A number of questions for “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” have been provided to help readers think about themes in the book and to stimulate discussion among community members.
1. As you read the book, what did it prompt you to think about • The ways through grief? • The ability to heal? • The ability of people to connect with each other? • The ability to make meaning from tragedy?
2. Jonathan Safran Foer has said that he writes about characters and their miscommunications; some characters think they’re saying a lot, but say nothing; others say nothing, but end up saying a lot. • Which characters fall into which category in “Extremely Loud?” • What might Foer be saying about our ability to communicate our own emotions?
3. What makes the key such a powerful symbol in the book? • What does the key open, besides the obvious physical lock we learn about near the end of the book? • Is there meaning to the fact that we never learn what the key actually protects? • To what extent do you think Oskar’s quest to find the lock is a quest for meaning and purpose and is he successful?
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