"I can't bear the silent ringing in my skull"

This quote by Jonathan Lethem speaks with the feeling of being overwhelmed by one's own thoughts. The expression "quiet ringing" recommends a cacophony of noise that is just heard internally, and the phrase "in my skull" suggests that this sound is coming from within the speaker's own mind. This quote could be analyzed as a metaphor for the feeling of being overwhelmed by one's own ideas and emotions. It might also be analyzed as a metaphor for the feeling of being not able to leave one's own ideas, as if they are calling in one's head and can not be silenced. This quote speaks with the sensation of being overwhelmed by one's own ideas and emotions, and the inability to escape them.