"Silence" by Shusaku Endo

[bigsleepj]

Has anyone read it?

Silence is one of the best books I've ever read, and the most disturbing. Endo Shusaku was, at the time of his death, one of the best-selling authors in Japan, a popular stage actor and even hosted his own TV-show. Stranger yet is the fact that he was openly a Christian, a minority faith in Japan (as opposed to South Korea where 26% of the population are Christians). Endo has been labeled as the "Japanese Graham Greene" but that sort of sells him short, but it is fairly accurate as well. (point of fact he and Graham Greene were friends, albeit at a distance). And even though Endo is specifically Catholic, his books are relevant to all Christians if you ask me.

Many consider "Silence" to be Endo's masterpiece (although since I've only read "Silence" I'd have to agree with that by default). Silence tells the tale of a Portugese Jesuit called Father Rodrigues who must assess the situation of the Christian mission in Japan. In the 1500s the fastest growing faith on the island of Japan was Christianity, but by 1615-ish is was outlawed. Rodrigues must find out not only what is going on in Japan, which has currently closed its borders to the entire world. But he must also find his teacher Ferreira. Ferreira has dissapeared in Japan while doing missionary work, but is now rumored to be helping the Japanese root out the Christians.

Rodrigues and his associate Garpe (what in the world?) make it to Japan and make contact with the Christians. Their arrival sparks off terrible repurcussions for those hiding them. Soon their ways part and Rodrigues is alone trying to live in Japan. Soon he begins to asks questions; why does God remain silent when so many of His followers are mercilessly tortured?

Note: this book is very disturbing. It's certainly not for everyone.

[Mangafanatic]

When you say "disturbing", what exactly are you talking about?

[bigsleepj]

When you say "disturbing", what exactly are you talking about?

It's disturbing in two ways; one way is how the Christians were tortured and killed; they weren't, like the Roman Martyrs, tortured and killed, but kept alive in ways. They were given the option of either remaining a Christian and suffer or apostatize and remain alive. The torture isn't described in great detail, but it is none the austere discription make it all the more disturbing; I can't say its gratuitous.

The other way it is the disturbing is the way the book challenges you to think about God and the evil of the world. Endo, the author, struggled for years being a Christian in Japan and France. In Japan he was teased for being a Christian and later, while studying in France, he was mistreated by other Christians for being Japanese (this being RIGHT after World War 2, in which a lot of propoganda movies about the Japanese were released). A lot of his suffering was channeled into this book and apparently another book called "The Samurai". This period in his life triggered a spiritual crises, and "Silence" is also about a spiritual crises. What is disturbing about the book is the mental road that the main character takes to find the peace of God; his doubts and changing views about God and Christ; that's disturbing. Both the physical suffering and torture meets with the mental suffering of Endo and his fictional character to form a disturbing and dark vision of both Japan and Christianity during a dark period.

That's why its so disturbing.

[Technomancer]

I read about a year or two ago, it's a superb book. You should also read his novels 'The Samurai', and 'The Wonderful Fool'. As for it being disturbing, I suppose it is to an extent but primarily in the ending rather than in the rest of the novel I think. Of course, some of this is also because the book reflects different religious and cultural sensibilities than one may typically encounter. Aside from being Japanese, it is also Catholic in its outlook. It is difficult to go further without spoiling it, but I will say that it does force one to consider what they themselves would have done were they in a similar position.

*edit*. Just as an aside, I read this novel shortly after reading 'Left Behind' (principally out of curiosity), and found the contrast to be striking.