The Silent One is Jonasi, a uniquely gifted boy sent from the sea as a baby to grow up in an isolated Pacific village. Separated from the villagers by his silence and their prejudices, Jonasi finds solace in his underwater world where he develops a special relationship with a huge white turtle. However, both Jonasi and the turtle are seen as evil spirits by the superstitious villagers. A series of natural disasters and a struggle for leadership within the village sweep Jonasi towards his strange destiny.
