OVERLAY REPORT

In the film *A Silent Voice* (2016), the primary conflict is the struggle for **redemption and self-forgiveness** following a history of severe bullying. This manifest as an external conflict between Shoya Ishida and Shoko Nishimiya, as well as an internal "Man vs. Self" conflict for Shoya as he grapples with extreme guilt and social isolation. ### How the Conflict Started The conflict began in **elementary school (6th grade)** when a deaf student named **Shoko Nishimiya** transferred into **Shoya Ishida's** class. 1. **Perception of "Burden":** Shoko tried to communicate with her classmates using a notebook, but the class quickly began to view her disability as a burden. Everyday activities, such as singing in the choir or following lessons, became slower or more difficult for the group because of Shoko's presence. 2. **Shoya’s Motivation:** Shoya, a high-energy boy who was constantly bored, viewed Shoko as a "weird" target he could use to entertain his friends and maintain his status as the "class clown." 3. **Escalation of Bullying:** What started as Shoya mocking Shoko’s voice or throwing dirt at her escalated into severe physical harassment. The most specific and damaging incidents involved Shoya **ripping the hearing aids out of Shoko’s ears**. In one instance, he pulled them so violently that her ears began to bleed. Over time, she lost eight expensive hearing aids due to his theft and destruction. ### The Turning Point The conflict shifted from "Shoya vs. Shoko" to "Shoya vs. Everyone" when the school principal finally intervened. * **The Betrayal:** When the principal asked who was responsible for the bullying, the teacher (who had largely ignored the abuse) and Shoya’s friends—specifically **Naoka Ueno** and **Miki Kawai**—immediately turned on him. They framed Shoya as the sole perpetrator to avoid punishment, even though they had participated in or encouraged the behavior. * **The Role Reversal:** Following the investigation, Shoko transferred to another school. Shoya was then branded a "bully" and became the new target of harassment from his former friends. He was ostracized throughout middle school and into high school, leading him to visualize an "X" over everyone's face, symbolizing his inability to connect with others. ### Primary Internal Conflict The heart of the movie’s conflict is Shoya's **internal battle with suicide and worthlessness**. Having lived for years with the stigma of his childhood actions, Shoya becomes a depressed loner who believes he has no right to have friends or even to live. The story's central arc is his attempt to track down Shoko years later—not just to apologize, but to find a reason to keep living by making amends for the life he believes he ruined.