What is the importance of silence in the novel, Where Reasons End?

Silence is a manipulative tool in conversations. In the precarious world of aftertime, the mother is careful not to tread on certain subjects with Nikolai. If she does, she is met with silence. For example, when she mentions they have so much to talk about instead of quibbling over language, Nikolai retorts, “do we really?” (25). As a mother of a lost son who has just regained conversations with him, she is careful with her subject matter to avoid losing him again. Or, as the mother notes, “silence is the best defense and the best offense” (26).