Summary & Study Guide Silence by Shusaku Endo

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Silence Study Guide consists of approx. 46 pages of summaries and analysis on Silence by Shusaku Endo, This study guide includes the following Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes, Style, Quotes, and Topics for Discussion.

43 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2011

Reviews

[Navneet Chaurasiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silence is the story of the Japanese persecution of Christians that occurred in the 1600s. More specifically, Endo traces the life of Sebastian Rodrigues, a Portuguese missionary from the Society of Jesus, as he tries to survive as a Christian priest working in Japan. Rodrigues and two of his friend's journeys to Macao, China. They hope to gain entrance into Japan to locate their former teacher, Christovao Ferreira. Ferreira has been working in Japan for over thirty years. Still, correspondence from the priest abruptly ceased, and only a few tales of how Ferreira apostatized following several torturous days suspended in the pit tell what happened.

Rodrigues, Francisco Garrpe, and Juan de Santa Marta gain permission from their Superiors in Portugal to make the journey from Lisbon to Macao. However, once the three priests land in China, they are informed that all Portuguese ships from Macao to Japan have been prohibited. Valignano, the Society of Jesus working in Macao, forbids the priests from continuing their journey. After much discussion, the priests obtain Valignano's permission to secure a Chinese ship and continue to Japan. Unfortunately, Santa Marta is deemed too ill to travel, so only Rodrigues and Garrpe arrive in Tomogi, Japan. Their contact, Kichijiro, locates a group of Christian peasants willing to hide the priests in a charcoal hut just outside their village.

The priests have little contact with other villages and learn nothing about the fate of Ferreira. Then, one day, officials come to the village looking for hidden Christian items. Garrpe and Rodrigues decide that it would be best for everyone if they separate and leave the village. Rodrigues sails across the sea but fails to find another village to hide in. As he struggles across the mountains, he encounters Kichijiro, who has been trailing the priest for some time. Kichijiro promises to take Rodrigues to another safe village, but after several days of walking, the priest is captured by officials.

Rodrigues is shifted between various holding huts before landing in a prison cell outside of Nagasaki, Japan. Nagasaki is the traditional seat of the magistrate, Inoue, responsible for the interrogation and torture of all captured Christians. Rodrigues knows of several priests who have apostatized following being suspended in "the pit" and figures that it is only a matter of time before he too is subjected to severe torture. The time in prison and the treatment of other prisoners force Rodrigues to reflect on his own faith.

He draws parallels between himself and Christ as he is betrayed by Judas, persecuted by the Jews, and finally nailed to a cross. However, for most of the book, Rodrigues feels that God has chosen to be silent about the suffering of His people. It is not until the very final chapter that Rodrigues comes to terms with God and all the events that have happened to him in Japan.

[Lynda Rogle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing insightful experience which challenges the core of any belief system. The question, from my own perspective, that I was left with was - what would Jesus have done in the same circumstances? He instructs his disciples to go out and preach the good news to all and to shake the dust from their feet if they are not received well on the one hand and yet, the story of Jonah and his refusal to obey God suggests the opposite, which is to persist against all difficulties to take God's message to all. The role of the Judas character, Kichijiro excellently demonstrates the very human weakness of vacillating between faith and courage versus greed and fear - we are all Judas some of the time. In the end, whether you side with the faithful martyrs or the self-sacrifice of the apostates who appear to deny God in saving their flock, the book is a good reminder that faithfulness is easier in good times when the toughest choice we may make, is whether to get up to go to church on Sunday. It is also throws an interesting light on the imposition of one faith on another from the perspective of those who receive the missionary message. A superb story with an interesting history of a Japan that has little resemblance to modern-day Japan. I will definitely be looking out for more from Shusaku Endo

[Jeff Heavilon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of a missionary priest from Portugal to Japan in the 1700's. Based on true accounts and documents. Main theme is how people and in this case a priest respond to extreme adversity and the spiritual questions that arise.
The first 2/3rds of the book set the stage for the powerful conclusion. It is a translation from the Japanese author. The translation or the style of the writer is at times stilted or stiff but after reading for a while it tends to become natural. Sometimes difficult to follow who is telling the story as it switches from narrator to priest and back again.
The powerful ending raises many spiritual issues for the serious reader to consider. Some of these issues for thought and discussion include man's relationship to God, the goals of the established church, Jesus' perceived gift and mission to mankind, mans responsibility to his fellow man and the question of the hereafter.
A well written book for those looking to get a serious but different perspective on Jesus, the Church and Christianity.

[Gino Franz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good moral dilemma - which of your morals should you choose?

[Gervaise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit slow did not like the translation very much.

[Shemeem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting but too narrative. Yet, some parts you really feel heart stopping due to the description of torture. Readable novel

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read the book, not the study guide, GoodReads wouldn't pull up the book. A little known story of the Catholic priests sent to Japan to establish a Christian church. Cosidered a classic work by a classic Japanese writer. Very interesting.

[Ellen M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because the movie was abut to be released. It’s a Otugh subject for a book, let alone a movie. Set in16th century Japan, the story of the struggle of western religious men