Roswell G. Flemington, owner of a model ship company and a former serviceman of the United States Navy, grew up in a home where his mother required silence. Thus, as an adult, he makes as much noise as he possibly can, is obsessed with the Navy, and behaves thunderously in response to any slight.




After twenty years, his wife Lydia becomes fed up with his obsession with noise and walks out on him. Alone, he begins to hear every little noise like an explosion or gunshot. He sees a psychiatrist, who helps him understand that conflict with Lydia has caused him to relive his resentment against his mother to the point that he internalizes his mother's affliction. He now realizes it is all in his head and all he needs to do is overcome the mental block with "mind over matter". He successfully does so, but when Lydia returns to pick up her jewelry, he "shut[s] her out", leading to him going deaf. Desperate to hear anything, he puts on a record and sets the volume to its highest setting. The scene remains silent, but his apartment vibrates from the stereo's sound. Panicked, he opens his windows and begs for noise.