Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - Literature review Example

 Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Loss of innocence has been a recurring theme in the world literature, because loss is a part of life that is inherent in all human experience, and what is literature, if not an attempt at sharing the quintessential aspects of human life. Time and again writers have come out with works of fiction in which the bare, naked innocence collides with the harsh realities of life. However, each and every writer had been unique and different as to how the innocent grappled with and related to the critical events in their life. For instance, in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies the innocent respond to the apocalypse by hopelessly degenerating into abject crudeness and barbarity, thereby questioning the supposed nobility of human existence and the lofty achievements of human civilization (Otten 1982). In contrast, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee shows the innocent witnessing the rampant social injustices with their inherent simplicity and artlessness, without attempting any analytical or immaturely logical approach towards trying to figure out things (Sterne 1994). In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, the innocent succumb to the defilement of cherished intimacy and friendship before an abject sense of helplessness and painful unconcern (Shivani 2007). In that context, Jonathan Safran Foer, in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close affects a unique treatment to the theme under consideration, in the sense that it celebrates the survival of innocence, signified by its very ability to feel pain, trauma and loss and its adamant stubbornness to seek out a meaning in the surrounding gloom and apathy. In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, nine year old Oskar is an innocent from the 21st century, who, though, inflicted by the sorrow and loss affected by a very contemporary apocalypse, refuses to give up. On the contrary, he chooses to squarely grapple with the bizarre aftermath wrecked by the apocalypse, painstakingly and deliberately looking out for solutions, trying to eke out explanations, desperately desiring to cull out some sense out of the world obsessed with nihilism. Story of Oskar depicts how the innocent collide with reality in the modern times. According to Claude Peck, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is not as much a novel about 9/11, but rather a literary after-effect, which tends to illustrate the varied imaginative and psychological dimensions of the apocalypse (2005). To explore this modern day apocalypse, Foer had to improvise an offbeat format marked by vivid pictures, photos and illustrations portraying themes and scenes from the novel, empty pages and pages having only one sentence, coloured graphics, doodles, typographical oddities and a strange ending involving multiple pages showing a man falling from a skyscraper (Peck 2005). The novel vividly delineates how innocent Oskar tries to come to terms with his personal loss and trauma, his resultant bouts of anxiety, insomnia, self-mutilation and depression (Peck 2005). In many ways, Oskar is an exceptional nine years old, as he is a vegan, regularly corresponds with Stephen Hawking, can converse in passable French and is an avid and ingenuous inventor. However, one thing that Oskar has in common with all the New York children, and actually with many of the New Yorkers, is his deep seated sense of remorse and despair over the 9/11 World Trade Centre attack (Peck 2005). Surprisingly, Oskar responds to this tragedy by zealously trying to translate his anguish into pragmatic action, into some meaningful search that culminates into something life affirming, a possible resuscitation of the bruised yet indefatigable spirit of modern humanity (Peck 2005). Sadly, Oskar’s approach towards facing reality is not so liked by some prophets of the yore. Perhaps, as usual they consider innocence and naivety to be synonymous. In a review written for the New Yorker, John Updike commented on the futility of filling a 300 plus page book with “an underage protagonist” (Peck 2005). Building on this theme, Codde interestingly delves on the usage of iconography as a way of coping with pain by the young protagonist in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2007). Judith Herman, in his much venerated book, Trauma and Recovery does mention that traumatic experiences get registered in the memory mostly in the form of images and icons (1997). The traumatic memory differs from the narrative memory in the sense that it tends to be much fragmented and visual (Herman 1997). Narrative memory, on the contrary, tries to organize experiences in a more rational and linear sequence (Herman 1997). As per Codde, Foer in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close takes the technique of iconography to its extremes, to afford an insight to any interested reader into the mental processes of a nine year old dealing with pain after his father’s death (2007). This technique makes the narrative more realistic and life like. First, it is a known fact, corroborated by common experience and observation that children mostly remember things in the form of mental snapshots (Codde 2007). Second, 9/11 happened to be the most visually covered and remembered apocalypse in the history of mankind (Codde 2007). It would not be far from the truth to claim that in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, the iconic traumatic memory of Oskar supported by the narrative organization succeeds in bringing to surface the pain and suffering of Oskar, as and like it is. In that sense, the trauma of Oskar becomes one with the trauma of the child embedded in the mind of every reader. Hence, going by the simple Euclidian logic, the unassuming poise and reassuring mental catechism of Oskar also become the poise and solace of every reader experiencing the harshness of modern existence on a daily basis. So the innocent of Foer does not emotionally degenerates into a reckless barbarian, or yields to an attitude of apathy and unconcern, or simply observes the apocalypse with a naively silly sense of simplicity from a distance (Mullan 2006). Depressed, yes, disturbed, yes, confused, yes, but definitely not devoid of hope and gumption (Mullan 2006). For the innocent created by Foer, things may have crashed, yet, he believes in simply rebooting and moving ahead with life (Codde 2007). Many of the critics have touched upon Oskar’s ability to mull on the larger issues of individual and collective identity, in his own charming and catchy way. Good to say, that unlike the innocents portrayed in most of the post II World War literature, Oskar does not shun knowledge, citing the evil consequences of science as an excuse. Instead, being a progeny of the information age, Oskar tends to exploit information to get a grip over reality. According to Mullin, Foer comes down upon the propensity for embracing isolation inherent in the traumatic events, both in an individual and collective sense, by making it utterly difficult for Oskar to solicit the much needed information about 9/11 from exclusively American sources (2009). Thus, in his quest for information pertaining to the apocalypse that annihilated his father and many others, Oskar is made to learn words from other languages, to Google about other cultures, to seek facts regarding the similar historical tragedies suffered by people from other countries (Mullin 2009). Hence, the agony and trauma of Oskar does not isolate him from others, but rather serves as a common link that connects him with others in a much broader sense (Mullin 2009). The direct and unambiguous message that the character of Oskar conveys is that in no way and under no circumstances, trauma should evolve into a “self identifying” marker for an individual, a group , or a race (Mullins 2009). The innocent and intelligent protagonist in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, through his musings and the forthcoming quest, in a way tries to identify and explore the unbreakable bond between him and the people from other neighbourhoods, boroughs, cultures and race (Mullins 2009). Thus, the approach of Oskar towards coming to terms with hurt and loss is essentially noble, wholesome and all inclusive in the sense that he identifies trauma as a basis for solidarity between victims of 9/11, the survivors of Hiroshima, those who managed to pull through Dresden and other cities that got devastated in the II World War, and in fact everybody and anybody who has lost, suffered and been persecuted (Mullins 2009). Oskar’s personal experiences with trauma unite him with others who have ever faced trauma, albeit in different ways, under dissimilar circumstances and at diverse locales (Mullins 2009). No mental faculty can be as intimately associated with childhood and innocence as the ability to imagine and fancy. The innocent young lad in Foer’s 21st century urban fairy tale is as much endowed with the predilection to imagine and fancy, as someone born in some pristine and untouched, green and abundant vale or some denizen of elf and gnome infested forest regions of the yore (Brook 2006). In an emotional environment marred with loss, confusion, anxiety and a strange and bizarre crisis of fundamental values, Oskar time and again resorts to his fertile and verdant imagination and creativity to give some concrete shape to an existence that is a strange blend of the tangible and the amorphous, the comprehensible and the vague (Brook 2006). In the novel, Oskar is shown as inventing contraptions like the birdseed suit which could rescue someone trapped on the top of a building, skyscrapers that could split apart to let the aeroplanes pass through them, portable pockets that could be attached to one’s attire to carry additional stuff and a drainage system for carrying tears to a central reservoir of tears (Foer 2006). Hence, while in the realm of stark cognizance, Oskar does acknowledge the existence of the great unavoidables like death, sorrow and loss, it is in the realm of imagination and creativity that his soul embraces the elusive yet ever present scope for immortality, grace and miracle. Quiet similar to what he achieved in Everything is Illuminated, in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close also, Jonathan Safran Foer manages to mix the protagonists sense of earnestness with the comic and to a great extent, creative side of his personality and his verbal beauty in shaping reality with his unintended verbal misfires that unravel his basic sense of irony and frustration (Mcculloch 2007). Amidst this strange intermix of reality and imagination, hard facts and miracles, lies a scope for reconciliation and redemption. No doubt, the imaginary world of Oskar is as authentic and achievable as the real world surrounding him, with all its essential discord, death and decay. Not to say, that there is no dearth of critics who have criticised the very relevance and scope of the character of Oskar on varied counts. Some have labelled him as being too smart for his own good, while others have disliked his precocious temperament. A good number of critics have pointed at the inability of Foer to come out with a convincing and authentic protagonist. Also, there are critics who have come hard on the trend of making underage individuals as the central characters in the works of mature fiction. It will be really interesting to cull out some important critics in this context with their primary objections and concerns. David Brauner in his work Contemporary American and Canadian Writers has elucidated a host of problems associated with the character of Oskar (2007). He emphatically finds the character of Oskar as problematic, unconvincing and too airy fairy to be true (2007). Brauner believes that considering the fact that Oskar going by his age is plausibly innocent and naive, yet he finds no problems in traversing along through a city open to dangerous possibilities (2007). Brauner also holds that Oskar is too precocious and mature beyond his age to fully represent the nuances associated with essentially childish sentiments and issues (2007). As a reviewer, he finds the character of Oskar to be far from being authentic and believable (Brauner 2007). Brauner may have his reasons, but in a strictly pragmatic sense, he appears to be too mistaken in his understanding and definition of the very concept of ‘innocence’. Innocence and naivety are not the same things, nor is it just to assume that the innocent lack the capacity for being intelligent and sophisticated. Innocent children are as much susceptible to their surroundings and environment as adults are. Simply speaking, innocence is about approaching things and issues with an inherent curiosity and wonder; it is about coming out with refreshingly new and never before solutions to problems, it’s essentially about the simplicity and guilelessness of thought and perception. Oskar, raised in a cosmopolitan environment, with an encouraging and motivating father, could not and should not be expected to be deficient in general knowledge, aptitude and technical proficiency. However, he does come out with flying colours on all the cardinal parameters of innocence as discussed earlier. Is not all the brightness of Oskar, primarily his fertile imagination? And even if Oskar could be attributed to being hopelessly unbelievable as a character, his pain, his suffering his trauma is very real and palpable. Pursuing a different approach, culminating into similar objections, Rocco blames Foer for making the character of Oskar too unbelievable and confusing by surrounding it with the utter dazzle of his narrative technique defined by visuals, and typographical oddities (2005). Rocco finds it very strange on the part of the writer to present the adults in the novel as being deficient in communication skills, helplessly resorting to varied stratagems like alphanumeric buttons, tattoos and writing, while a nine year old is able to communicate with apt fluency and clarity (2005). Perhaps, the problem with mature reviewers and critics is that try to dissect child characters with a pathetically mature bent of mind and a strictly ossified perception. Going by this logic, in retrospect, Rocco corrects herself by attributing the challenged communication skills of the adult characters in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close to the all pervasive existential angst compromising the human ability to say important things, when they need to be said and how they need to be said (2005). Each and every writer, dealing with the issue of innocence being bombarded with the harsh aftermath of an apocalypse, has come out with one’s own conclusions and climaxes. In that context, the innocence as presented by Foer in the aftermath of 9/11 World Trade Centre attacks is very different in the sense that it refuses to act a sitting duck. The innocence as depicted by the character of Oskar in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is bold and proactive that attempts to hold reality by the scruff of its neck and gives it a serious jolt to arrive at some sense and meaning in the thick of things. One may blame Oskar for being precocious, too unbelievable or anything, yet, Oskar continues to command relevance and interest by his very stubborn refusal to be anything but innocent. The Goliath struck the humanity once again with all his characteristic crudity and vengeance, but this time the David was more than ready for him. Wasn’t he! Reference List Brauner, David and Roth, Philip 2007, Contemporary American and Canadian Writers, Manchester UP, New York. Brook, Vincent (ed.) 2006, You Should See Yourself: Jewish Identity in Postmodern American Culture, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ. Codde, Philippe 2007, ‘Philomela Revisited: Traumatic Iconcity in Jonathan Safarn Foer’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’, Studies in American Fiction, Vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 241- 245. Foer, Jonathan Safran 2006, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Penguin Books, London. Herman, Judith 1997, Trauma and Recover: The Aftermath of from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror, Basic Books, New York. Mcculloch, Jamie 2007, ‘Creating the Rogue Hero: Literary Devices in the Picaresque Novels of Martin Amis, Richard Russo, Michael Chabon, Jonathan Safran Foer, and Steve Tesich’, International Fiction Review, VOL. 32, no. 1-2, pp. 13-18. Mullan, John 2006, How Novel Works, Oxford University Press, New York. Mullins, Matthew 2009, ‘Boroughs and Neighbours: Traumatic Solidarity in Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’, Papers on Language and Literature, Vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 298-309. Otten, Terry 1982, After Innocence: Visions of Fall in Modern Literature, University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh. Peck, Claude 2005, Talking Volumes; A Boy, a Key, a Journey; How Writer Jonathan Safran Foer Imagined a 9-Years-Old as the Star of the Country’s First Post 9/11 Novel, 20 November, Star Tribune (Minneapolis MN), The Star Tribune Company, HighBeam Research , viewed 16 February 2011, . Rocco, Claudia La 2005, ‘Loud’ is without Focus; Engaging Read gets Lost in Author’s Dazzle, 24 April, The Columbian (Vancouver WA), Landmark Media Enterprises, LLC, HighBeam Research, viewed 26 February 2011, . Shivani, Anis 2007, ‘The Collapse of Objectivity: Looking at Recent Books about Terrorism’, Contemporary Review, Spring 2007, pp. 26. Sterne, Richard Clark 1994, Dark Mirror: The Sense of Injustice in Modern European and American Literature, Fordham University Press, New York. Read More