Nonverbal Communication In 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is a novel about a nine-year-old boy named Oskar who is sent on a journey to solve a puzzle made by his late father. In the book, communication plays a large role in the understanding of the characters and the interactions between them. Many characters communicate both verbally and nonverbally throughout the entirety of the novel. However, these two forms of communication make it both harder and easier for characters in the novel to communicate with each other. Thomas Schell Sr., Oskar’s grandpa, Oskar, and Abby all communicate nonverbally throughout the book; Thomas Schell Sr. and Jr, Oskar’s grandma and Oskar’s mother all communicate verbally throughout the book. In the story of the Sixth Borough, it was

According to Biklen and Schubert, “...communication difficulties include an inability to speak words, speaking with...repetition of words or phrases... seeming inattentiveness, problems with social interaction, and lack of responsiveness to external events…” (Biklen & Schubert 47). Thus meaning that individuals with autism may struggle with nonverbal and verbal communication. Oskar does struggle with mainly nonverbal communication. When meeting with Abby, Oskar notices a picture of an elephant with a tear in its eye, the two talk about it for a brief moment before she starts to cry. Oskar then thinks, “I’m the one who’s supposed to be crying...I didn’t know why she was crying, I couldn’t think of a reason.” (Foer 96). Abby later revealed that she was crying because she had been in a fight with her husband but this was not known to Oskar until she told him directly. Although Oskar does struggle with nonverbal communication he also struggles with verbal. When Jimmy Snyder was bullying Oskar, Oskar depicted Jimmy’s death in his head instead of telling him off or confronting him. “I smash [the skull] against Jimmy Snyder’s head, and I smash it again…” (Foer 146). Communicating in the modern world is much harder for Oskar because of the lack of understanding about autism and Oskar