![]() "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" employs the power of its protagonist's voice to transform the September 11 tragedy from raw current event to something both visceral and mythical. His quest intertwines with the intricate sub-plot of his grandparents, whose lives were blighted by the firebombing of Dresden. Using flawless kid logic, Oskar sets out to speak to everyone in New York City with the last name of Black. Upon discovering a key in an envelope marked "Black" in his parents' closet, Oskar turns his innocently precocious mind to understanding the historical tragedy, searching New York City for the lock that matches the mysterious key. His boots "are very heavy," as he is fond of saying, since his father, whom he worshiped, perished in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Protagonist Oskar Schell is a nine-year-old amateur inventor, jewelry designer, astrophysicist, tambourine player, pacifist and Shakespearean actor. Jonathan Safran Foer is one of the first writers to deal directly with the September 11 attacks in his novel "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." The narrative is enhanced with evocative graphics- including photographs, colored highlights and passages of illegibly overwritten text, reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions." As in his first novel, "Everything Is Illuminated," Foer takes a dark subject and weaves in offbeat humor with puns and wordplay. ![]() ![]() Powerful Look at September 11 through 9-Year-Old Eyes ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |