Wonderstruck

The themes of sound and silence are significant not only in the content of the text, but also its form. Selznick combines image and text to create a hybrid novel that accentuates the different ways that people experience the world, particularly those with hearing disabilities.

Rose, who is deaf and mute, has a narrative that is told entirely through visual stimulus—images, written or typed notes, signage, etc. Her way of experiencing the world involves no sound or spoken text, and this also becomes Ben’s way of experiencing the world, though he can still speak. At the end of the novel, the images focus not only on Rose, but also on Ben and Jamie, who find themselves living more in Rose’s view of the world. Moments of silence, like the final moments of the novel when Ben, Rose, and Jamie watch the stars, are reflected in images to better portray the moment and its beauty.

Silent films, and Rose’s experience with them, are also an important part of this theme. Rose is devastated when she loses her connection to her mother, actress Lillian Mayhew, when movie theatres becomes “talkies.” The lack of accessibility makes Rose feel even more alone than she did before and leads her to seek connection with her mother in person, in New York City.