Tragedies occur when they are least expected. They happen even to the best of us because none of us are free from life’s predicaments. It is those vulnerable times when beautiful works of literature provide consolations that no others can. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer is one such novel that contains a fountain of thought-provoking ideas, tear-jerking plot points, and a wholesome ending, all of which play out to conjure a majestically cathartic storyline. The story deals with the theme of boundless familial love and coming to terms with the loss of a loved one. There are three narratives —a nine-year-old boy Oskar Schell, Grandma, and Grandpa Thomas Schell⁠—that switch back and forth between chapters. The three distinct perspectives fully invite readers into Schell’s family and their history.
Oskar Schell, the main protagonist, is a precocious child living in New York who tragically loses his father from the 9/11 attack. The endearing relationship between the father and the son that is notably portrayed in the beginning of the story forms a sharp juxtaposition with the father’s sudden passing and highlights the magnitude of the loss. Throughout the story, Oskar talks repetitively about his imaginary inventions which are eccentric devices used to save people in the case of another calamity. Some of his out-of-the-box inventions include the birdseed shirt where the “birds latch onto the wearer and fly him or her out of harm’s way”, or “a special drain that would be underneath every pillow in New York and would connect to the reservoir. Whenever people cried themselves to sleep, the tears would all go to the same place, and the weatherman would report if the water level at the Reservoir of Tears had gone up or down.” These inventions⁠—which are one of the motifs of the novel⁠—are a reflection of Oskar’s anxiety and unstable state of mind. Although he is young, he often tries to take the role of a grownup in the family to the extent that he perhaps feels the obligation to replace his now gone dad. Indirectly foreshadowed by his inventions and his precocious behaviors, there is a tremendous sense of unfounded guilt that weighs him down. This mode of thinking greatly hinders him from overcoming his sadness.
The “Reconnaissance Exp-
edition” is a game Oskar and his dad used to play where Oskar would go around the neighborhood looking for a hidden object his father had placed. They were in the middle of a new game when his dad passed, and the only clue he left behind was an unnamed key. The rest of the plot unfolds as Oskar sets off to find the lock that matches with the key. In a sense, continuing with the last mission is his way of keeping the connection with his dad, and to, at the end of the quest, unlock the door that allows him to finally “move on”. During the journey, Oskar’s character is fully realized through a series of dialogs with strangers he encounters, and the affectionate relationship and care that fosters in Schell’s family is heartwarmingly reinforced.
Although every individual in the world is different and unique, there are a few shared emotions that we all can relate to: familial bond and the sadness of passing are among them. During the time of great global conflict where countless innocent lives are lost, it seems rather pertinent to stand with them – with peace and humanity – by sharing their emotional burden.