New York City can be a scary place: taxis honking at you to hurry up and cross the street. Hundreds of people crammed onto the subway at rush hour. The long, long line for cronuts.
It was an even scarier place after the September 11 attacks; people were on edge for months, fearing that something else would happen. It was especially terrible for people who lost loved ones in the attack.
In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, this tragedy creates a lot of anxiety in Oskar: fear of enclosed spaces, fear of heights, fear of the Staten Island Ferry. Considering how fearful he is, it's pretty amazing that he embarks on this adventure to five boroughs to meet strangers. In order to get close to his Dad's memory, Oskar has to fight his fears. The book seems to suggest that to get past traumatic fears, you have to connect with other people.
Questions About Fear
- Does Oskar have any irrational fears? Are all of Oskar's fears irrational?
- Who helps Oskar battle his anxiety, and how do they help?
- What is Oskar still afraid of at the end of the book?
- Are any other characters battling anxiety or fear?