Literary notes about silent (AI summary)
The word silent is used in literature as a powerful tool to convey both a tangible quiet and an inner state of emotion or restraint. At times, it describes a physical stillness that evokes moods of mystery or foreboding—as when landscapes, cities, or nights are rendered with a quiet that intensifies the setting’s atmosphere ([1], [2], [3]). In other moments, silence reveals a character’s emotional depth or thoughtful introspection, suggesting that what is left unsaid may speak louder than words; characters remain mute in the wake of sorrow, awe, or personal reflection ([4], [5]). Moreover, silent can underscore social dynamics, highlighting differences in behavior between groups and marking moments of subtle defiance or dignity ([6], [7]). Overall, silent becomes more than a mere absence of sound—it is imbued with meaning that bridges the inner life with the external world ([8], [9]).
- I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets.
— from The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle - Night came on,—night calm, unmoved, and glorious, shining down with her innumerable and solemn angel eyes, twinkling, beautiful, but silent.
— from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe - The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free: We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea.
— from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge - She remembered her oath, and was silent.
— from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - I humoured him: the watch ticked on: he breathed fast and low: I stood silent.
— from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë - Stiepan it appeared was reserved and silent only with men, and in the company of women was free and talkative.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - He may be deaf and silent; and that is called dignity.
— from What's Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton - A sombre irresolution held him silent for a while.
— from The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale by Joseph Conrad - The last of the four was always silent and, for the most part, kept his face turned in unmolested directions.
— from The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War by Stephen Crane