Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close pp 1 - 107

This section of the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer introduces Oskar Schell, a child whose father has just died, and the rest of his family. It details how they are coping with their loss. It also has two sections, separate from the main narrative, wherein his grandfather and grandmother each speak of their past; these sections are presumably directed at Oskar. Finally, Oskar's quest to find the lock that fits a key that was in an envelope marked “Black” is detailed.

1) The novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is told from a first person point of view. There are three narrators so far: Oskar Schell, his grandmother, and his grandfather. The choice of first person p.o.v. allows the reader to better connect with the characters and their quests, problems, and emotions. I found the switch between narrators to be confusing at first, but the contrast between the younger voice of Oskar and those of his grandparents creates an interesting juxtaposition, and overall adds dimension to the narration.

2) Oskar Schell is a young boy, between the ages of 7 and 12, who lives in New York City with his mother and grandmother; his father has recently died. He is presented as being extremely intellectual, quirky, and occasionally geeky. He is one of the main narrators in the novel.

In reality, Oskar is searching for the lock that will fit a key that he found hidden in his father's closet; the key was in an envelope marked “Black.” He comes to the conclusion that “Black” is a name, and decides to interview every Black in New York City in an attempt to find a connection to the lock, the key, and his father. Contrary to common sense, he chooses to search alphabetically, instead of geographically.

Metaphorically, Oskar is searching for a connection to his dead father. The lock and the key can be seen as clues in an ongoing round of Reconnaissance Expedition, a game Oskar and his father used to play; it is possible that Oskar subconsciously believes that if he solves the puzzle, his father will come back, and his life will be returned to what it was before the attacks on 9/11.

3) On page 98 of the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a picture of a woman facing away from the viewer. Her hair is dark, possibly brown or black, and pulled into a ponytail; if loose, it would fall slightly past her shoulders. She is wearing dangly earrings, oval in shape, that reach halfway down the length of her neck. Her shirt has a darker band of color around the neck seam and down the shoulder seams, with the rest being of a lighter fabric with a random, splotchy pattern in a slightly darker color throughout. Her posture and positioning are closed, rejecting the possibility of intimacy or comfort.

Presumably, the picture is the one that Oskar takes of Abby Black, one of the numerous Blacks that he interviews in an attempt to find the lock that fits a key that he found hidden in his father's closet. In addition to providing a visual image of one of the characters spoken of in the text, this image conveys an additional force to the personality attributed to her, especially her inability to be photographed. It heightens the sense of pain and loss that is presented in the text, and emphasizes her connection to Oskar, in that she allowed him to photograph her, the fact that she is facing away notwithstanding. Finally, it reinforces the compassion that Oskar shows in not attempting to reposition her for a frontal shot, instead respecting her need to hide her face, and possibly pain, from the camera.