The motif of voice (singing, prayer) and silence (God, nature) throughout the novel.
increasingBearing strength in each eventdecreasing
The Hymn of the Martyrs
The Hymn of the Martyrs
'We're on our way'
Mokichi sang the hymn while dying. The song was filled with dark sadness. It was a voice of hope in the silence.
The People's Prayer
Christians in prison prayed aloud. Their voices rose like a fountain. The guards listened.
Significance
The Silence of the Sea
The Silence of the Sea
The Monotonous Sound
The sea was always present, dark and silent. It washed the bodies of the martyrs. It seemed to mock the suffering.
God's Silence
Rodrigues equated the sea's silence with God's silence. It was a constant presence of absence.
Significance
