Silent from Within

Part I

Matt is a young man whose life is riddled with pain and injustice. Diagnosed with a hearing disability at an early age, he embarks on a turbulent journey in which he will face many challenges, not only due to his impairment but also because of the circumstances leading to them, caused by the mistakes of others. Matt analyzes the people in his life by struggling to make sense out of the way they behave, to understand the complex relationships between the members of his family while at the same time trying to overcome the practical difficulties that hamper his life. His only true supporter, his mother, stands up to every difficulty that comes along and faces life with courage and strength and so Matt turns to her since she is the only person in whom he can confide. His strong sense of pride in family values prevents him from seeking help from other people. Silence seems to be the key factor throughout his journey. The silence of the sounds he cannot hear, the silence of the words he longed to listen to, but mostly the silence from within; the words meant to be said but were never spoken.

Part II

Being the owner of a bar while going to college and trying to lead a normal life is not easy. Matt’s thirst for knowledge and desire to socialize clash with his duties and obligations at work.

Without anyone’s support but his mother’s, Matt tries to cope with everyday chores while having to deal with his father’s physical and psychological abuse, his customers’ misbehaviors and consequently denies himself the right to live the life of a normal young adult. He is deprived of love, understanding and compassion while he is constantly being ridiculed and picked on for his handicap and his kindness by people who are supposed to be there for him.

Matt finds himself in a vicious cycle he cannot escape from. He and his mother work incessantly trying to pay off the debts his father has created while the latter creates even more debts leading them to despair.