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The Silence (The Twilight Zone)
Encyclopedia
"The Silence" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
. The plot of this episode was based in part on Anton Chekov's The Bet. It is one of four Twilight Zone episodes containing no supernatural
or science fiction
elements; the others are "Where Is Everybody?
", "The Shelter
" and "The Jeopardy Room
".
One evening, his lawyer-friend George Alfred arrives to discuss a message Taylor sent to him. The colonel has proposed a wager, which is illegal in their state, but Alfred has found nothing else particularly criminal about it. Taylor then has an attendant deliver a note to Tennyson, whose subsequent speechlessness amuses the other members.
Taylor explains to them that he has proposed a wager with Tennyson. He will bet $500,000 that the younger man cannot remain silent for one year. He tells Tennyson, "Your voice has become intolerable to me. I sit here each night and the sound of it makes me wince." The constant chatter has become more than an irritant to him. The honorable Taylor has an intense dislike for this young man, who lacks breeding and manners. He cannot ask Tennyson to resign from the club, so he has decided to get a few weeks—if not months—of silence. He does not believe Tennyson can remain silent for that long; moreover, he happens to know that Tennyson is in need of money, which is why Tennyson keeps up his nightly financial discourse.
If Tennyson agrees, he will be enclosed in the club's game room, in which a small glass-walled apartment has been erected. There, Tennyson will be monitored by microphones to ensure he doesn't say anything. Any requests he makes will be made in writing, and any member may come to visit him at any time. Tennyson is more than offended—"If this were Europe, or if the present company were more sophisticated, I would be compelled to invite you outside for what you've just said to me!"—but he agrees to the wager, requesting only that Taylor put a check on deposit in his name, and have a copy available for all members of the club to view. The reputable Taylor balks at his honor being questioned in this manner. "This is not a fish-market or a pawnshop!" he snarls at Tennyson. Taylor's word will have to suffice.
Alfred cautions Tennyson that Taylor is very serious about this, but Tennyson's wife—to whom Jamie is highly devoted—has expensive tastes and is largely responsible for his needing money. Tennyson takes the bet.
Though he had assumed Tennyson would be successful for only a few weeks, Taylor is astonished by how long the younger man is able to go without speaking. After nine months, Taylor gets nervous, particularly after Alfred confronts him about having enough money to fulfill the wager should Tennyson win. Taylor offers Tennyson $1,000 to leave immediately, under the guise of being concerned about the man's welfare. Tennyson writes a note in reply: "THREE MONTHS TO GO / THE BET STANDS!" Taylor counters by bringing up the subject of Tennyson's wife.
Although Tennyson has sent several notes requesting that she visit, his wife has never even responded to the letters. Taylor mentions that she has been seen around town with a number of other young men. Over the months, Taylor continues to bring Tennyson gossip about his wife until Tennyson seems ready to break. Taylor offers Tennyson $5,000 to leave the room, but when he isn't actually shown any money, the latter sees through the loophole and refuses to give up.
The fateful evening arrives. The other club members are entertained by Taylor's solemn face. Alfred takes the Colonel aside and opines that Archie's underhanded attempts to win the bet are quite unworthy of Taylor's often touted breeding. Alfred points out that, for someone who prides himself on having more honor than most, Taylor has acted in a dishonorable manner. Alfred comments that Tennyson is much stronger than Taylor assumed. Taylor laments that Tennyson was able to accomplish this impossible feat.
Tennyson emerges to the congratulations of his fellow club members, then silently approaches Taylor for the money. The embarrassed Taylor admits that he lost his fortune a decade ago, and has been scrambling to maintain the charade ever since—all in vain now, due to Tennyson's triumph. Actually, Taylor was offering much more than he could afford just in hope that Tennyson would call the bet off. He praises Tennyson's resolve and character, then announces his decision to resign from the club.
The distraught Tennyson scribbles furiously on a sheet of paper. Everybody wonders why he doesn't simply speak. Taylor reads the note aloud: "I knew that I would not be able to keep my part of the bargain, so one year ago I had the nerves to have my vocal chords severed!" Tennyson displays the scar on his throat from the operation, a scar that Jamie has concealed for the past 12 months under scarves and turtlenecks.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
. The plot of this episode was based in part on Anton Chekov's The Bet. It is one of four Twilight Zone episodes containing no supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
or science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
elements; the others are "Where Is Everybody?
Where Is Everybody?
"Where Is Everybody?" is the first episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Plot summary:A man finds himself alone walking towards a diner. Inside he finds a jukebox playing loudly, and coffee hot on the stove, but no one else. He inquires for some breakfast, but no...
", "The Shelter
The Shelter (The Twilight Zone)
"The Shelter" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:It is a typical evening in a typical suburban community. At the residence of physician Bill Stockton, he enjoys a birthday party being thrown for him by his wife Grace and their son Paul...
" and "The Jeopardy Room
The Jeopardy Room
"The Jeopardy Room" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:Trying to defect, former KGB Major Ivan Kuchenko is trapped inside a hotel room. Commissar Vassiloff, a hitman, and Boris, his assistant, are watching him from a room across the street...
".
Synopsis
Colonel Archie Taylor, a gruff aristocrat, has difficulty enjoying his men's club due to the constant chatter of fellow member Jamie Tennyson. Just as irritating is the content, which usually concludes with a transparent attempt to curry investors.One evening, his lawyer-friend George Alfred arrives to discuss a message Taylor sent to him. The colonel has proposed a wager, which is illegal in their state, but Alfred has found nothing else particularly criminal about it. Taylor then has an attendant deliver a note to Tennyson, whose subsequent speechlessness amuses the other members.
Taylor explains to them that he has proposed a wager with Tennyson. He will bet $500,000 that the younger man cannot remain silent for one year. He tells Tennyson, "Your voice has become intolerable to me. I sit here each night and the sound of it makes me wince." The constant chatter has become more than an irritant to him. The honorable Taylor has an intense dislike for this young man, who lacks breeding and manners. He cannot ask Tennyson to resign from the club, so he has decided to get a few weeks—if not months—of silence. He does not believe Tennyson can remain silent for that long; moreover, he happens to know that Tennyson is in need of money, which is why Tennyson keeps up his nightly financial discourse.
If Tennyson agrees, he will be enclosed in the club's game room, in which a small glass-walled apartment has been erected. There, Tennyson will be monitored by microphones to ensure he doesn't say anything. Any requests he makes will be made in writing, and any member may come to visit him at any time. Tennyson is more than offended—"If this were Europe, or if the present company were more sophisticated, I would be compelled to invite you outside for what you've just said to me!"—but he agrees to the wager, requesting only that Taylor put a check on deposit in his name, and have a copy available for all members of the club to view. The reputable Taylor balks at his honor being questioned in this manner. "This is not a fish-market or a pawnshop!" he snarls at Tennyson. Taylor's word will have to suffice.
Alfred cautions Tennyson that Taylor is very serious about this, but Tennyson's wife—to whom Jamie is highly devoted—has expensive tastes and is largely responsible for his needing money. Tennyson takes the bet.
Though he had assumed Tennyson would be successful for only a few weeks, Taylor is astonished by how long the younger man is able to go without speaking. After nine months, Taylor gets nervous, particularly after Alfred confronts him about having enough money to fulfill the wager should Tennyson win. Taylor offers Tennyson $1,000 to leave immediately, under the guise of being concerned about the man's welfare. Tennyson writes a note in reply: "THREE MONTHS TO GO / THE BET STANDS!" Taylor counters by bringing up the subject of Tennyson's wife.
Although Tennyson has sent several notes requesting that she visit, his wife has never even responded to the letters. Taylor mentions that she has been seen around town with a number of other young men. Over the months, Taylor continues to bring Tennyson gossip about his wife until Tennyson seems ready to break. Taylor offers Tennyson $5,000 to leave the room, but when he isn't actually shown any money, the latter sees through the loophole and refuses to give up.
The fateful evening arrives. The other club members are entertained by Taylor's solemn face. Alfred takes the Colonel aside and opines that Archie's underhanded attempts to win the bet are quite unworthy of Taylor's often touted breeding. Alfred points out that, for someone who prides himself on having more honor than most, Taylor has acted in a dishonorable manner. Alfred comments that Tennyson is much stronger than Taylor assumed. Taylor laments that Tennyson was able to accomplish this impossible feat.
Tennyson emerges to the congratulations of his fellow club members, then silently approaches Taylor for the money. The embarrassed Taylor admits that he lost his fortune a decade ago, and has been scrambling to maintain the charade ever since—all in vain now, due to Tennyson's triumph. Actually, Taylor was offering much more than he could afford just in hope that Tennyson would call the bet off. He praises Tennyson's resolve and character, then announces his decision to resign from the club.
The distraught Tennyson scribbles furiously on a sheet of paper. Everybody wonders why he doesn't simply speak. Taylor reads the note aloud: "I knew that I would not be able to keep my part of the bargain, so one year ago I had the nerves to have my vocal chords severed!" Tennyson displays the scar on his throat from the operation, a scar that Jamie has concealed for the past 12 months under scarves and turtlenecks.