S Souvany | A Silent Love | An Analytical Study

S Souvany | A Silent Love | An Analytical Study

S Souvany | A Silent Love | An Analytical Study

S Souvany | A Silent Love | An Analytical Study

‘A Silent Love’ is a short story written by S. Souvanny a writer who belongs to the nationality of Laos. Love is the main theme of the story. The story narrates how a schoolboy was ruined because of his silent love for a girl.

It is the story of a schoolboy named Boonthong. He is the son of a poor peasant family. His parents sent him to Vientiane from a far-off village in order to get a better education.  There he stayed at one of his relative’s homes who lived around Vientiane. There he had to do some household work. Later on, he shifted to a rented apartment. There he got two friends named Khamtan and Phayvan. He was a good student and did well in the examinations. His parents hoped that after completing education, their son Boonthong would take to a good job and then their condition would get better. In his junior high school, there was a girl by the name of Malivan coming of a rich family. In Junior high school, she had never shown any sign of being the daughter of a rich family.  She ate and studied like just other students and his attitude was much like Boonthong. The girl was pretty, kind and friendly with everybody regardless of their background. But while Boonthong went to senior high school they forgot each other as there was not much intimacy between them. She lived in a neighbouring area. But Boonthong did not know her whereabouts. While he went to senior high school then one day he happened to meet Malivan in a car going to the school. The father and mother of Malivan were in the car. It was a rainy day. Boonthong was going to school on foot and suddenly Malivan asked him and offered him to board their car. Her father Mr. Phady said to Boonthong that if they were classmates then Malivan would take him along to the institute every day in their car. Malivan really began to love him. Every time Malivan turned to the subject of love, but Boonthong would change the subject. In fact, he loved her more than anybody else but he could not help comparing their lives. He was poor nothing to offer her but himself. As time went on Malivan became somewhat disheartened. One day at a party in the house of Malivan she met a young boy called Khamphan. He offered his love to Malivan. Those were the words that she had so wanted to hear from Boonthong. That night she lay awake, her heart spilt in between the two boys — one she loved and the one who said he loved her. Later on, Malivan and Khamphan became intimate with each other and Boonthong also came to know about their love affairs. He became worried and much depressed. He noticed that Khamphan is a good musician and thought that Khampahan’s music had bewitched her. So Boonthon turned his course and decided to become a musician. He began to learn guitar under a master named Siri. One day he found a chance to play for a band party where Malivan and others were present. Boonthong received praise from everybody. Gradually he became indifferent to his study and became addicted to wine. In the examination, he cut a sorry figure. Already he got a letter from his father that his younger sister had died of disease as medicine was scarce and food was short. Already the manager of the music party drove him away from the party as he was a bad guitarist. Mentally he broke down and thus his life became ruined.

Boonthong is the principal character of the story. He is portrayed as a type as well as an individual. His love affair, taking to learning guitar and negligence of his study made him miserable.

The second important character is Malivan. She is the daughter of a well-to-do family. She is like an ordinary girl. She had a weakness in music. She loved Boonthong but getting no response she turned to Khamphan. But she is not cruel to Boonthong. It is not for Malivan but for Boonthong’s own wrong course that ruined Boonthong.

The author has used the Objective Method in narrating the story and in doing so he has succeeded praiseworthily.

The story, in Structure, is well one. The exposition is direct. The complication of the story begins when Boonthong and Malivan met each other while the latter was going to the institute with her parents. The climax reaches when Boonthong got his first debut as a guitarist. Then the falling action begins and meets the denouement while Boonthong is totally ruined.

The Setting of the story is consistent with the events and situation. The author gives a good deal of description of the manners and nature of his characters and a vivid description of the surroundings of his event.

The Dialogue employed in the story is very logical as he uses them economically but all the dialogues have taken his story a step ahead and unfold the inner nature and motives of his characters.

The author has expressed his Philosophy of Life not directly but indirectly through the story and suggests that a student should never deviate from his main duty otherwise he would suffer in life.

The Language of the story is very simple as it is characterized by the use of simple concrete and formal words and phrases. 

All the Qualities of a good short story as — unity of purpose, brevity, spontaneity and universality are present in it. The brevity is also maintained throughout the story as all the component elements of a good short story are employed in the story with the possible economy. Thus the universality is achieved by means of the reliable representation of the event. The story begins and ends with spontaneous logical order through proper stages.

 As a short story, its Length is ideal as —neither very short nor too long.

As all the component elements along with the required qualities of a good short story are present in it in a logical order, so it may be called that it is a short story of the First Grade. 0 0 0

S Souvany | A Silent Love | An Analytical Study