THE POWER OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: ANALYSIS OF ALICIA AS ALCESTIS IN ALEX MICHAELIDES’ THE SILENT PATIENT

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the different forms of non-verbal communication, that the protagonist of the novel, Alicia adopts in order to communicate and the different reasons that become the cause of Alicia’s silence. The qualitative method of research has been used and the data is analyzed through textual analysis and close reading method. The data is also collected through both primary and secondary sources. The results show that the importance of non-verbal communication is reflected in Alicia personality from her thoughts through her paintings, aggression, violence, gestures, facial expressions and suicidal thoughts. It is also concluded that a person often goes silent because of the betrayal and torture inflicted upon them by their beloved ones, which is also the reason behind the silence of Alcestis, Greek mythological figure. Alicia resembles Alcestis due to her silence and the same fate that they both share. Both of them are condemned to death by their beloved ones. It is concluded that when the emotions are piled up inside a human being constantly so, it all bursts out at once and one can often take revenge out of fear, love, hatred or out of misery. Moreover, silence does speak, but only if one pays attention to it. This study helps us to discuss the darkness and madness that resides within human thoughts and deeper interpretation of simple human gestures and actions adopted in daily life.