Broken Silence // Abigale Bell

Throughout "Silence," the main theme has been silence. There is the silence of men, the silence of nature, but most poignantly, the silence of God. Multiple times, Rodrigues has cried out to God in frustration. Why has God remained silent through all the suffering of the people? Such a prolonged silence makes the scene at the end of chapter nine all the more noticable. 

Rodrigues is faced with the decision to apostatize. The fumie is placed at his feet and, as he raises his foot to take the step, the long silence is broken. 

"And then the Christ in bronze speaks to the priest: 'Trample! Trample! I more than anyone know of the pain in your foot. Trample! It was to be trampled on by men that I was born into this world. It was to share men's pain that I caried my cross.'" (Endō, 183). 

This is the only moment in the story in which God breaks his silence. Why is it that this is the moment? Rodrigues denies Christ by Christ's own command. Something about this doesn't sit right with me. Why would God's only words be a denial of himself. Yet, perhaps God's seeming self-contradiction is instead a critique of Rodrigues' claimed Christianity. He seems to have an unreal image of God. The Japanese also have a distorted view of who God is. Perhaps, in a way, God is calling to Rodrigues' attention the fact that what he has believed in for so long was not the true vision of God. 

(commented on Emma's and Braylan's posts in spirit)

Comments

  1. Bug OlsenApril 19, 2022 at 12:20 AM

    I believe that this is a manner of self-deception that he discusses in light of both Ferreira and himself. This is the method which he justifies his behaviours, claiming that Jesus is telling him to and would have done the same so that he feels better doing what he is doing.

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  2. Song WhittingtonApril 19, 2022 at 9:54 AM

    I like the question you posed. Why would God break his silence here, telling Rodrigez to trample the picture? I think it may be the God understood the suffering of man, and more so the personal sacrifice Rodrigez was debating for the sake of others. I wonder if God was breaking His silence here almost to tell Rodrigez that He understand the suffering he is willing to go through for others and, in a way, giving him permission to proceed. Great post!

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