1. "Every time I left the apartment to go searching for the lock, I became a little lighter, because I was getting closer to Dad. But I also became a little heavier, because I was getting farther from Mom." (52)
Oskar was never really connected to his mother due to her long work hours and his already tight relationship to his father. Once Oskar's father passed, however, the lack of a strong relationship between Oskar and his mother became more exacerbated due to their different distinct styles of mourning. Oskar views his mother's way of mourning as lacking any true feelings (as it is not until the end that he learns that his mom has been attending support groups in order to cope with her loss). In the quote, the idea of becoming "lighter" references back to his metaphorical boots that he mention many times throughout the text (see the "Thematic Analysis" tab for further explanation). The boots significance becomes prevalent as Oskar furthers in his journey to find the lock to his key. He wants to complete the "scavenger hunt" to feel connected with his father, but at the same time, he doesn't want to sever the already weak relationship that he has with his mother.
Oskar was never really connected to his mother due to her long work hours and his already tight relationship to his father. Once Oskar's father passed, however, the lack of a strong relationship between Oskar and his mother became more exacerbated due to their different distinct styles of mourning. Oskar views his mother's way of mourning as lacking any true feelings (as it is not until the end that he learns that his mom has been attending support groups in order to cope with her loss). In the quote, the idea of becoming "lighter" references back to his metaphorical boots that he mention many times throughout the text (see the "Thematic Analysis" tab for further explanation). The boots significance becomes prevalent as Oskar furthers in his journey to find the lock to his key. He wants to complete the "scavenger hunt" to feel connected with his father, but at the same time, he doesn't want to sever the already weak relationship that he has with his mother.
2. “Songs are as sad as the listener.” (108)
The quote was written by Thomas Schell (Oskar’s grandfather) into his paper notebook. His statement gives deep insight into the theme of the book: people have the ability to control their own emotions. In the novel, Oskar was incapable of letting the memory of his father go. Oskar essentially thrived on the idea of his father, despite his death that occurred two years prior. Even though Oskar was presented with many opportunities to let go and move on, he was always unable to. This quote is a metaphor for Oskar, his sorrow, and his father. Oskar, the “listener”, had the ability to turn off the song (his sorrow). Despite the turning off of the “song”, however, Oskar will always be aware that the song exists (his father is dead).
The quote was written by Thomas Schell (Oskar’s grandfather) into his paper notebook. His statement gives deep insight into the theme of the book: people have the ability to control their own emotions. In the novel, Oskar was incapable of letting the memory of his father go. Oskar essentially thrived on the idea of his father, despite his death that occurred two years prior. Even though Oskar was presented with many opportunities to let go and move on, he was always unable to. This quote is a metaphor for Oskar, his sorrow, and his father. Oskar, the “listener”, had the ability to turn off the song (his sorrow). Despite the turning off of the “song”, however, Oskar will always be aware that the song exists (his father is dead).
3. “I felt, that night, on that stage, under that skull, incredibly close to everything in the universe, but also extremely alone. I wondered, for the first time in my life, if life was worth all the work it took to live. What exactly made it worth it? What’s so horrible about being dead forever, and not feeling anything, and not even dreaming? What’s so great about feeling and dreaming?” (145)
Oskar stated this when he was onstage during the school play for Hamlet. In itself, the statement is very paradoxical. Oskar felt very alone despite the fact that he was surrounded by his classmates and the parents. His thoughts are also very odd. While onstage, instead of concentrating on his lines and what to act out next, Oskar was contemplating the ideology behind life and living. This also explains how his father’s death has still been affecting him. He feels that he would rather be dead than to be alive because all he has been feeling is pain, sorrow, and overwhelming loss since his father passed away. Not even dreaming, something that can be self-controlled, his okay anymore because whatever he dreams of will always relate back to his father.
Oskar stated this when he was onstage during the school play for Hamlet. In itself, the statement is very paradoxical. Oskar felt very alone despite the fact that he was surrounded by his classmates and the parents. His thoughts are also very odd. While onstage, instead of concentrating on his lines and what to act out next, Oskar was contemplating the ideology behind life and living. This also explains how his father’s death has still been affecting him. He feels that he would rather be dead than to be alive because all he has been feeling is pain, sorrow, and overwhelming loss since his father passed away. Not even dreaming, something that can be self-controlled, his okay anymore because whatever he dreams of will always relate back to his father.
4. “You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness.” (180)
Oskar's grandmother writes this as she talks about her husband, Thomas Sr. After losing the love of his life, Anna (the sister of Oskar's grandmother), Thomas Sr. loses his ability to trust the idea of "love", thus losing his ability to speak out of sheer depression. Thomas senior is afraid to open his heart again, shutting himself out from the idea of sadness and heartbreak. He does not realize, however, that he is also halting his capability to feel love. The fear of growing attached and feeling love is making him overly protective, causing Thomas to drift away from people he mostly likely would have otherwise cared a lot for.
Oskar's grandmother writes this as she talks about her husband, Thomas Sr. After losing the love of his life, Anna (the sister of Oskar's grandmother), Thomas Sr. loses his ability to trust the idea of "love", thus losing his ability to speak out of sheer depression. Thomas senior is afraid to open his heart again, shutting himself out from the idea of sadness and heartbreak. He does not realize, however, that he is also halting his capability to feel love. The fear of growing attached and feeling love is making him overly protective, causing Thomas to drift away from people he mostly likely would have otherwise cared a lot for.
5. “That is what death is like. It doesn’t matter what uniforms the soldiers are wearing. It doesn’t matter how good the weapons are. I thought if everyone could see what I saw, we would never have war anymore.” (189)
Part of an interview, Tomoyasu, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, explains his experiences of the faithless day in which he lost his daughter. He feels like death is hard for anyone to handle and if the death is witnessed and personal, the gory sight is enough to prevent the waging of war. This is similar to Oskar's feelings. Oskar is constantly coming up with inventions that could have saved his fathers life or have at least saved the lives of others during the 9/11 attacks. Also, throughout the text Oskar never outright mentioned the 9/11 attacks or Al-Qaeda. This is because he does not want to memorialize the events as much as he wants to remember and honor his father and the victims of the attacks. This is similar to Tomoyasu, who spent the entire interview talking about his daughter. This is significant because it shows how Oskar's views of anti-war are held by many people who have experienced similar traumatic events that have led to the death of a loved one.
Part of an interview, Tomoyasu, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, explains his experiences of the faithless day in which he lost his daughter. He feels like death is hard for anyone to handle and if the death is witnessed and personal, the gory sight is enough to prevent the waging of war. This is similar to Oskar's feelings. Oskar is constantly coming up with inventions that could have saved his fathers life or have at least saved the lives of others during the 9/11 attacks. Also, throughout the text Oskar never outright mentioned the 9/11 attacks or Al-Qaeda. This is because he does not want to memorialize the events as much as he wants to remember and honor his father and the victims of the attacks. This is similar to Tomoyasu, who spent the entire interview talking about his daughter. This is significant because it shows how Oskar's views of anti-war are held by many people who have experienced similar traumatic events that have led to the death of a loved one.
6. The next time I saw her after that, she told me, "You see, I was pretending to be a monster, and I became a monster." (101)
"Her" refers to Oskar's grandmother. Oskar's grandmother feels guilty because she indirectly caused Oskar to trip and cut his lip on the table when she was chasing Oskar around her apartment while pretending to be a monster. This simple action inflicted heavy fear into Oskar's grandmother. She already lost many loved ones in her life: her son in the 9/11 attacks and her husband after he left her. This innate fear of the lost of important people in her life made Oskar's grandmother feel instantaneous fear and guilt when she "caused" Oskar to cut his lip. She feels like a monster for hurting her innocent grandson. This is significant because it gives the audience further insight into Oskar's grandmother's personal troubles and shows how much emotional trauma can affect a person.
"Her" refers to Oskar's grandmother. Oskar's grandmother feels guilty because she indirectly caused Oskar to trip and cut his lip on the table when she was chasing Oskar around her apartment while pretending to be a monster. This simple action inflicted heavy fear into Oskar's grandmother. She already lost many loved ones in her life: her son in the 9/11 attacks and her husband after he left her. This innate fear of the lost of important people in her life made Oskar's grandmother feel instantaneous fear and guilt when she "caused" Oskar to cut his lip. She feels like a monster for hurting her innocent grandson. This is significant because it gives the audience further insight into Oskar's grandmother's personal troubles and shows how much emotional trauma can affect a person.
7. “I don’t believe in God, but I believe that things are extremely complicated, and her looking over me was as complicated as anything ever could be. But it was also incredibly simple. In my only life, she was my mom, and I was her son.” (324)
Oskar's relationship with his mother has always been complicated, but in his opinion, it's not as complicated as the idea of God and religion. Despite this perplexing relationship, however, their relationship can be deduced simply to the fact that he was the son to his mother, a woman who (despite their frequent disagreements) will always love her son, Oskar. This relationship will never be as complex as the one with God (which Oskar chooses not to have). Oskar's lack of connection with a religion is metaphorical. Oskar does not have much faith in miracles due to the 9/11 attacks in which his father's remains were never discovered. The young child did not receive much closure because a "miracle" did not happen in which he could finally say goodbye to his father. This lack of a higher being not coming to the aid of Oskar may have helped solidified his stance on being an atheist.
Oskar's relationship with his mother has always been complicated, but in his opinion, it's not as complicated as the idea of God and religion. Despite this perplexing relationship, however, their relationship can be deduced simply to the fact that he was the son to his mother, a woman who (despite their frequent disagreements) will always love her son, Oskar. This relationship will never be as complex as the one with God (which Oskar chooses not to have). Oskar's lack of connection with a religion is metaphorical. Oskar does not have much faith in miracles due to the 9/11 attacks in which his father's remains were never discovered. The young child did not receive much closure because a "miracle" did not happen in which he could finally say goodbye to his father. This lack of a higher being not coming to the aid of Oskar may have helped solidified his stance on being an atheist.
Sources:
Foer, Jonathan Safran. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Boston, MA: Mariner, 2005. Print.
Foer, Jonathan Safran. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Boston, MA: Mariner, 2005. Print.