The protagonist would be a man who, though gentle, truly did not give a rat’s ass.  One of the many annoyances that did not trouble him at all would be the silence of those who knew of his sensitivity to silence.  

This would be most vividly seen in the memorable vignette where he blissfully goes about his gentle business while, all around, those closest to him, intractably attracted to their own mothers, are busily having enthusiastic sex with them.