Morgan’s Comments (group member since Oct 24, 2016)

Morgan’s comments from the Arters AP Literature 2016-17 group.

Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is set up in a way that I have never read before and creates a brand new way to truly connect with the character's true feelings. The set up is a mash-up between photos, letters from different characters, journals, and a traditional story that is written in the present time of the story. Since the story’s setup is constantly changing, it creates an interesting change and makes it much more interesting. The novel is told through the eyes of 9 year old Oskar Schell as he struggles to recover from the death of his father in the 9/11 attacks. From the surface, it is a novel about September 11th. But, once deeper into the novel, it is obvious that the deeper meaning is about coping with loss, what tragedy truly does to people and how difficult it can be to move on after a tragedy. The overall plot of the story follows a family’s story and feelings of the 9/11 attacks through three generations. The readers is introduced to the feelings of the son, wife, and father of Thomas, Oskar’s father, after his death. The main protagonist is Oskar, a precocious boy struggling to deal with his father's death. It is very noticeable that Oskar thinks of situations in the way an adult might, given that he is reading “A Brief History Of Time” during the novel, and actively thinks out loud, even questioning the true meaning of oblivion. From the start of the novel, it is evident that Oskar acts nothing like an average 9 year old; this excessive knowledge helps create questioning on whether this novel is fiction or a true story, like it states that it is. His excessive knowledge shows his maturity for his age and there are multiple moments throughout the novel that it seems as though a 9 year old could never do that. For example, an average 9 year old would not be able to go to every New York resident with the last name “Black”, but in the novel, Oskar is able to do this with the help of Mr. Black.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has one set plot, but it split into three parts in the way it is told. They include Oskar searching New York City for a lock to match a key he finds in his dad's closet that was in an envelope that had “Black” written on it, letters to Oskar from his grandmother, and unsent letters to Oskar's father that were written by the renter, who is actually Oskar’s grandfather. The author uses distinctive styles of writing for each part so the reader feels like it is truly three different people writing their stories. Even though this story’s main focus was about Oskar’s father’s death and a negative plot, the novel itself did not have a dreary or sad mood to the writing. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close had a hopeful style to it and was full of life, even if it’s main focus was death.
This novel has parts that are funny and light, and at other points in the novel it is very thoughtful and sad. The author accurately communicates the confusing feelings and stages of grief and loss of a hurt boy. The setup of this novel, as well as the fact that it is written in the point of view of an extraordinary 9 year old, makes this novel quite uncommon, which is why it is so successful. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for an emotional novel. Personally, the novel hit me hard when Oskar admits to hearing the phone call from his father but not picking up. Watching a boy as young as Oskar try to make sense of his father’s death is extremely heartbreaking, but in the end it is evident that Oskar is beginning to cope with such a huge loss.

After finishing the story, I am disappointed in the ending. I feel like it did not have an actual ending. His life did not really change, it just kind of went back to normal. He almost back to where he started, as he has not found out any new information about his fathers death. I expected him to find some cool connection between his father and the new key, but it was just a key to a safe deposit box. I feel like there was no happy ending, but it also was not sad, it just ended. I finished this novel feeling unfulfilled, expecting something else to happen.

Celeste wrote: "I am right around the same place as Jill is. I agree that the book seems very fiction as of the place I am at right now. I do not think it is very realistic that a nine year old boy could trace dow..."


I also agree with Celeste and Jill that this story is seems almost too fictional. New York City is a huge city so I find it almost impossible for a 9 year old boy to somehow track down every single person with the last name Black in the phone book. Also, where is his mother while he is doing this? I understand that she called all of the people beforehand to warn them that Oskar was coming, but who would let their child travel around all areas of New York going to random strangers' houses. Especially after losing her husband, I feel as thought most mothers would become even more over protective instead of letting their child go all over the highly populated and sometimes dangerous New York City.

Heather wrote: "Why do you think they seem random?"

At the point in the novel I was at, these chapters of what seemed like useless information seemed unneeded in the overall plot of the story. I have since finished the novel and it makes much more sense that these "random" sections were actually adding important background information to understand Oskar's true feelings about his father's death. I feel like if these flashback stories were not added in the story early on, I would have missed some of the feelings Oskar had toward his father.

I agree with Madi, I feel like some of chapters do not follow the theme of the 9/11 plot and Oskar's loss of his father. But, I feel like these random chapters give you background information or tell you things that could be useful later in the novel. I read some more of the book and some of the "random" chapters have already tied themselves to the plot of the story.

I am currently on chapter six, by now you have met all the characters and the plot is determined. You are introduced to Oskar, who is the main character whose father died in the September 11th terrorist attacks. By this point in the story, Oskar has started his journey to find who the "Black" key belongs to by meeting with every person in New York City with the last name Black. In Chapter six, you meet his grandparents. But, right now Oskar is not aware of the fact that his grandfather is actually his grandfather and not just a renter. I am excited to keep reading and see where his journey takes him.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Celeste, Jill & Morgan

I am on page 121 out of 432 of Gone Girl. I like how the point of view changes between her husband and Amy through her diary entries. It makes it very interesting to see both sides of their relationship. Currently in the book, Amy has gone missing and Nick is starting the investigation with the police. They are questioning Nick because he seems suspicious so they believe that he is behind Amy going missing. I'm interested to find out where Amy is.

Gone Girl