Meaning Of The Sounds Of Silence

            
            
             Simon and Garfunkel present a common problem surrounding the way people live. That is the problem of people having trouble speaking about their problems, fears, and emotions. I myself have this problem and that is one of the reasons I like this song. It helps me reflect on what I feel. The first words of the song are:.
             "Hello darkness, my old friend.
             I've come to talk with you again".
             This could mean if you do not share your problems you get angry and that in a way is talking to darkness. Simon and Garfunkel call darkness their old friend because they have talked to darkness before. The song also says:.
             "And in the naked light I saw.
             Ten thousand people, maybe more---.
             People talking without speaking;.
             People hearing without listening;.
             People writing songs that voices never share,.
             no one dared .
             Disturb the sound of silence.".
             Many people feel they can hide their feeling by speaking things they do not believe. People are so caught up in their problems and emotions that they can't share or really listen to someone else's problems. "People writing songs that voices never share no one dared disturb the sounds of silence." People are to embarrassed to share their own works and accomplishments. They keep these to themselves. Once you have entered a state of silence no one ever disturbs it because they don't know what's wrong. The song continues .
             "Fools, said I, you do not know.
             Silence like a cancer grows.".
             If you keep silent about your problems and emotions they will grow just like a cancer. Then the song goes.
             "And the people bowed and prayed.
             To the neon god they made.
             And the sign flashed out its warning.
             In the words that it was forming.
             And the sign said .
             The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls.
             And tenement halls.
             And whispered in the sounds of silence.".
             This means that people bow down to gambling and drugs to cure their problems. These are their neon gods. "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls," means that people are following the mean and cruel words people write on the walls of the subway.