How did you feel about the characters in the book? Were they relatable? Especially Oskar and his grandmother are very unique individuals (remember how Oskar only wears white and always has his tambourine?). How was this important to the story?
In all honesty, I don't know that I ever felt like I could relate to either of Oskar's grandparents. I didn't understand their relationship and how they could function without words. I didn't understand the nothing/something spaces (what was up with that??).
But on some level, I felt I connected more with Oskar. I don't know that I so much related with him but absolutely connected with him. Even though he was a smart/dorky kid, he still had the real, child-like perspective that was really touching. I felt his emotions and frustrations and desperation as I was reading the book. But was also amazed that a young kid could invest so much time research topics I have absolutely no interest in! For me, his character was so likeable, I wanted so much for him to find the lock but even more so, I wanted him to be able to grieve and then find happiness again. It broke my heart every time he said he was giving himself a bruise.
Marci, I agree about the whole bruise thing! Have any of you read 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'?? The main character is really similar to Oskar--he's a young boy with autism and so incredibly smart... he investigates the murder of a dog and this book reminded me a lot of that one--I recommend it.
Anyway, I really enjoyed Oscar's chapters the most--I connected with him much better. The something/nothing spaces and the writing and everything was so exhausting and so confusing to me as well.
Did Oscar ever really find out that the renter was his grandfather? It kind of illuded to it, but did I miss that?
I'll be honest, this is the second time I've read this book. I really wanted to read it again and wanted to have someone to talk about it with. But, Oskar was the most easily relatable character for me both times. You just have to feel for Oskar because he is so earnest, funny, and sad. I think we can all understand why Oskar feels the way he feels and is the way he is.
I did connect much better with the grandmother this time than I did the first time. I didn't realize the first time, but she is really driven by her need to be with someone else--to not be alone. Understandable considering her history. That's why she puts up with the bizarre relationship with the grandfather. She needs company and she also needs someone who understands what has happened to her. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be old and have nobody who knew you when you were young and nobody who understood the challenges that had defined who you are as a person. The grandmother had to have someone who understood.
I related to most of the characters so well! The grandmother - like Loren said - just really needed to be with someone else. I can understand her need for "nothing" spaces. Sometimes you just want to be around someone you love but at the same not let them see you. Kind of like when you want the TV on even though you aren't watching it. I can see how having "nothing" spaces would be the perfect solution to the dilemma, although it got way out of hand.
I also felt so sad for Oskar's grandfather. The only person he ever loved is gone and that is all he can think of. It made me depressed for him. I like that Foer represented that by making him slowly become mute. It was interesting to think about.
And Oskar was totally lovable. I felt like I knew him so well at the end of the book. He was so much more interesting than most people. I was rooting for him all along and was really sad when he found out the key wasn't even his dad's. I also wished his family was less dysfunctional so he could actually talk about his feelings and mourn with them.
Cassidy, thanks for talking about the something/nothing spaces. You had a good point. Sometimes I like Adam being home, without interacting or even being in separate rooms doing our own thing. I guess that makes a bit more sense. But the fact that those spaces had to be so clearly defined still confuses me. It felt suffocating.
Taylor, I'm not sure about this b/c I finished the book a while ago, but I think that Oskar realizes some time later that it was his Grandfather. He just didn't know it at the time. Anyone else remember?
I like the way you guys described the something and nothing spaces. That makes sense and it did not make sense to me at all before, but that is definitely true. Sometimes I want to know there is someone else there, but do not necessarily want to interact. I think that of almost any character I can think of that I have ever read, Oskar makes me the saddest. The bruises kill me. You love him so much and he is so messed up and, of course, none of the kids at school understand why he is the way he is. I wanted to be able to protect Oskar.
There is a point where Oskar expresses how much he hates himself for being the way he is--carrying a tambourine, dressing in white, hates his card, etc. This part kills me, because when you read about Oskar you learn to love him so much and it doesn't matter that he carries a tambourine or dresses in white. A lot of the things he hates about himself become endearing. But then I thought about it. I don't hate myself at all, but a lot of times I think we subconsciously try to make ourselves more like other people, or change things about ourselves so that we fit in better. How sad if people who loved us knew that we were doing it because we felt uncomfortable or dissatisfied with who we are. Does that make sense?
This comment doesn't mean you need to worry about my self-esteem, Oskar just expressed something in an extreme way that I think we all experience perhaps in a milder form.
Taylor, I totally thought the book was like "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time". I told Blair that, but she refuses to read a book about a kid with autism.
I will try and convince her to read it, since she really liked Oskar. I liked him a lot too. I felt like I could relate to him, and I really appreciated how independent he was of the influence of his peers on his actions. He was sad that he was different, but the notion of conforming never occurred to him. He seemed to think that everybody else was just naturally "normal". It is a good reminder that we all have our own personality quirks and it makes for much better stories if we let them shine. (Did that sound as cheesy as I think it did?)
Blair, let Sam convince you to read it! It's a very fast read and I learned a ton from it... I also laughed out loud. The emotions it evokes are very similar to what you feel when you read 'Extremely Loud...'
10 comments:
In all honesty, I don't know that I ever felt like I could relate to either of Oskar's grandparents. I didn't understand their relationship and how they could function without words. I didn't understand the nothing/something spaces (what was up with that??).
But on some level, I felt I connected more with Oskar. I don't know that I so much related with him but absolutely connected with him. Even though he was a smart/dorky kid, he still had the real, child-like perspective that was really touching. I felt his emotions and frustrations and desperation as I was reading the book. But was also amazed that a young kid could invest so much time research topics I have absolutely no interest in! For me, his character was so likeable, I wanted so much for him to find the lock but even more so, I wanted him to be able to grieve and then find happiness again. It broke my heart every time he said he was giving himself a bruise.
Marci, I agree about the whole bruise thing! Have any of you read 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'?? The main character is really similar to Oskar--he's a young boy with autism and so incredibly smart... he investigates the murder of a dog and this book reminded me a lot of that one--I recommend it.
Anyway, I really enjoyed Oscar's chapters the most--I connected with him much better. The something/nothing spaces and the writing and everything was so exhausting and so confusing to me as well.
Did Oscar ever really find out that the renter was his grandfather? It kind of illuded to it, but did I miss that?
I'll be honest, this is the second time I've read this book. I really wanted to read it again and wanted to have someone to talk about it with. But, Oskar was the most easily relatable character for me both times. You just have to feel for Oskar because he is so earnest, funny, and sad. I think we can all understand why Oskar feels the way he feels and is the way he is.
I did connect much better with the grandmother this time than I did the first time. I didn't realize the first time, but she is really driven by her need to be with someone else--to not be alone. Understandable considering her history. That's why she puts up with the bizarre relationship with the grandfather. She needs company and she also needs someone who understands what has happened to her. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be old and have nobody who knew you when you were young and nobody who understood the challenges that had defined who you are as a person. The grandmother had to have someone who understood.
I related to most of the characters so well! The grandmother - like Loren said - just really needed to be with someone else. I can understand her need for "nothing" spaces. Sometimes you just want to be around someone you love but at the same not let them see you. Kind of like when you want the TV on even though you aren't watching it. I can see how having "nothing" spaces would be the perfect solution to the dilemma, although it got way out of hand.
I also felt so sad for Oskar's grandfather. The only person he ever loved is gone and that is all he can think of. It made me depressed for him. I like that Foer represented that by making him slowly become mute. It was interesting to think about.
And Oskar was totally lovable. I felt like I knew him so well at the end of the book. He was so much more interesting than most people. I was rooting for him all along and was really sad when he found out the key wasn't even his dad's. I also wished his family was less dysfunctional so he could actually talk about his feelings and mourn with them.
Cassidy, thanks for talking about the something/nothing spaces. You had a good point. Sometimes I like Adam being home, without interacting or even being in separate rooms doing our own thing. I guess that makes a bit more sense. But the fact that those spaces had to be so clearly defined still confuses me. It felt suffocating.
Taylor, I'm not sure about this b/c I finished the book a while ago, but I think that Oskar realizes some time later that it was his Grandfather. He just didn't know it at the time. Anyone else remember?
I like the way you guys described the something and nothing spaces. That makes sense and it did not make sense to me at all before, but that is definitely true. Sometimes I want to know there is someone else there, but do not necessarily want to interact. I think that of almost any character I can think of that I have ever read, Oskar makes me the saddest. The bruises kill me. You love him so much and he is so messed up and, of course, none of the kids at school understand why he is the way he is. I wanted to be able to protect Oskar.
I keep thinking of more things I want to say...
There is a point where Oskar expresses how much he hates himself for being the way he is--carrying a tambourine, dressing in white, hates his card, etc. This part kills me, because when you read about Oskar you learn to love him so much and it doesn't matter that he carries a tambourine or dresses in white. A lot of the things he hates about himself become endearing. But then I thought about it. I don't hate myself at all, but a lot of times I think we subconsciously try to make ourselves more like other people, or change things about ourselves so that we fit in better. How sad if people who loved us knew that we were doing it because we felt uncomfortable or dissatisfied with who we are. Does that make sense?
This comment doesn't mean you need to worry about my self-esteem, Oskar just expressed something in an extreme way that I think we all experience perhaps in a milder form.
Taylor, I totally thought the book was like "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time". I told Blair that, but she refuses to read a book about a kid with autism.
I will try and convince her to read it, since she really liked Oskar. I liked him a lot too. I felt like I could relate to him, and I really appreciated how independent he was of the influence of his peers on his actions. He was sad that he was different, but the notion of conforming never occurred to him. He seemed to think that everybody else was just naturally "normal". It is a good reminder that we all have our own personality quirks and it makes for much better stories if we let them shine. (Did that sound as cheesy as I think it did?)
Blair, let Sam convince you to read it! It's a very fast read and I learned a ton from it... I also laughed out loud. The emotions it evokes are very similar to what you feel when you read 'Extremely Loud...'
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