THE SOUND OF SILENCE | Critical Appreciation

Critical Appreciation for "THE SOUND OF SILENCE". - Written by 'Paul Simon'. Paul Simon is not only a poet. He is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and an excellent pop lyricist. He has produced several albums and performed many solos under various pseudonyms ( नक्कली नाम ).

The poem "The Sound of Silence" criticizes the increasing materialistic tendency and lack of spiritual seriousness in modern people.

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1. Question and answers Of 'THE SOUND OF SILENCE'

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Critical Appreciation Of 'THE SOUND OF SILENCE':

The poem is the warning against the lack of spiritual seriousness in modern period. It makes an allusion ( सन्दर्भ ) to the Bible. It brings to mind the pictures Moses walking down Mount Sinai to find the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. The neon god worshipped by modern people represents the idol of the spiritually misled ( पथभ्रष्ट ) people.

Paul Simon criticizes the materialistic tendency ( प्रवृति ) of modern people. This tendency has become world wide and is spreading like cancer in human body. The idol of spiritually misled people painted on the walls and shown by neon lights have been rooted in the brain of people.

The speaker hears the sound in silence. This is the paradoxical statement in itself. But if we analyze it into deeper level, it reveals the truth. When somebody is very pious and in complete ecstasy, there will be silence everywhere around him/her. In such a silence, a vision comes out, that is the vision of truth. In such situation people talk without speaking, hear without listening, write songs without any voices. This is the elevated ( उन्नत ) state which the modern people lack.

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CRITICAL APPRECIATION Of "THE SOUND OF SILENCE"

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Allusion भनेको पुराना साहित्यिक किताब वा धार्मिक किताबहरुको प्रसङ्ग ल्याउने प्रक्रिया हो। यो कविताको तेश्रो श्लोकमा बाइबलको एउटा प्रसङ्ग प्रयोग गरिएको छ। क्राइष्टले बिउ छर्न जाने मान्छेको दृष्टान्त वर्णन गरिसके पछि उसका चेलाहरुले किन यति धेरै मान्छेहरुलाई दृष्टान्तको रुपमा कथा सुनाएको भनेर प्रश्न गरेका थिए। अरु वस्तु हरुको बीचमा प्रभुले यसरी जवाफ दिनुभयो - मैले दृष्टान्तको रुपमा सुनाएको कारण के हो भने उनीहरु हेरेर पनि देख्न सक्दैनन्, सुनेर पनि सुन्न सक्दैनन् र बुझ्दैनन् पनि (St. Mattew 13.13).