the...