A Silence of Three Parts

The prologues and epilogues in The Kingkiller Chronicle follow a consistent pattern describing "a silence of three parts".

Chapters[]

The following chapters uses this pattern:

Description[]

The passages always open with: "The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts."

The first silence[]

The first silence is described as a [hollow/vast] echoing quiet, made by things that were lacking. If any of the things listed had been present and made a noise they would have removed the silence. It always concludes with "If there had been music… but no, of course there was no music. In fact there were none of these things, and so the silence remained."

The second silence[]

The second silence is focused on intentionally silent action. Elements include people doing things which should make noise but they intentionally avoiding making any sound. It often concludes with "In doing this [they/he] added a small [sullen/frightened/furtive] silence to the larger, hollow one. It made an alloy/amalgam of sorts, a counterpoint/harmony."

The third silence[]

The third silence is described as not an easy thing to notice. Elements include parts of the Waystone Inn and Kote's hands. It always contains "The man had true-red hair, red as flame. His eyes were dark and distant, and [a description of the way he is moving]." It always concludes with "The Waystone was his, just as the third silence was his. This was appropriate as it was the greatest silence of the three, wrapping/holding the others inside itself. It was deep and wide as autumn's ending. It was heavy as a great river-smooth stone. It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die."