Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2012 - (Page 38)

Off the Shelf Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer Review by Alexander Zhou Nine-year-old Oskar Schell’s quest begins with a mystery: a key within an envelope labeled “Black,” which he finds after his father’s death on 9/11. Thinking that this could be a clue like others his father would leave during a game they used to play called Reconnaissance Expedition, Oskar sets out to visit every person with the surname Black in New York City. Oskar blames himself for not answering the last phone call his father made, right before the towers fell, so this quest gives him a way to cope with the loss of his father. Along the way, as he meets several people named Black, it becomes clear that the pain of loss is a nearly universal condition. The novel is narrated by three different characters who rotate by chapter, and parallels gradually emerge between Oskar’s tale and those of the other two narrators: his grandparents. The grandparents’ stories are conveyed mainly through letters: his grandfather writes to his son, Oskar’s father, while his grandmother writes to Oskar. Their letters reveal a struggle similar to Oskar’s, though centered on another tragedy, the Dresden bombings. Oskar’s grandfather is revealed to have stopped speaking after his girlfriend, Anna, is killed in the Dresden bombings. Years later he meets and marries Oskar’s grandmother, who is Anna’s sister. Although neither admits it, their marriage is rooted in their mutual loss. The plot is powerful, and it is supplemented and enriched by different visual devices. At times the book seems like an adult picture book, with several pages in a row completely devoted to images such as keys and doorknobs; some pages are even left blank, leaving meaningful empty space. Often, empty spaces play a major role in conveying the thoughts and feelings of the characters. When Oskar uses inconsistent indentations and paragraph endings, it seems to represent his wavering attitude toward the world around him and his hesitancy in choosing a path. His grandfather, on the other hand, never breaks his story into paragraphs, suggesting that the events of his life have run together. At one point, his story overlaps other text, creating a confusing, illegible mess. And Oskar’s grandmother uses extra spaces at the end of every sentence, repeating the common theme of emptiness. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close offers a rich reading experience as it depicts a wide range of personalities and heart-wrenching stories. Although the novel is centered on the events of 9/11, it also provides insight into tragedies suffered during and since World War II. The novel may focus on one family, but it shows how they have dealt with loss across generations and across continents. And while the details may be specific to this family, the themes are universal. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is the story of a lost child who meets other survivors of all kinds of losses. Oskar—like his grandparents, like the many people he meets named Black—shows us that surviving loss doesn’t necessarily mean getting over it, but learning to live with it. Alexander Zhou, 16, is a junior at Valley High School in West Des Moines, IA. He enjoys volunteering and is a member of his school’s chapter of SADD, as well as a leading member of a local student organization against tobacco use in public parks. last summer, he taught basic problem solving at a local elementary school. Also recommended The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky The story follows Charlie, a freshman in high school, as he learns to tread the troubled waters of growing up, finding love, and selfdiscovery. His story has a strange innocence that is reminiscent of blissful childhood, but there is a depth and intelligence in Charlie that makes him a unique, multifaceted, and relatable character. He shows that in the end, being yourself is what matters the most. —Rashika Verma, 15, NJ Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson When scientist Nicholas Wasserman realizes that Archos, the artificial intelligence he’s created in a lab miles underground in Alaska, seems bent on destroying humankind, he puts it to sleep and goes back to the drawing board. But on Wasserman’s 14th attempt, Archos won’t be contained. Online, Archos communicates with everything from smart phones and smart cars to toys and ATMs—and then the war for humanity’s survival is on. This is a great (and sometimes gory) sci-fi adventure! —Scott Bisson, 16, FL 38 imagine Mar/Apr 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2012

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2012
Big Picture
In My Own Words
Theater Bound
Art Song
Out of My Head
Playwright’s Journal
Play(wright) in Progress
For All Time
My Life in Felt and Foam
Preserving the Golden Past of the Silver Screen
An Actor and a Critic
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Broadcom MASTERS
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2012

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