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Facultad de Ciencias de la Educacin

Pedagoga en Ingls
Sede Valdivia




Critical Review:
Extremely loud and incredibly
close




Name: Fernanda Herrmann
Teacher: Paulina Tapia
Subject: Language VII
Date: May 25
th
, 2012


Extremely loud & incredibly close
"All of a sudden there were people screaming. I saw people jumping out of the
building. Their arms were flailing. I stopped taking pictures and started crying." These
were the words of Michael Walters, a free-lance photo journalist referring to his experience
on the worst day: September 11, 2001. Nevertheless, on the other half of the globe we do
not feel that familiar or suffer the way Americans did and still do; we do not wake up every
day knowing that millions of lives were ended right next to us in such an unjustified way
but there are testimonies and screams all around the globe. Extremely loud and incredibly
close is a movie about this day, the worst day as it is called by its protagonist Oskar
Schell, a 9 year old boy with Aspergers syndrome. 9/11, Aspergers Syndrome and what it
is to lose loved ones and have to let them go are the three ideas that will be developed next.
Firstly, September 11, 2001 is a date that made history and will never be forgotten by
anyone who was alive during the incident no matter what the country you live in, or what
do you think about it. The World Trade Center Twin Towers collapsed by the impact of
two planes manipulated by terrorists. But, what were the reactions on the very same
moment of the attack? Adam Mayblum, who is a survivor of 9/11 who was at the World
Trade Center, told at media interviews: I took off my t-shirt and ripped it into 3 pieces,
soaked it in water, gave 2 pieces to my friends, tied my piece around my face to act as an
air filter, and we all started moving to the staircase. This mans reaction was to help others
and try for all of them to survive and they did. Moreover, thanks to this incident similar
reactions were propelled all around the US. Deb Palumbos, a US citizen, remembers when
she decided to became a volunteer to the American Red Cross I was inspired to become a
volunteer for America after 9/11. I just was not sure in what capacity. While reading a local
newspaper I found an ad for Citizen Corps. I cant recall the exact wording, but it prompted
me to call for more information. Within the movie the spectator can see the reactions of
the people during the worst day such as his mom, his dad, and his own reaction. Some
people succumbed to panic such as Oskar himself and could not do anything to help, some
other such as his dad Thomas Schell tried to calm everyone down before he died. In the end
Oskar becomes his moms comfort and his own help to become a braver boy.
Secondly, Aspergers Syndrome, a very present theme in the movie, according to The
National Autistic Society is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects
how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other
people.Asperger syndrome is mostly a 'hidden disability'. This means that you can't tell
that someone has the condition from their outward appearance. People with the condition
have difficulties in three main areas. They are: social communication, social interaction and
social imagination. From the beginning of the movie it is clear that Oskar is a very
intelligent, special boy who seems to have a different view of the world and this is because
he suffers from this condition as a 22 year old girl with Aspergers said Extremely Loud
and Incredibly Close is not JUST a movie about 9/11. And its not JUST a movie about
Autism. This movie is more about how a boy who is different copes with such a difficult
tragedy. I will say, I DID see Asperger traits in this boy. The meltdowns that he had
reminded me of myself (at drastic times, but remember, this WAS a drastic time). The
sensitivities he had were similar to my own. Also, the abrupt attitude of the boy struck me
as an Autistic trait. But I could relate SO well, that I also could feel his sorrow when he
realized the pain his actions caused. I felt the tension between him and his mother as
though it were my own. Before his death, Oskars father helped him to overcome the
different obstacles his condition posed to him like not being able to socialize normally, or
go out to the streets because of the noise and colors, and not being able to change his
routine because he felt he might collapse. Thomas Schells death affects Oskar in this
matter: it became a change in his routine, an unknown event that made his condition to
flourish even more. Nevertheless, Oskar finds a way to use his special skills and great
intelligence to overcome his fathers death and feel more connected to him in his solitude.
Thomas, who was Oskars partner in everything, used to pose him different quests and
puzzles with a tricky answer and our protagonist after a special event during the movie
decides to start his last quest in which he meets lots of new people with terrible stories too,
needs to go out to the world and survive, and needs to overcome his fears in order to find
his fathers memory and keep it near him forever.
Thirdly, losing loved ones is not something easy to overcome and it is for sure that
no one wants to feel it voluntarily. According to Helpguide.org Losing someone or
something you love is very painful. You may experience all kinds of difficult emotions and
it may feel like the sadness will never let up. Oskar and his mother are not the exception
when they realize how life and their relationship with one another have changed because of
Thomas death. Linda Schell, Oskars mother, secludes herself from the world, her son and
her feelings because it becomes too difficult to deal with everything by her own in her
grief. Oskar does not talk about it and seems almost normal and in no pain to the world, but
inside and when he is alone the memories of the worst day consume him and his grief
becomes almost unbearable, tearing him apart from his mom. Their lost is not simple, is not
caused by nature, age or sickness but by an unfair event that no one foresaw and which
killed someone they loved for no apparent reason. Testimonies of people who lost loved
ones during 9/11 are heartbreaking like Vicki Shoemaker, a 64 year old woman from New
York, who said Since 9/11, I am sorry to say I don't trust my government. I feel my
country let us down. I also learned how difficult it is to deal with public grief. No, I will
never be the same. My heart is forever broken and is constantly being broken, over and
over again. Oskar and Linda find themselves in grief separately and it is precisely this that
makes them realize that if they are going to mourn, they need to be together; having
someone elses support when in pain makes easier to overcome the loss. In the end and
thanks to several events through the movie, they learn that together they are stronger and
learn to love each other in a new way.
As a conclusion I can say that 9/11 was a heartbreaking event that in one way or
another touched as all and changed lives, some more and other less. Having to deal with an
event like that being only 9 years old and having the condition Oskar has is an extremely
difficult situation that requires help and guidance. This young boy was beaten by a terrible
worldwide crime in which his father, his ultimate idol, died and he found himself alone in a
world that seemed even more unwelcoming to him because of this Aspergers and he
needed to learn how to cope with his lose. Thanks to the people he met, his relatives, and
the indirect help and guidance of Thomas he finally succeeds in his quest and final task of
letting him go without losing his happiness and love for life.


1363 words

Bibliography
- Shome, Amanda (2002) Quotes of the Times.
http://www.amandashome.com/911quotes.html. 23/05/2012
- The National Autistic Society (2012) What is Asperger Syndrome?.
http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/autism-and-asperger-syndrome-an-
introduction/what-is-asperger-syndrome.aspx 23/05/2012
- Smith, Melinda et al. (2012) Coping with grief and loss.
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/grief_loss.htm 23/05/2012
- Extracted from http://ihaveaspergers.webs.com/ 23/05/2012
- The Msnbc Digital Network (2012) Forever mourning loved ones lost in the attacks.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14583483/ns/us_news-9_11_five_years_later/t/forever-
mourning-loved-ones-lost-attacks/#.T725rtXSp7c 23/05/2012
- The American Red Cross Association.
http://www.rochesterredcross.org/DisasterServices/911Remembrance/911Testimonials/tabi
d/209/Default.aspx 23/05/2012
- Extracted from http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/survivor5.htm 23/05/2012

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