루이스 어드리크의 『침묵 게임』에 함축된 침묵의 의미

The Significance of Silence in Louise Erdrich"s The Game of Silence

  Louise Erdrich, in her novel for children, The Game of Silence, represents one of the major concepts in Native American tradition, “silence.” To examine the significance of silence reveals three distinctive aspects of American indigenous culture. The one is the virtue of silence in communal life. To allow children to participate in important tribal meetings and to control children by means of a playful game of silence signals de-centralized social structure in which all members of the community feel equal dignity. The second significance is connected with extreme grief and fury for the loss of family. Angry Boy"s helpless dependence on strangers for survival and loneliness which leave him silent open a new avenue to view Native Americans" loss of voice about their desperate predicament. The third silence implies saying nothing about the present predicament overwhelmed by petty gratitude and joyful hope for the coming future from children"s perspective.