No Talking

Chapter 7 examines how children learn about rules at school. Kids master some easy rules of good behavior early on: “no fighting, no bullying, no shoving, no spitting, no biting, no stealing, no vandalism, no cutting in line, no snowball throwing” (32). Rules against acting up on the school bus or chewing gum or eating candy are harder. There are no specific rules about conversation, and the Laketon fifth graders love talking so much that their teachers call them the “Unshushables.”

Abigail Hiatt is Laketon’s efficient, demanding principal who likes to keep her school orderly. The fifth-grade class has refused to obey rules about being quiet since the first grade. Most of the teachers have given up trying to quiet them, but Mrs. Hiatt believes she can make them calm down during their final year of elementary school. She scolds loud kids in the hall, lectures the students at assemblies, and uses a bullhorn to quiet the fifth-grade lunch. The day after Lynsey and Dave agree to the contest, Mrs. Hiatt prepares for the usual lunchroom chaos. The bell rings for fifth-grade lunch period. She stands in the lunchroom, waiting for the noise to begin. 

After four minutes of utter silence, Mrs. Hiatt checks to be sure she’s not still in bed, dreaming. She’s awake, and she can hear the kids’ squeaky footsteps, the milk cooler motor, and soft talking from the kitchen staff. The eerie quiet makes her feel “like she [is] in a scene from a creepy science fiction movie” (42).

Mrs. Hiatt loudly asks if the kids are enjoying their lunch. The students together reply, “Yes, Mrs. Hiatt” (44), sticking to the three-word rule. She compliments them on their quiet, then asks if there’s a reason for it. The students say nothing, but everyone looks at Dave and Lynsey, and Mrs. Hiatt notices this. She wishes them a pleasant lunch. 

Amazed at the silence and its effect on the principal, Dave is beginning to enjoy himself when a boy yells, “Hey, give it back!” (46). Lynsey opens a notebook, makes four marks on a page, and smiles broadly at Dave.

Dave realizes that it’s just one mistake and the contest will last two days. He searches his mind for the right word to express how the next 48 hours will feel, and “interesting” and “fascinating” come to mind, but he decides on “exciting.” He notices Mrs. Hiatt staring at him and he realizes that she’s trying figure out what is going on. He decides the upcoming days will be “dangerous.” 

Science teacher Mrs. Marlow has recess duty, and she’s amazed at the silence on the playground. The calm isn’t perfect; students occasionally speak on accident. One girl scolds a friend for using 23 words, all duly marked down by Dave. Another girl sneaks up on a boy and kisses him on the cheek, and he yells 20 words.

No talking doesn’t mean no sounds, and soon the kids start making noises. Dave leads a group of boys in whistling famous songs and others hoot and clap. Girls engage in elaborate screaming, bouncing the sound off walls. Four girls practice American Sign Language. Boys walk around making gross bathroom noises at the girls. Mrs. Marlow, intrigued by the wordless noise, decides to do an experiment in her afternoon science class.