1. Warming up with some visits to everyone named "Black":
- Flip through Oskar's chapters and list everyone he's visited so far named "Black."
- For each person, write one word that indicates your initial perception or Oskar's first impression of this character (one-word biography style).
- IF APPLICABLE...Then cross it out, and write down your final perception or Oskar's shifted impression of this character.
2. Combining partnerships to form groups of four and compare answers
- Why is each Black significant to Oskar's journey? What does each one help him question or understand differently?
- What do all of the Blacks have in common?
4. Wrapping up with questions, epiphanies, and kudos!
HW:
1. Read pages 208-259 for Thursday in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; complete your journal entry. This is longest reading assignment you will have, so you will want to read at least 15 pages tonight. Also, you will have 20-30 minutes of reading time on BOTH Wed and Th to help you stay caught up without stressing you out.
If you miss a Fishbowl or Socratic, you must make it up. Read over the syllabus and blog comments, then add an extended comment to the class blog.
If you miss a Fishbowl or Socratic, you must make it up. Read over the syllabus and blog comments, then add an extended comment to the class blog.
2. Spend 5 minutes with your ELIC vocabulary words; vocabulary assessment this Friday.
All of the people Oskar meets seem nervous when they meet. It seems as if they all question the idea of a 9 year old asking them for help. Maybe the author is using this idea to help a theme of uniting after a terrible tragedy.
ReplyDeleteMost of the people Oskar meets are lonely or at least seem to be.
ReplyDeleteI think that a common pattern that can be seen among all of the people with the last name Black, they all are longing for something more. They all have a different personality. Each one of them has their own background, and each one of them has their goal in life, or have surpassed their goal, yet it all seems like they want something more in their life.
ReplyDeleteThe Blacks help Oskar's journey because he meets new people and becomes better at interacting with them, as his dad wanted. He also learns a lot about the city he lives in and becomes better at being clever and able.
ReplyDeleteI notice that all of the Blacks seem alone. Whenever Oskar meets a Black, they are alone excluding the maid.
ReplyDeleteAll of those who have the last name of Black seem to be leading Oscar closer to completing his journey by giving him hints or facts about those close to his Dad. They don't seem like they know many people and are lonely but have varying lives.
ReplyDeleteWhy is finding the lock to the key so important to Oskar?
ReplyDeleteI don't really know why the Author is introducing all these characters, i feel like their is definitely some significant reason but at the same time so far it seems like the non-closure is only making Oskar's boots heavier and heavier as he is left with no answers.
ReplyDeleteMost of the people Oskar meets seem to know something small about him like his name or where he lives etc. it seems that many of them know him
ReplyDeleteAll of the people he meets he connects with well and keeps in touch with him as they come to his play.
ReplyDeleteAll of the Blacks have something wrong with them. It shows Oskar that he is not the only person with something wrong with him.
ReplyDeleteThe Blacks all seem to be missing something or someone in their lives
ReplyDeleteOskar seems to question the Blacks. For some of them it was that they were lying about his dad and others they knew his name without him saying it.
ReplyDeleteEach of the Blacks build up Oscar's knowledge base, they all also prepare him for explaining his quest and ha to expect from them. All of the Blacks are stunned of this little kids maturity and his determination.
ReplyDeletewhy is Oskar so dedicated to finding out what the word "black" means? what if this has nothing to do with the relevance of the key?
ReplyDeleteI feel as if Oskar is so dedicated to finding out what the word "black" means because it is the only key topic he has to leading him for where this key holds. It seems it has to do with the relevance of the key because it must due to how the Dad always created missions, he would leave key things that were hard to 'decode' in order for Oskar to complete the mission. Do you think this is related to the last mission Oskar wasn't able to complete in the park?
DeleteI think that the key is going to somehow be related to his last mission in the park because he never completed it and now the key might give him a chance to finish what he started.
DeleteI think a common theme between the Blacks is their outlooks on life. Each person has gone through something in their life to change how they live each and every day.
ReplyDeleteThe connection between all of the Blacks is each person has a personal problem. They all kind of had a past that they are still trying to resolve.
ReplyDeletei dont know for sure or i dont remember, why are the black family so relevant
ReplyDeleteOskar's interactions with the different people with the last name of Black seem to bring him closer and closer to his goal. He attains skills of how to talk to people and advances in this aspect of his life each visit. This seems to be leading him down a path toward whatever it is he's supposed to find.
ReplyDeleteAlso, one thing that many of the Blacks had in common seem to bee that they were all lonely and strived for something they didn't have.
is this his way of somewhat becoming a man? now since he does not have a father figure?
DeleteAfter experiencing so many deadends and failures, most people would lose motivation to continue their task at hand, especially after such a long time going through the same things. But Oskar does not. Why do you think that is, and what do you think motivates him to find out information about the key?
ReplyDeleteI think that since the key belonged to probably the most important person in Oskar's life, he wants to do everything in his power to find out what that key belong's to. And with this journey that Oskar is going on, it makes him feel closer to his dad.
DeleteI think that in a way it makes Oskar feels like he is still having a relationship with his father even if his father has passed. Sense Oskar believes that the key is his father's I think that he is longing to do something with his father again, and in a way, this is his way of doing so.
DeleteI think what motivates Oskar is that he had such a deep connection with his father. This key could end up finding something significant in his father's life and therefore would be significant in his life because of how strongly he loved his dad. I also think he isn't giving up, even after so many dead ends, because he has learned so much from the people he has already met. For example A.R. Black told him, "'It's not a horrible world... 'but it's filled with a lot of horrible people!" (Foer 156). In such a short time with A.R. he learned so many meaningful things about the world we live in today.
DeleteWhy does the Stephen Hawking letter keep reappearing throughout the book?
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think this letter represents in relation to Oskar's thoughts?
I think it represents the times in Oskar's life when he was excited and happy, and the author puts it in to remind Oskar and the reader that times have changed, but fragments of the past still follow and remind Oskar
DeleteWhy did the grandfather leave knowing that the somewhat had a life with his grandmother?
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was probably because he knew he cant take care of a child or he would worry about being a bad father
DeleteI think the grandfather left because even though he had a life with the grandmother, he didn't feel complete. He also might have left because he never wanted a baby with Oskar's grandmother, he wanted a child with Anna and that was never possible.
DeleteDo you think Oscar has seen the letters left behind by his grandparents? If he has not seen them, when do you think he will?
ReplyDeleteI think that Oskar has seen the letters. I think that the chapters that we are reading about the grandparents is Oskar reading them to us. We just don't know yet if his is the one reading the letters out loud.
DeletePossibly he is not emotionally ready for them- that the letters might know the source of the key that oskar is so desperately looking for
DeleteI believe that Oskar will eventually discover the letters through digging and searching. I think this discovery will be when he finds out what the purpose of the key is.
DeleteI don't think that the book specifically says if Oskar has received the letters or not, (maybe it will later on). In some ways I feel like Oskar already knows about his grandparent's past, "...though he couldn't explain what it meant, which frustrated me," (Foer 12). Although this quote was from the very start of the book, it shows that Oskar has to know everything he possibly can, and therefore he probably has, or knows about the letters.
DeleteDo you think Oskar is chasing a ghost with trying to find the owner of the key?
ReplyDeleteYeah I think the owner of the key was his father, however he isn't really trying to find the owner just information about the key.
DeleteI don't know if he is necessarily chasing a ghost, but I feel it is going to be very difficult for him to what the key opens.
DeleteI don't think he is because their is so much other people he can be asking.
DeleteI think there may be something else Oskar is going to find or realize along his journey, however, it may not directly relate to the key itself.
DeleteI think that he is chasing a ghost. Based off of "The Hero's Journey," sometimes we just need to find ourselves, and I think that instead of finding the true owner of the key, that he will discover things about himself that he didn't know before.
DeleteIn a way yes because Oskar has even told us the facts about what would happened if he tried opening every lock in New York City, but I believe this key is giving Oskar a connection to his dad that he hasn't felt in a while.
DeleteI think that his Dad is the owner of the key, he is just trying to find more information by visiting the Blacks.
DeleteWhy was the grandma not wanting to confront her husband after she figures out he was gong to leave her?
ReplyDeleteI think she knew that she sort of expected it in a way. She broke the no children rule, so I think that maybe she knew it was a mistake and then in someways expected it. Maybe also she was unsure if she could stop him, maybe he would have been leaving no matter what.
DeleteIt seems as if the grandma does not want to confront her husband because she wants to let him go if he does not feel he is able to live with her. Also, maybe she doesn't want him to feel bad for leaving as earlier in the book where he cries a lot due to her confronting him results in him to saying something to the effect of him not wanting to ever hurt her. Maybe she realizes that he needs to do this in order to feel as if he has a new purpose.
Deletewhat if -- the key was the grandfathers that the father had?
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DeleteIf that is true, what's the reasoning for the word Black that was written down
DeleteI think the grandparents didn't buy life insurance because they planned on not having any kids, and they weren't close enough to buy it for each other. With no kids, there is no need to buy life insurance to make sure the kids get the money.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think the grandfather did in Dresden that possibly made him come back?
Delete"Sometimes he would go to the airport after work." Foer pg 175
ReplyDeleteWhy did the grandpa go to the airport all the time?
He said somewhere that he liked seeing people reunite after coming home, maybe he was hoping one day he would see Anna coming off a plane.
DeleteHe must have gone to the airport all the time hoping and wishing that he could go back to find Anna or Anna would find him. However he just liked to see how people felt reuniting in harmony.
DeleteWhy did the grandma feel like her life was just spaces?
ReplyDeleteSince they had a rule of having no children it hurt her a lot. So her life is blank because all she wanted was children so she can be happy and closer with him.
DeleteIt seems as if the grandma felt like her life was just spaces because she never accomplished any 'life goals' that most people have. Most people in the world want to find love, get married and have a happy family. However her 'love' with Oskar's grandpa was more of a need through loneliness found by the grandpa and wanting to fulfill the idea. She finally feels as if she should start writing a part of her story when, "One morning I awoke and understood the hole in the middle of me. I realized that I could compromise my life, but not life after me. I couldn't explain it. The need came before explanations. It was not out of weakness that I made it happen, but it was not out of strength either. It was out of need. I needed a child" (Foer 177). It seemed as if since she had no love reciprocated genuinely from the grandpa that she needed something of her own that would be able to love her. Maybe, she realized that the grandpa kept seeing Anna through her and thats why she caused the child to happen because this was not genuine love.
Deleteshe was lost, with thoughts of suicide when you get into a hole of depression its somehow easy for you to get lost and to almost not know what to do next.
Delete"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness" (Foer 180).
ReplyDelete-If the grandma lived by this motto then did she feel more alone in result, why or why not?
That quote is very deep, but I feel there is no way to completely protect yourself from the ups and downs of life, tragedies happen without permission.
DeleteThe grandma did live like this while she was with the grandfather the as they had blocked off space and never talked about their day and anything important really.
DeleteI think the grandma felt more alone in result to this because meeting new people can make someone really happy, but if something terrible happens to them you become devastated. I am assuming that after the firebombing in Dresden she knew that something so happy can be destroyed in the matter of seconds. Therefore, she knew that she had to protect herself from happiness because sooner or later that happiness can end up hurting you more then sadness ever will.
DeleteWhy did the grandfather leave because the grandmother was pregnant if he also played a part in the process?
ReplyDeleteIt is a common theme that the Grandfather runs away from difficult situations, so I assume that is why.
DeleteThe grandfather may have not wanted to become attached to something (like Anna) afraid it would be taken away. It seems as if he was trying to live his life with the idea of: "You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness" (Foer 180). By having the grandfather live like this he seems almost as if he feels as if he lost his purpose to live while talking to the grandma in the airport. He leaves and cuts off the connection because he does not want to feel love and happiness with something else again.
DeleteIf Oskar ever finds what the key belongs to, do you think he'll be happy or upset that this adventure is over? Is this a key that Oskar's dad left behind is a clue to what Oskar was trying to find in the park?
ReplyDeleteI think whether or not he will feel happy or upset will depend on the results he gets. If he is satisfied with what he finds, he will likely be happy. Or, if what he discovers is yet another disappointment in his life, he likely will be upset.
Deletei think oskar would actually be emotionally relived if he found out what they key means or what it is linked to. he is constantly being let down and his expectations are through the roof. if the key has no meaning or no connection to anything - will he give up?
DeleteI think Oscar will be happy when the adventure ends because he can somewhat let his dad's memory rest.
DeleteI feel like when/if Oskar ever finds out what the key opens, he won't be satisfied because he will feel like there is more of an adventure besides whatever the key belongs to. I don't really think that the key has anything to do with what Oskar was trying to find in the park because it would've been way too elaborate and the dad would've had to know that he was going to die or that something bad was going to happen to him.
DeleteI think that Oskar is going to be upset and happy at the same time. Why he is going to be upset is he might be upset with what his father left behind. He might find no significance to what his dad was hiding. Why he would be happy is he will have a relief of finding what his father left behind. Instead of him getting nothing every time he can be happy for how far he went to find it.
DeleteI think in someways that his adventure to find the key is Oskar's longing to have his dad back with him. If Oskar believes that his father really was the owner of the key, than it could be that he feels like his father is still close to him on his journey.
DeleteI would hope that Oskar feels happy because he had gotten closer to his dad by finding the key. However he must be sad as the last memories of his dad have faded and this will be the final thing he remembers after his death.
DeleteWhy did the grandmother even want to be with Thomas Schell Sr. if he was only with her because of her sister. As Thomas said, "Dear Anna, We will live in a home built at the top of the world's tallest ladder." He always cared about Anna more than the grandmother.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for the Grandmother she thought they were perfect for each other, but as she found out as he was sculpting her Anna instead of her. I don't exactly know why she stayed with him, but probably because she was so obsessed with him.
DeleteThe grandmother was also obsessed with the relationship between Thomas and Anna. She would watch the two lovers from a bush, to be a part of this obviously means something to the grandma.
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ReplyDeleteWhy exactly was the grandfather so against having kids? Did something happen in his childhood that made him not want to have children himself?
ReplyDeleteit can most likely be that because maybe the his father was abusive or just a rude person and he thinks that how he might act to his son
DeleteI think the reason why the grandfather didn't want kids was because he only wanted kids with Anna, and he just didn't want to procreate with anyone except Anna.
DeleteI think for someone to create a rule of no children and then up and leaving their partner because of a child, that there has to be a deeper level of emotion that the person is feeling. I feel like the grandfather must have had a experience which would lead him to wanting to make the rule. I think that also it is odd that instead of staying and talking to is wife, he just ups and leaves. The average married couple would sit down and actually talk to each other about the situation at hand. I think that something had to make him leave.
Deleteone example of this is on page 199, Some of these People with the last name Black that Oskar talked to knew his name. How did they know his name? Could this all be a scavenger hunt set up by the dad?
ReplyDeleteDo you see any similarities between the Grandfather and Thomas?
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if we can see many similarities between the grandfather and Thomas because the Dad is only mentioned through Oskar so we don't know much about him. However, I see many similarities between Oskar and the grandfather. For example, both Oskar and the grandfather have faced devastating loses in their lifetime (Oskar's father and Anna)
Delete""Do you think one can feel too much? Or just feel in the wrong ways?" "My inside's don't match up with my outsides""(Foer 201).
ReplyDelete-If Oskar is talking about being over emotional do you think Oskar has felt emotion-less? Why or why not?
Oskar hasn't acted super sad considering what just happened. He is masking his sadness with this adventure and hope that there is something more his father left behind.
Deleteon page 203,Oskar stated,"no matter how much I feel, I'm not going to let it out." Oskar has expressed having emotions through the book he just refuses to reveal his emotions to people,so he holds them in.
DeleteDepression makes people feel different ways, depression doesn't necessarily mean sadness. Maybe the way Oskar deals with his depression and whatever other mental illnesses he may have is to not react, and when something serious comes up he reacts on the inside but remains aloof to others around him.
DeleteWas the need for a child equal to the need to feel loved in the grandma's life?
ReplyDeleteI believe they are one in the same. A child would give love to a mother, in a similar way that a husband loves his wife. I think the child was an attempt to keep the grandpa around while also getting a new source of love.
DeleteI think so. The grandmother doesn't really seem to get a whole lot of love from her husband, so I think it was a need to love something, and have something love her in return.
DeleteCould the Grandmother's notes be written in the future according to the books events, and the author is just spacing out the passages throughout the book?
ReplyDeleteOn page 175 Oskar's dad replies to him " our marriage was not unhappy" why do you think Oskar questioned his parents marriage
ReplyDelete