Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close tells the story of Oskar Schell, a nine-year-old boy with limitless imagination and creativity on the one hand and a troubled soul on the other. He loses his father, Thomas Schell Jr., in the attacks of 9/11 and tries to cope with his loss by navigating himself through a series of quests.
In the following chapters, a short introduction to Foer’s life and works will be given as well as a plot summary and an overview of the main motifs of the novel to build a knowledge basis for the chapters following. After that, the trauma of the characters will be described for the later analysis of the individual coping mechanisms. An analysis of Foer’s writing style follows with focus on visual writing and photographs. On this basis, the effects of Foer’s writing style on the reader will be outlined. The paper will be concluded with a summary and a personal reflection. The descriptive method will be used based on primary and secondary literature as well as the author’s observations to elaborate the research objects, which are the analyses of the individual traumas of the protagonists as well as the effects of Foer’s visual writing techniques on the reader.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Jonathan Safran Foer's Novel Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
- Trauma described within the Novel
- Coping Mechanisms of the Protagonists
- Writing Style
- Examples for Visual Writing
- The Falling Man Photograph
- Reflection
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the trauma of 9/11 and its impact on the characters in Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The paper analyzes the novel’s unique writing style, specifically the use of visual writing techniques, and their effects on the reader.
- The trauma of 9/11 and its impact on the characters, particularly Oskar Schell
- The challenges of communicating and coping with trauma
- The role of visual writing in conveying trauma and emotions
- The relationship between the protagonist and his father, and the search for meaning in the wake of loss
- The effects of Foer’s writing style on the reader’s understanding and emotional engagement with the story
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides context for the paper, highlighting the theme of “writing the unspeakable” in North American fiction. It introduces the novel Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and its focus on the difficulties of expressing emotions after traumatic events. The second chapter provides an overview of Foer’s life and works, summarizing the plot and main motifs of the novel. Chapter three explores the trauma experienced by the characters, setting the stage for analyzing their coping mechanisms. Chapter four delves into Foer’s writing style, with a focus on visual writing and the use of photographs. This chapter analyzes the impact of these techniques on the reader.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper explores the themes of trauma, visual writing, emotional communication, loss, and coping mechanisms in the context of the 9/11 attacks. It focuses on Jonathan Safran Foer’s writing style, specifically his use of non-traditional elements and visual storytelling. The analysis examines the novel Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and its portrayal of Oskar Schell’s journey through grief and the search for meaning after the loss of his father.
- Quote paper
- Inna Warkus (Author), 2020, The Trauma of 9/11 and the Effects of Visual Writing in Jonathan Safran Foer’s Novel "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/899780
