On a surface level considering the historical context of the novel, the title could be a reference to the events of 9/11, where the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center were extremely loud and incredibly close for the surrounding civilians. However, the concept of “loud” and “close” deal more relevantly to the experience of grief following the attacks. Foer’s concept that isolation prevents healing from death and loss deals directly with the title. Avoiding isolation in wake of personal tragedies may help to lighten emotional burden and begin the process of coping with grief. Therefore, one can not close themselves off from people, being extremely quiet and incredibly far from others. Following the passing of his father, Oskar