Starting from midnight and ending with the extinguishing of the street lamps during the concluding ceremony, "the Listener" listens intently to the heart-wrenching accounts of the bereaved. He perceives the unsaid words and suppressed emotions of the mourners, acting as their sole supporter by offering assistance and comfort. He hears the stories of the deceased as a means of providing closure for the living, resulting in a melancholic performance that often brings tears to the eyes of many.