Day+4

** May 8, 2011 **
 * Syllabus: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close **


 * Focus Question: ** How does the title, //Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,// relate to the plot and stories of each of the characters in this novel?

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 * Opening Focus Activity: ** Research facts about September 11th and the impact of this event on the citizens of the United States. How does this compare to Oskar and the impact on him?

1. On page 304-305 Oskar receives a letter from Stephen Hawking, how do you think this letter made Oskar feel about Stephen Hawking and himself? It made him feel very good ike there was some closure in his life. One of his main goals was to get a letter back and he seemed to impact Stephen Hawking in a big way as well. He seemed touched by all the letters and the persistence to get a response. 2. How do you think Oskar impacted all the people with the last name of Black? How did they impact Oskar? He impacted them because he was so persistent in his search. He was extremely mature for his age and the Blacks felt like they could trust him. They impacted Oskar because he made new friends and it was like climbing the latter to his ultimate goal that he actually never reached. 3. Why do you think the author showed the pictures of the man falling, when Oskar did not find them until the end of the book? It was like unwinding his feelings. Making him feel better. Not someone falling to there untimely death but someone floating gracefully back to the top like everything was normal. Provides closure to the end of the novel. Makes it seem like Oskar felt better about his loss. Learned how to deal with it. 4. Do you think the man falling from the building was actually Oskar’s father? No, he made it up. That was a way to deal with his loss. When he lost his father he so wanted to believe in anything, any type of death just so that he would know. 5. On page 325-326 what was the significance of Foer ending the novel with the idea of Oskar’s life backwards and him thinking him and his father would have been safe that way? It was a figment of his imagination. Significant because it shows that he is starting to accept the loss and things are going back to the way that they used to. 6. What does Oskar hope to accomplish through inventing? He uses inventing as a way to escape from the world. Making the world a better place. A safer place with his inventions. Many of his inventions have to do with helping or saving someone especially his family. Also a way to feel connected to his father, like at the beginning he wants to hear his dads voice and made an invention for that. 7. As the plot progressed, how do you think the relationship between Oskar and his mother grew or did not grow? Are there any passages that explain this relationship? I think that it grew, especially the defining moment when they cried together, and when he found out she actually cared about where he was going and made sure to call everyone that he visited to make sure that he was safe. 8. On page 290, why did Abby Black want to kiss Oskar then and not the first interaction? Because she was broken up with her husband and she probably felt bad that he had been searching for 8 months when the answer was so close. Which is interesting because the age difference is extreme. Again closure from the past. 9. Did Oskar’s inventions or bruises have anything to do with being “extremely loud” or “incredibly close”? extremely loud and incredibly close could be his thoughts. He is surrounded by them and they are loud and close. His inventions and bruise are loud and close, he can't stop. Habit. Can't escape. 10. What did the things listed on page 321 mean to Oskar? Did he want to be like his dad in terms of the things he i?  Yes, he wanted to be like his dad and have a connection to his dad. Wanted to get as close to him as he possibly could. All those objects are things that remind him of his father.
 * Club Discussion Questions: **

Extremely introverted and Incredibly extroverted Extremely quiet and incredibly far away
 * Closing Activity/Extension: ** Discuss another title that might suit the plot and/or characters of Foer’s //Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close//