Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close Home Analysis

Through the interactions with Grandma and Grandpa, and his mom, Oskar realizes his real demand, which is to get his family back. Similarly, Odysseus is able to endure long years of loneliness and hardships because he wants to be back with his family. Judging from these reflections, the readers are able to speculate that both Odysseus and Oskar aren’t focused on taking the journey. They are fixated in achieving the resolution, which is to be “home.” The concept of “home” is continuously introduced throughout both The Odyssey and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The initial drive of the action to the plot is provided by significant secondary characters who are considered absent. They become the base of the main purpose of the journey, which

The importance of family to Odysseus demonstrates the concept of a home Homer tries to explain. Homer emphasizes on how Odysseus had to be back at Ithaca, despite of his body being far away from Penelope and Telemachus. When Oskar finally accepts Thomas Schell Jr.’s death, he is able to heal the relationship between him and his mother. Oskar promises his mom to become a normal happy boy, suggesting that he hasn’t been one like he used to. This scene not only indicates the invisible wall between Mom and Oskar disappearing, but also Oskar returning to the “normal” state of family. The ending of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close provides somewhat confusing end.

After clarifying on his dad’s tragic death and restoring his relationship with Mom, Oskar goes back to the 9/11 incident and rewinds the tape. This ending of the novel may seem confusing, as in questioning whether Oskar has really accepted his father’s unfortunate faith or not. However, after Oskar comes back to “home” where his mother and his relationship has returned, Oskar finds one missing thing: his father. By rewinding what happened before his death, and reassuring to himself that they would have been safe, Oskar draws the family inside his head, the one that he had. Thomas Schell Jr.’s death becomes the point where Oskar loses his father, literally, and mother, figuratively. The resolution a 10-year-old

Both stories construct the ideal image of a family to be faithful, truthful, supportive, loving, and last but not least, present. Odysseus never, not even for once, forgets about his wife or desires another woman. Even though his body is with another, he keeps his heart true to love of Penelope. This true, faithful love is also exhibited by Penelope and Telemachus. Penelope awaits for her beloved to reach home that she “[falls] to weeping for Odysseus, her beloved husband.” Despite of many suitors trying to win her love over not-returning husband of hers, Penelope stays faithful to the love she shares with Odysseus. Her loyalty is evident till the end of the poem as she asks about “a branching olive-tree” being the base to bedroom. Penelope’s stubbornness not only indicates that she is not to be tempted or even to be deceived by looks. Her actions supports the ideal image of a family as she complements Odysseus’ faith and love. Telemachus, their son, is not to be left out as he tries to save his mother from the suitors. Telemachus, even though he isn’t sure about his father’s whereabouts, feels the need to protect his household and his mother from other greedy individuals. His actions of protection and belief in Odysseus complete this family’s strong relationship. Thus,