Ekim's English Journal

Oxymorons and personification are used within the book for several effects. One such thing is ‘The Silence Spoke’ which makes no sense as silence is a total absence of sound. The fact that Joe is contradicting himself gives us the impression that he is confused. This is also an oxymoron.

‘Pain flooded’ also is a metaphor or is a personification it symbolises the feeling of pain entering his body as a flood, a sudden entrance, a sudden breach and assault by his pain. ‘Jerking fire through my join’

Simon has also personified the mountain as a giant creature he makes itout as if the mounta is a live sentient being. He is afraid of the mountain.

When joe is also in the crevasse he always talks about the silence in the cave, the silence may be similar to the void in the title. It looks like the silence is death, is continuously creeping towards him, it approaches him, the silence is an entity which is always present he talks about the very nature of the game controlling him at the summit of Siula grande. It is as if the emptiness or silence is the void which is approaching him.

The ‘blessed relief of tension’ he starts to move more into thoughts about life and about God, he uses religious words more and more often. He also uses the word limbo which is the area between life and death used in religion he believes he is reaching this stage, he is getting closer and closer to death or the void. The words malevolent and evil are also used. He also starts talking about Images of Hindu gods he saw in a temple and the statue of Apollo which he saw when he was young.

Extended description of the pain he is going through, he is always near to fainting which my take him to death or the void.