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It is inconceivable how frustrating and painful it must have been to not be able to talk into the phone to the operator. What could Edgar have done to communicate the emergency over the phone?
Can you make any connections between this chapter and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
21 comments:
The scene where Edgar is having trouble communicating over the phone reminds me a lot of when Oskar is the only one home when his father calls. This reminds me of the same helpless feeling where neither of them can do anything to help their father. Edgar also does not tell his mom how he broke the phone, which is also a lot like the scene in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, where Oskar hides the phone away so that his mother cannot hear the messages.
Edgar and his mother have a very relaxing and loving relationship. They help Edgar's father forget about the fighting with Claude and just enjoy himself. On Christmas after Claude is gone they get him into dancing with them so all the anger is forgotten and he can breathe.
It's heartbreaking when Edgar tries so desperately to make any sound for the operator to save his father, but he just can't do it. This is very similar to the same situation Oskar found himself in. Oskar wanted to talk to his dad, to save his dad, but he couldn't. He couldn't pick up the phone as Edgar couldn't make a sound. They also lie about how they couldn't. Oskar hides the messages while Edgar hides how he broke the phone and the beating of his chest from his mother.
It was very wearisome that Edgar couldn’t communicate with the operator. It was so upsetting that no matter how hard Edgar tried, he couldn’t make any sound. This incident reminds me of two scenarios from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The first time is when Oskar was the only one home on the tragic day, and couldn’t get himself to answer the phone when his father called. The repeating “Are you there”‘s reminded me of the operator trying to communicate to Edgar, but he couldn’t speak, and the operator didn’t know that. It also reminded me of when Oskar’s grandfather tried to call Grandma. When he called her, he just kept on pushing numbers that would make out the words, but Grandma didn’t remember or understand that it was him. Edgar could have tried this method, but most likely would’ve failed since he didn’t have a secret language with the operator.
What Edgar could have done to communicate the emergency over the phone was do something like Morse Code, or something similar to what Oskar's grandfather did when he called Oskar's grandmother. The connections in this chapter I can make is when Edgar and Oskar's grandfather trying to call over the phone even when both of them can't communicate, and when Oskar and Edgar feel like they should help their fathers, but don't know how to.
The scene where Edgar attempts to communicate into the telephone, but fails to make a sound, is reminiscent of Oskar's grandfather in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. At one point in the story, Oskar's grandfather (who is also unable to speak) tries to communicate over the phone by pushing the numbers in a type of "code."
Edgar and his mother have an extremely strong relationship. Edgar's mother is extremely loving but also knows how to use her authority. Her calm demeanor and ability to compose herself help clear the air after the fight between Gar and Claude occurs.
I cannot imagine being in Edgar’s shoes watching his father die; the fact that he couldn’t do anything to help because when he called 911 he couldn’t speak to the operator explaining what was going on gives me the chills. This reminds me a lot of Oskar. He wouldn’t tell anyone about ANYTHING having to do with his father; it was almost like he was mute when it came to talking about how he felt or about anything having to do with the accident. In either of the boys’ experience, I can’t imagine how they were feeling when this dramatic life-changing event was occurring in their life.
When Edgar is on the phone trying to tell someone to send an ambulance, it reminds me of how when Oskar's father was calling from work and Oskar couldn't find it in himself to answer the phone. All he could do was sit there and listen, same as Edgar. He wanted to answer, but didn't know what to say. Edgar wanted to tell somebody what was happening, but he can't speak. When Edgar breaks the phone, that like when Oskar hides the messages in his room. Edgar says he doesn't remember breaking the phone and doesn't talk about it, just like Oskar doesn't tell anybody that his father called and keeps the messages hidden.
The scene where Edgar was trying to speak to the operator made me very emotional and sad for him. Although Edgar can't speak, he could have communicated with the operator by pressing buttons on the phone in a type of code like Oskar and his grandmother did. This scene also reminds me of Oskar when he was also the only one home and wanted to talk to his dad on the phone but couldn't because he couldn't answer the phone.
We take simple things like speaking for granted. We don't realize how important it is and how much it is needed. I can just imagine the frustration, the fear, and the anger Edgar must have felt. He probably felt useless. He didn't know what to do to help his dad. Maybe Edgar could have clapped or made a certain noise every time the operator asked a question just to let her know someone was on the other line trying to communicate. Edgar not being able to speak does make me think of Oskar's grandfather from "Extremely loud & Incredibly Close." Although Oskar's grandfather chose not to speak unlike Edgar who was born like this. It is hard for them to communicate as easy and as fast with other people as speaking people do. However, Edgar makes me think more of Oskar and how no one really understands them easily except for the ones close to them. They both were close with their fathers and somehow were both helpless during their fathers' deaths. They both felt as though they could have done something different and that would change everything and possibly bring their dads back.
Edgar and his mother have a great relationship, they are like friends but his mother knows when to be serious with him. Their relationship is peaceful and comforting, they love each other very much and Edgar’s mother is always there when he needs her.
It’s a horrible feeling when something bad happens and you can’t do anything to help fix the situation. In this chapter when Edgar calls 911, he is unable to explain the situation due to his disability. This reminded me of the part in Extremely loud and Incredibly close, when Oskar’s grandfather called his wife but couldn’t talk to her. The renter and Edgar are very similar in this condition, they are forced to talk over the phone yet they are both mute. In the renters instance he used the method of pressing buttons in order to reveal his message, however, it only sounded like a bunch of beeping noises on the other line. Another connection to Extremely loud and Incredibly close is when Oskar’s father was in the burning building and Oskar could not pick up the phone. Both of their fathers were in life or death situations but neither of them could help.
Edgar and his mother have a strong relationship and they support each other through the difficult times they are enduring. They truly understand each other.
Edgar not being able to communicate the emergency over the phone is a sad image. It would be frustrating and upsetting to be in that situation. I would probably become angry like Edgar did. He had no way of communicating the exact problem but the best thing to do was to make lots of noise like he did.
Edgar and his mother have the ideal relationship. They are very good at communicating to each other and they truly love one another, but Edgar's mother also knows when to be a mother figure instead of his friend. Together, Edgar and his mother help Edgar's father cope and forget the tension with Claude. Edgar and his mother make a great team but also Edgar's mother is a aster of disciplining Edgar in a way where he learns his lesson without having his ego completely crushed.
I would consider the relationship between Edgar and his mother simply normal. When one of them smile, the other smiles back. The mother advises Edgar not to ask Gar a lot of questions. She also tells Edgar that whatever happened between Gar and Claude is over. This way, she calms the intensity of the atmosphere. When Edgar calls the emergency, he reminds me of how the grandfather tried to call the grandmother from the airport in Extremely Loud & Incredibly close. However, the grandfather similarly couldn't speak and his efforts made no difference. I can't think of anything that Edgar could have possibly done to communicate with the emergency over the phone.
I can only imagine how awful it must of been to not being able to say anything to an emergency phone operator. When someone you love is in a serious situation and not being able to tell anyone. One thing he could have to communicate with them is use objects in his surroundings to create the sounds of something terrible, an emergency that would be worth the police coming.
While Edgar was on the phone with the operator, he could’ve done what Thomas did in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. He could’ve dialed the buttons in an attempt to communicate, although, in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, it didn’t work very well. I think the way Edgar handled it, letting the phone hang off the receiver—though it was unintentional, I think—was a good idea. The operator heard dozens of dogs barking and assumed they were the Sawtelle dogs.
I can only make one connection between this novel and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Edgar and Thomas, Oskar’s grandfather, have many similarities when it comes to being unable to speak. The one time they both needed to speak, they suffered endlessly and frantically to get the words out, and still, nothing. The way Thomas tried to communicate with Oskar’s grandmother on the phone and the way Edgar tried to communicate with the operator on the phone left me feeling helpless for them. They both had a need and good intentions, and yet, in both cases, were misunderstood horribly, enough to drive a reader mad.
I can't even imagine how awful it'd be to be in Edgar's position when his father's dying. He did the best he could to save him but couldn't due to his inability to speak. Unless Edgar had been able to type his emergency or communicate it through a code to the operator, he was pretty much stuck. I can make two connections between this chapter and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The first is when Oskar has no way of helping his dad. He gets home and receives a call from his dad, but doesn't respond. Even if Oskar would've responded, he wouldn't have been able to do anything to help his dad no matter how much he wanted to or how hard he tried. Like Oskar, no matter what Edgar did he was unable to save his father. Another connection is when Oskar's grandfather tries to communicate with the grandmother. When the grandfather is at the airport he called the grandmother. The grandfather couldn't speak as well, so he tried to communicate with her by typing his message into the phone. The grandmother, however, couldn't understand him so she hung up thinking it was a prank. When Edgar called 911 he was unable to tell them what happened due to his inability to speak. He tried incredibly hard to make a sound come out but was unable to, not being able to ask for help.
I would say Edgar and his mother have a close relationship. They easily understand each other. They can also easily communicate. Edgar has a type of sign language that is half made up by him, so Trudy and Gar are the only ones who can fully understand it.
The fact that Edgar was not able to communicate with the operator over the phone was disheartening. It made me very sad. I could not imagine the frustration that Edgar must have felt. He must have felt useless. He was trying so hard to speak and you could tell his anger when he broke the phone.
I couldn't imagine the panic and frustration Edgar was feeling when he couldn't talk to the operator. It was very emotional and sad. His father was dying right in front of him and he couldn't do a thing about it. I wonder if it made him feel guilty for not being able to help. This sort of relates to Oskar's situation when he couldn't answer any of his dad's calls. And Both Edgar and Oskar have some sort of problem or disability that makes things harder to accomplish.
This comment refers to my earlier one posted under "Prologue":
Claude was seen carving a turtle into a bar of soap, possibly foreshadowing the events of this chapter. It's not long after he leaves that Gar dies. This chapter is set in the winter with snow falling heavily. Interesting because the Black Tortoise represents winter. When Edgar closes his eyes he says a black-petaled object blooms in his mind.
Also, the poison described in the prologue could kill a man without a trace, appearing as though God had taken his life. Since Gar's death was so sudden and unexplained, this makes me suspicious.
Edgar and his mother have a very close relationship. They seem to understand each other better than anyone in the novel. Although she is his friend, she knows when she needs to be a mother. Their relationship reminds me a lot of me and my mom. We don't have to say anything to understand what is going on in each other's minds.
This scene is very heart breaking. Edgar tries everything he can possibly think of to try and save his father, but can't. During this time period, there wasn't much for Edgar to do while trying to communicate through the phone.
This chapter reminds me when Oskar runs home and listens to the voice mails. He knew what was happening, but didn't want to talk about it. Oskar knew there was no way to save his dad, but he couldn't talk. He was in shock. Edgar was trying to save his dad, but couldn't speak. There was no way to save either dads.
I would describe the relationship Edgar and his mother have as wholesome. They have a bond that a mother and son should have. Their relationship helps calm the atmosphere after the fight between Gar and Claude by making Gar enjoy himself by dancing after Claude leaves.
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