History Main / SilenceOfSadness

* ''Fanfic/TheProgenitorChronicles'': During Volume I's finale, the MC is with a group of his friends on vacation in Terragrigia. One of them, Jay, is quiet and sullen due to his crush recently rejecting him (she and her new boyfriend are there with them, no less). When Il Veltro broadcasts their message before they launch the terror attack on Terragrigia, the group wonders what language they're speaking. Jay answers they're speaking Italian, and Nick jumps in surprise, as those are the first words Jay has said the entire trip up to then.

This character is not DumbStruck-- they ''can'' speak perfectly fine. They just don't feel like it as much as they would if they were happy. This can range from absolute silence to simply fewer or shorter sentences. Somebody who speaks in SesquipedalianLoquaciousness might also use shorter words than usual.

* ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'': During the SadTimesMontage set to "Hallelujah" by Music/JohnCale, Shrek, Fiona and Donkey don't say a word, devastated about the misunderstandings that have happened between each other. Donkey, however, finds some solace upon finding Dragon and goes to console her.

* ''Literature/DannyTheChampionOfTheWorld'': After Danny's father has returned from hospital, Danny notices that his father his generally very silent. He is sure that he would tell him why if he asked, but he waits until his father does speak up a few days later, revealing his pent-up anger at Mr Hazell, and what he would really like to do to get his revenge.

* In the ''Dilly the Dinosaur'' story centred around [[FirstDayOfSchoolEpisode his first day at nursery school]], Dilly goes home from school and his family are concerned when he doesn't say anything at dinner. As it turns out, he's scared and sad because his teacher made a [[BlackComedy joke about chopping him up for firewood]].
* In the Shirley Hughes book ''Dogger'', Dave is said to be rather quiet at teatime and bath time. He talks a bit during bedtime, when he reveals that he's sad because he wants [[CompanionCube his stuffed dog Dogger]], who is [[LostToyGrievance lost]].
* In ''Literature/TheFamousFive'' book ''Five Have a Wonderful Time'', the Five have a very subdued supper after the unfriendly Fair-Folk have moved the Five's caravans into another field; this is repeated at breakfast the following morning, after an angry farmer has shouted at them for being in his field.

* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' Frodo becomes the less talkative the more he feels the Ring tormenting him.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In "The Case of the Girl with the Long Face", George notices that Fern feels sad, as she and does not share her poetry in class (she doesn't want to write stories either, but that's a different thing altogether). He hires Buster to figure out why, but in the end, Fern reveals that she just feels sad sometimes for no apparent reason. When this period ends, it has given her a good idea for a new story.

* ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'': When Dr. Nefario calls Miss Hattie so that she can take Margo, Edith, and Agnes back to the orphanage, Gru doesn't say anything during his VillainousBSOD. Edith doesn't say a word when she's being taken away either, devastated and furious with Gru.

* ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'': When Manny has a flashback of the time he lost his family to hunters, he, Sid, Diego, and Roshan are all silent during this scene. Once he gets over his wistfulness, this reaffirms Manny's determination to take Roshan back to his family, and Sid also appears to brighten after that. However, Diego looks back at the cave paintings that triggered this flashback with a dismal expression, having a HeelRealization.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'': During the SadTimesMontage set to "Hallelujah" by Music/JohnCale, Shrek, Fiona and Donkey don't say a word, devastated about the misunderstandings that have happened between each other. Donkey, however, finds some solace upon finding Dragon and goes to console her.

* When a normally noisy young child goes quiet, more cynical parents may think that the child is planning to cause trouble. Other parents, however, might assume that the kid is in a bad mood or, worse, [[JumpingToConclusionsDiagnosis sick]].

* Referenced in ''Film/HomeAlone''. The Polka singer who gives Kate a ride back to Chicago tells her about how he once left his son alone at a funeral parlor all night. The kid was okay... after about six weeks, at which point he finally started ''speaking'' again.

** In the episode "I Love Chicken", Stimpy gets too depressed to talk to Ren after the latter has eaten his beloved [[CompanionCube chicken wife]] until Ren angrily tells him to stop with his "bereaved chicken widow crap".

* In ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'', the normally really talkative Ellis won't say anything if a teammate dies during the campaign. At least until they're revived again.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "The Return of Harmony, Part 2", Twilight Sparkle finally crosses the DespairEventHorizon after the Elements of Harmony fail to activate against Discord. She silently and sullenly trudges back to her home at the library, barely responding when Discord shows up to taunt her.

* In ''Return From the Flight!'' by Natalya Kravtsova, fighter pilot Lilya grows silent and withdrawn after her beloved Lyosha is killed. After her best friend Katya is shot down as well, Lilya barely speaks or interacts with anyone, hardly spending any time on the ground at all and just going on flight after flight.

* In ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'', when Tilly starts hearing the voice of her dead friend May, she becomes unhappy because she thinks she could be insane. People worry about her because she's speaking less and the words she does speak have fewer syllables than her usual lexicon.

* ''WesternANimation/BigHero6'': After the death of Tadashi, Hiro sits alone at the funeral, doesn't respond to his aunt, and when his friends try to talk to him, he shuts off the call without saying a word back. It's not until Baymax wakes up that he begins speaking again.

Somebody is sad. They could be dealing with something serious like the death of a loved one, but it happens just as often that it's simply a bad day. And how do we know that person is sad if they're not crying or [[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry outright saying so]]? Simple-- have them talk less, if at all.

* ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'': When Dr. Nefario calls Miss Hattie so that she can take Margo, Edith and Agnes back to the orphanage, Gru doesn't say anything during his VillainousBSOD. Edith doesn't say a word when she's being taken away, either, devastated and furious with Gru.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'': During the SadTimesMontage set to "Hallelujah" by Music/JohnCale, Shrek, Fiona and Donkey don't say a word, devastated about the misunderstandings that have happened between each other. Donkey, however, finds some solace upon finding Dragon, and goes to console her.

** In the episode "I Love Chicken", Stimpy gets too depressed to talk to Ren after the latter has eaten his beloved [[CompanionCube chicken wife]], until Ren angrily tells him to stop with his "bereaved chicken widow crap".

* This may arise if someone feels they can't explain why they are sad, or are thinking through what is making them sad.

* The practice of holding a moment of silence is done to observe a solemn occasion, like a death of beloved person, or victims of a disaster.

** In the episode "I Love Chicken", Stimpy gets too depressed to talk to Ren after the latter has eaten his beloved [[InterspeciesRomance chicken wife]], until Ren angrily tells him to stop with his "bereaved chicken widow crap".

* ''WesternANimation/BigHero6'': After the death of Tadashi, Hiro sits alone at the funeral, doesn't respond to his mother, and when his friends try to talk to him, he shuts off the call without saying a word back. It's not until Baymax wakes up that he begins speaking again.

-->-- '''Christopher Pike''', to Tilly, who's normally a MotorMouth who uses big words, ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'', "Point of Light"

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* ''Film/TheWitches2020'': After the protagonist's parents are killed in a car accident, he is relatively quiet and doesn't say a lot besides [[TooUnhappyToBeHungry turning down his grandmother's meals]]. He snaps out of it once Grandma cheers him up.

-->'''Lurch''': "Nobody cares about me."

[[folder:RPG]]

-->''I spend hours in the garden''
-->''I walk alone to the store''
-->''And it's quiet uptown''
-->''I never liked the quiet before''

-->'''Juice:''' ten give you the talk?
-->'''Nine:''' Yeah
-->'''Juice:''' how you doin with it
-->'''Nine:''' I don't know
-->''[beat]''
-->'''Juice:''' you uh
-->'''Juice:''' you wanna watch some football
-->'''Nine:''' Yes
-->'''Juice:''' what kinda game you wanna watch
-->'''Nine:''' I don't know
-->'''Juice:''' you ok?
-->'''Nine:''' I don't care