How To Lose His Father In Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close

On the morning of September 11, 2001, a plane was hijacked by an Islamic terrorist group and crashed into one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City at 8:45. At 9:03 a.m. a second plane struck the other tower and exploded, which left the two buildings burning, and everyone in them panicked and desperately searching for rescue. Oskar Schell, the main character in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, lost his father in the World Trade Center attack. The effects of losing his father affected his emotional health to the point where Oskar could not properly function in day to day life. The frequent use of the phrase heavy boots in addition to Oskar’s inventions and self-harm symbolize Oskar’s impaired emotional state after experiencing the loss of his father.

After the death of his father, Oskar adapted behaviors of an extremely depressed child, such as self-harm as well as creating alternative realities. Often times Oskar was unable to sleep, therefore, he began to construct inventions in his head, which could potentially rid the world of sadness. More often than not, Oskar’s fears as well as his innovative solutions were in one way or another linked to elevators, skyscrapers, ambulances, or open, public areas. This goes to show how Oskar’s creations stemmed from his guilt and remorse from his father’s death. He frequently created his inventions in times of despair and longing, alluding to the destruction of his emotional state since his father’s passing. The inventions evolved into alternative realities, which tortured Oskar to the point of utter