The enormous adverse psychological side effects resulting from the 9/11 at-tacks are represented by 13% of lower Manhattan residents even seven years afterwards. Foer has a walk-over attracting a large readership because he utilizes this topic. His rea-dership could have been even bigger if they would have known about the practical im-plementation of coping strategies creatively hidden in the subtext.
It is the main goal of this text to reveal major PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) symptoms in the main characters in a partly scientific/literary analysis and thus give an idea how the 40% of New York City’s affected school children might have felt in the aftermath of September 11. Relevant coping strategies that ensure a general health-related quality of life can be experienced in a beautiful story about a boy that exceeds his emotional boundaries with the help of his closer and farther related social environment.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY OF THE PLOT
PTSD AND RELEVANT COPING STRATEGIES
HOW IS THE STORY PRESENTED TO THE READER AND WHAT DOES IT CREATE INSIDE US?
VISUAL MEANS AND THEIR STYLISTICAL FUNCTION
STRUCTURE AND NARRATORS
METAPHORS THAT REINFORCE THE THEME OF TRAUMA
THE CONCEPT OF “BLACK”
SELECTED CHARACTER ANALYSIS RELATED TO MENTAL STABILITY
OSKAR
GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER
MR. A. R. BLACK
FINAL CONCLUSIONS
LITERATURE
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary goal of this academic work is to conduct a literary and scientific analysis of Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel to reveal PTSD symptoms in the main characters and to evaluate the novel as a potential resource for coping strategies following large-scale disasters like 9/11.
- Scientific analysis of PTSD symptoms and coping strategies within the narrative.
- Examination of the multi-perspective narrative structure involving three different narrators.
- Investigation of visual writing styles and metaphors as psychological tools.
- Character-focused study of trauma-related responses in Oskar, his grandparents, and Mr. A. R. Black.
- Critical discussion of the intersection between literary fiction and disaster management concepts.
Excerpt from the Book
VISUAL MEANS AND THEIR STYLISTICAL FUNCTION
The visual writing style in Foer’s story has been discussed profoundly among professional and personal reviewers. Although KUMAR (2005) has an ambivalent opinion about the use of „gimmicks“, she admits to the fact that they might also “[…] allow the reader to creatively participate in the novel”.
In fact most of these visual aids make the reader feel as if actually holding items the protagonists handle themselves as seen on page 52 when Oskar said: ”I pulled out Stuff that Happened to Me, […], and I flipped through it for a while,[…]”. This passage is followed by 15 pages with various illustrations, obviously taken from Oskar’s book. Only to some of those the reader can make a logical connection but others make us, to say it with Oskar’s words, think: ”What the …?” Let me just give you one example. On page 55 we can see a picture of the gravedigger scene from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This is a foresha-
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: The author introduces the premise of analyzing Foer's book as a case study for coping with generation-spanning trauma, specifically focusing on PTSD symptoms among children affected by the 9/11 attacks.
SUMMARY OF THE PLOT: This chapter provides an overview of the narrative, centering on nine-year-old Oskar Schell, his discovery of a mysterious key after his father's death, and his subsequent quest to find its owner.
PTSD AND RELEVANT COPING STRATEGIES: This section establishes the theoretical framework by defining PTSD and exploring clinical coping mechanisms, such as Somatic Experiencing, in the context of traumatic events.
HOW IS THE STORY PRESENTED TO THE READER AND WHAT DOES IT CREATE INSIDE US?: This chapter analyzes the stylistic choices made by Foer, specifically the "zoom-in zoom-out" narrative structure and the use of multi-perspective storytelling to represent the collective trauma of New York City.
SELECTED CHARACTER ANALYSIS RELATED TO MENTAL STABILITY: This chapter provides a deep-dive into the psychological profiles of Oskar, his grandparents, and Mr. A. R. Black, connecting their specific behaviors to trauma-related symptoms.
FINAL CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that Foer's novel serves as a practical, albeit hidden, implementation of coping strategies, helping readers develop empathy for trauma victims, particularly children.
Keywords
PTSD, anxiety disorders, coping strategies, Dresden 1945, visual writing, 9/11, character analyses, metaphors, symbols, narrators, large scale disasters, disaster management, somatic experiencing, Postmodernism, depression
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" represents the trauma of 9/11 and whether the story functions as an unconventional aid for understanding and applying coping strategies for PTSD.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The key themes include the psychological effects of large-scale disasters, the impact of trauma on children, the role of multi-perspective narration, and the use of visual elements as symbolic language in literature.
What is the main research question of the work?
The work asks whether the book can be seen as an effective introduction to coping strategies or if it is merely a sensationalist reflection of media-driven disaster narratives.
Which scientific methodology is used for the analysis?
The author employs a combined literary and clinical approach, utilizing trauma psychology and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to interpret the behavioral patterns of the fictional characters.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body includes a plot summary, a theoretical section on PTSD, an analysis of the book's narrative structure and visual style, and detailed psychological character profiles of Oskar, his grandparents, and Mr. A. R. Black.
Which keywords best characterize the analysis?
Essential keywords include PTSD, anxiety disorders, coping strategies, visual writing, 9/11, character analysis, symbols, and somatic experiencing.
How does the author analyze Oskar's "heavy boots" metaphor?
The author identifies "heavy boots" as a symbolic representation of Oskar's depression and his stagnated recovery process, highlighting the difficulty children have in expressing complex emotions.
What significance is given to the "shell" metaphor?
The author discusses "shell" as a "schizophrenic" term that encompasses both destructive elements (bombardment, shell shock) and protective ones (a turtle's shell, a state of introversion), reflecting the family Schell’s experience with trauma.
Why does the author interpret the bed in Mr. A. R. Black's apartment?
The bed is interpreted through an astrophysical lens, suggesting that the accumulation of nails and the resulting "weight" serves as a metaphor for the gravity of trauma, effectively creating a "black hole" within the character's psyche.
- Citar trabajo
- Thomas Thieke (Autor), 2010, J.S. Foer’s "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/153531
