Oskar Schell: Character Connection


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Character Connection Button

We all have characters we love. Let’s spotlight these fantastic creations! Whether you want to be friends with them or you have a full-blown crush on them, you know you love them and want everyone else to love them too!

Most of you will probably post about how much you love each character, but this is a great place for the more creative ones among you to let go and have fun! Write a love letter to Captain Wentworth. Write yourself into a scene with Anne and Diana. Draw a picture of yourself in Jamie’s arms. The possibilities are endless.

Be sure to post the book’s title and author, and be very careful not to give away spoilers while talking about how much you love your characters.

Mr. Linky will be posted here on The Introverted Reader every Thursday.

Jess over at Tangled Up in Blue read Extemely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer recently, and seeing her review has left me wanting to write about Oskar Schell.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Book Cover

Oskar is nine years old, and he’s brilliant. Seriously. That brilliance has left him vulnerable in a lot of ways. He doesn’t fit in with the kids at his school, so he’s kind of a lonely little boy. His dad fills that void. Thomas Schell accepts his son and challenges him and constructs elaborate games that they both love to play together. Then Thomas dies in 9/11 and Oskar’s world is shattered. His very brilliance makes this loss even harder for him to take. He understands what happened and why (well, as much as anyone can understand something so senseless), but he’s still only nine. How do you deal with all of that?

Oskar has picked up some self-destructive behaviors that have left his mom concerned, so she’s seeking help for him. Oskar finds his own kind of help when he finds an unusual key in his dad’s old closet. He becomes determined to find the lock the key fits. Can you say needle in a haystack? Using his own brand of Oskar-logic, he sets off on his search. Along the way he meets a cast of characters that each help him move on and make peace in their own ways.

This all sounds so very serious, but Oskar is actually pretty funny. He had me giggling out loud occasionally. I wish I had the book with me so I could give you some examples, but you’re going to have to take my word for it.

Photo of Haley Joel Osment

He comes up with a lot of inventions, many of which are designed to help people who find themselves in unimaginable situations like 9/11. They’re ingenious and yet so sad. He’s still trying to save his dad even though it’s way too late.

I couldn’t help picturing Oskar as looking like Haley Joel Osment as seen in The Sixth Sense, even though I can’t remember how he was described in the book.

Who did you connect with this week? Write a post and link up! Be sure to visit everyone else’s posts too!

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6 Comments

  1. i listened to the audio version of this book and have to admit that the entire premise made me a tad crazy. i feel like JSF is equal parts brilliant and pretentious. on a literal level, the key situation was so absurd. i understand that it wasn't about the key…more about the journey, but it irked me. 🙂

    i like this feature and will try to play along sometime in the upcoming weeks!

    –nat @book, line, and sinker

  2. Osment is such a dear.He's adorable and he's acting is superb and I think he is exactly what you've portrayed!

  3. You chose a very cool character! We all choose adults, but it's so great that you chose a kid. Children can be great characters and Oskar certainly seems to be one.

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