Speaking Versus Silence

In many of the books we have read, the issue of being silent versus telling one’s story arises. Survivors of the Holocaust or any genocide cope with their feelings through different means.

In Black Dog of Fate, Balakian describes the survivors of the Armenian genocide in his family as silent. Often, survivors find it difficult to tell their stories to others that didn’t experience the horrors because the atrocities are so incomprehensible and essentially, impossible to convey. Silence can be a way to forget one’s past and move on to a fresh beginning. Essentially, silence can close one door and open up another. Later on, however, in Black Dog of Fate, Balakian’s aunt tells him the whole story of his family during the genocide. In some cases, telling someone one’s story can act as a cathartic moment, a way of releasing all the pent up anger and sadness held years after the horrors occurred.

In Nightfather, the narrator constantly tells his children stories about the horrible realities of the camps. Often, the horrors of the camp are so ingrained in a person’s mind that it is almost necessary for them to talk about their memories. The experiences of a survivor are so powerful that they can shape almost all of that person’s choices and perceptions of the world.

In Maus II, at the crematorium, another factory worker tells Vladek about the bodies piled by the doors of the gas chambers. The worker describes gruesome details that Vladek does not want to hear. However, the worker tells him anyways. The worker has to talk to cope with the stress and tension that is present in the camps. Often, people feel relieved when they tell someone about something that is bothering them. Essentially the worker feels less alone after telling Vladek the horrors of the gas chambers.