Tuesday, July 09, 2013

The Sixth Borough

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Why does Oskar's father tell him the story of the Sixth Borough? What is the moral of the story here? How does it tie in with Oskar's earlier search in Central Park?

48 comments:

Kaitlyn L said...

Oskar's father tells him the story of the Sixth Borough to teach him about moving on and letting things go when the time is right. I could be reading too much into it, but I believe it becomes symbolic of Oskar's father's death. No matter how much people want to keep the borough, it is time for it to drift away. They try and try to keep things the same by chaining it up and continuing the long jumper's leap, but the truth is nothing will be the same. This relates to Thomas's death because Oskar is trying so hard to hold on to his memory but everything has changed. When Thomas says that Central Park was dragged to Manhattan, he wonders, "Maybe we're just missing things we've lost, or hoping for what we want to come." This relates to Oskar searching Central Park and finding an array of unrelated items. He wants to find a meaning in them and connect them to his father, but he is the only one that sees how they relate because he is looking for reason.

Katelyn Trombley said...

I think that Oskar’s father told Oskar the story about the Sixth Borough because he wanted his son to have a break from the pain and misery of real life (reading the New York Times) and to let him explore a fun story like other kids Oskar’s age. Along with this, it is fun for a parent to see his/her child’s face light up with the idea imagination. Children Oskar’s age are still gullible so these possibilities can still be nourished. Along with this, many children still remember the silly tales once they grow up to be adults; I still remember the stories that my father told me as a young girl. Maybe Oskar’s father hopes that one day Oskar would be able to pass the story to his children. I think that it is powerful that the story was shared only hours before Oskar’s father’s death.

Ali Al Momar said...

I think the father tells Oskar the story to let him know that sometimes he should let go of some things. Oskar should remember his dad but he shouldn't stay depressed for the rest of his life. The father doesn't want Oskar to do the same mistakes that the grandfather did. The grandfather kept allowing the memories of Anna to ruin his life. However, the story also teaches Oskar to keep the good things, which are represented by Central Park. The things that Oskar supposedly found in central park belongs to people from the Sixth Borough.

Jessica Maras said...

I believe the moral of the story was to let go of some things. No one should ever have to hold on to something for so long. I believe that Oskar's father knew that Oskar keeps a lot of things close to his heart, and keeps them there forever and that he didn't want Oskar thinking it was his fault or to never let go of the pain or emotions. The girl and boy in the story were forced to break apart from each other. Even though they loved each other like the father loves Oskar, they had to let go. Basically, the moral of the story was to simply let go. Keep them in your heart and never forget them or the memories, but let go of the pain and suffering you feel.

Emily Woods said...

I enjoyed the story of the sixth borough, as did Oskar. It was a story of change and moving on, though I'm not sure Oskar understood fully, at first. The story is carefree, but provides the meaning of letting go, and living your life. Oskar may have lost his dad in a tragic accident, but he met some new friends, and reconnected on a different level with his mom. Growing these new relationships is all part of moving on, and finding happiness.

Abby Almomar said...

Oskar’s father told him the story of the sixth borough to teach him life lessons. The first one would be that everything happens for a reason. Without the breaking off of the sixth borough they couldn’t have been able to keep central park. Another lesson is that there are some things you cannot control. There was nothing that could have been done to save the entire sixth borough. Finally, it also taught Oskar that you have to let go of things and get over them. Oskar can’t be depressed about his father’s death his whole life, it shouldn’t stop him from living his life forever. It was very cool that they shared this special moment. It is a story that Oskar will keep with him for a long time, and it will help him remember the stories his dad would tell him.

Karlyn Manera said...

I strongly believe that Oskar’s father told him the story of The Sixth Borough to teach him that sometimes it’s time to let go. By telling Oskar this, his father allows Oskar to escape this world and learn a life lesson at the same time. It’s almost frightening how Oksar’s father tells Oskar this story only hours before he is killed. Oskar needs to learn to let his father’s death go in order to live freely. The story ties in with Oskar’s earlier search by the thought that the things that Oskar finds in Central Park are things that may have been a part of the Sixth Borough.

AdamBlaida said...

Oskar's father tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough for the same reason as many parents tell their kids stories- to entertain them. However, like all good bedtime stories, this one comes with a moral. The moral of the story is that we all lose thing, but we have to learn to let these things go. We can try and jump the river as much as we want, but eventually we just have to let it be. Furthermore, the story tells us that we will always have a part of that thing or person with us, in this story it is the Central Park. The sixth borough is gone, but New York will always have a part of it. This moral ties into the earlier search of Central Park, because it shows the reader that you can find meaning and remembrance in even the small things, not just things that are necessarily related.

Destiny Clements said...

I may have completely misinterpreted the chapter, but I thought the story was about spreading your wings and trying to grow up. When The Sixth Borough started shifting away from Manhattan, the community (of The Sixth Borough) didn’t really do anything to try and stop it. The people living in The Sixth Borough reverted to using old-fashioned technology and stayed isolated on the island. Just like The Sixth Borough, children also end up trying to break away from their families, even though they still need their help. Oskar has always been a very gifted boy and I think his father told him the story because he was getting to the age where he wanted to become more mature. I believe the departing of the Sixth Borough symbolizes the new age of children that try to become an adult to fast, rather than slowing down and savoring their childhood. Near the end of the chapter, part of The Sixth Borough is brought to the center of Manhattan, giving it the new name of Central Park. While the citizens of Manhattan celebrate the return of The Sixth Borough, many children crowd the park to watch the fireworks. I think the children show that although The Sixth Borough thought they were fine by themselves, once they arrived back in Manhattan, they realized that they should have stayed where they were. The story of The Sixth Borough shows that you shouldn’t try to grow up and break away too fast, but should enjoy your adolescence.

Meg Perry said...

Oskar’s father shares the story of the Sixth Borough to teach Oskar that sometimes it is necessary to continue ahead and move on with your life. This story also relates to Oskar’s father’s death that follows hours after the story is told. Oskar has an incredibly hard time letting go of his father once he dies and he believes that if you are happy, you have completely forgotten. For example, When Oskar hears his mother and Ron laughing downstairs, he figures she doesn’t even miss his dad. Oskar bases his whole life around trying to get closer to his dad after his death instead of letting go and trying to find happiness.

Brandon Sidoti said...

The story about the sixth borough is more or less unimportant, besides the fact that it will separate people. The important part of the story is the two friends with the tin can phones. They tried and tried to stay connected even though they were drifting apart. They kept on extending the string until the had nothing left to extend it with. That is when the boy asked for her to say "I love you". The boy had finally realized that he was going to lose her forever. So he kept the message of her love in that can to remember her by. And he sadly had to move on.
That is important because it was how Oskar had to handle things. He tried and tried to hang onto his dad even though he couldn't.

BryceDavis said...

Stories are and always will be the best way to present a message to a child. The story of The Sixth Borough is entertaining but is used more to provide the moral that a person or place will always leave something behind. Whether it is a park or in Oskars case, knowledge. Even though the sixth borough is gone now it left behind Central Park. People will always remember it for its contributions that it has left behind and it will leave a lasting image. This goes along with Oskar in that although his father dies soon after telling this story, he has passed on a wealth of knowledge to Oskar. Between marking up newspapers and giving him silly sayings, Oskar has been formed by his fathers knowledge and that will continue to live on in Oskars actions.

Corbin Leigh :) said...

I think Oskars father tells him the story of The Sixth Borough to try and tell Oskar that it's okay to let go of certain things and move on. When we lose things and cant seem to find them, we have to learn to move on from it and work towards the better. I think the items that Oskar finds in Central Park are supposed to represent items that were lost from people in The Sixth Borough.

Jessica Duran said...

I believe Oskar's father told him that story to teach him that even though we can not see something that doesn't mean it't not there. When he tells Oskar of certain things in the park, and how they are that way because of the Sixth Borough, it teaches him that everything leaves its own mark, in someway. It also teaches him of letting things go, and that it's okay to let them go. That's what I think he was trying to teach Oskar.

Ashlie Heller said...

The story of the sixth borough is about moving on. The people of the sixth borough decided to stay on the island and believe that they weren't the ones moving. They believed that Manhattan was moving. I think that the end of the story was sad. About how everything and everyone was frozen. The story explains that everything leaves behind something like how the sixth borough left behind Central Park. Since Oskar's father shared his knowledge with Oskar, Oskar is what's left of his father.

Dominic P said...

The story of the Sixth Borough was very entertaining. Like every bedtime story, it was meant to keep Oskar occupied. And also like all other bedtime stories, there is a moral. The moral of this one is to learn to let go. The Sixth Borough slowly kept moving further and further. This could represent Mr. Black's death. It has been a short time since Oskar's dad died, and time is moving slowly away. But it ties into letting things go- slowly but surely, Oskar needs to let go of his dad's death. Holding onto sad moments or bad memories for too long can be detrimental to a person's life. Oskar needs to learn to let go so he can live a healthy and prosperous life. Another thing about the story is that it sparks imagination. There are signs that the Sixth Borough could be real, and that is intriguing to Oskar. It could be significant to why he searches in the park- to find out if the Sixth Borough actually existed.

Megan Jeffries said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Megan Jeffries said...

I think Oskar's father told him this story because it gave him something to think about, and form an opinion about. It also let his imagination run a bit.
Oskar's search in central park ties in because the stuff he found could be stuff from the sixth borough. It is something that can neither be proved nor denied, just something to think about.
The moral of the story is being able to let go, especially when the situation is out of your hands, and can not be controlled. Everything happens for a reason, and we need to accept that.

Michael Pisanti said...

Like any bedtime story, the story about the Sixth Borough has a hidden message. That message is sometimes people need to let go of things. The two boroughs used to be extremely close to each other and a person was able to jump from one to the other.As time went on, the two boroughs got further and further apart from each other. This could portray a feeling or a memory that Oskar has and it is still there, but it is slowly drifting away. The borough starts to deteriorate and then they finally give away Central Park. This could represent that by letting go of something, something else that is good can come out of it.Oskar believes that this story could have actually happened because the geography of Central Park looks like it could have been pulled into another land. He even wonders that if some of the things that he finds are from the sixth borough.

Natalya D. said...

Oskar’s father tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough to teach him that some things are meant to happen. The moral to the story is that sometimes it is best to let go and let things happen the way they are supposed to. This moral relates to Oskar’s search in Central Park because Oskar searches and searches for something when he does not even know what that something is. His dad was trying to teach him that he cannot control every situation and sometimes Oskar needs to give in. This helps Oskar towards the end of the novel to let go of his grief from his father’s death so he may find happiness once again.

Louie Vogel said...

Thomas tells Oskar this story to tell him that sometimes you have to let go of something when the time is right even if it is painful or you will suffer like the remaining residents of the Sixth Borough did. I also believe that Oskar’s dad told him this story so that he could explore the city and “get out of the house” so to speak; thus, causing him to meet many different people and to have new and exciting experiences. Once his dad died, Oskar believes that you can’t be happy or he would be shirking his memory.

Ashley Zeiler said...

I think Oskar was told the story because his dad knows he's too literal. Also he needs to let things go and learn to hold onto the good and forget the bad. Oskar never lets go of anything, and he never lives down that he kept the messages from his mom. The story lets Oskar think that the things he has found in Central Park during the last hunt were things from the sixth borough before they were completely separated.

Kim Shomo said...

I believe that his father told him the story of Sixth Borough to teach him a lesson in life. He wanted Oskar to learn that he will have to move on in life even if it means giving up something you love the most for the better of himself and others. His grandfather is a prime example. He doesn't want him to end up living in his past and not be able to live life to its fullest. If he can't learn to move on through tough experiences, he can't live.

Unknown said...

Oskars father told him the story of the Sixth Borough to 1) amuse him, and 2) show him that anything is possible, no matter how strange. Oskar has to believe an look for clues. It ties in with the search in the park because Oskar found all these ordinary objects that could have potentially belonged to Sixth Boroughers.0

Natalie Ostas said...

Oskar's dad told him the story of the Sixth Borough to show him that certain things happen to people that we can't change. Also, that when those things happen, it's important to learn from it and then move on. With the boy and the girl slowly drifting away form each other, the boy knew what was happening and asked her to say "I love you" over the can phone. He then saved those words in the can to keep a memory of her and to remember everything that happened but then moved on. It ties in with the early search in Central Park because Oskar found a lot of interesting things that could've belonged to the Sixth Boroughers.

Unknown said...

Oskar's dad tells him the story of the Sixth Borough and asks Oskar if he is a optimist or a pessimists to which Oskar responds that he is an optimist. Oskars dad says, "Well, that's good, because there's no irrefutable evidence. But there is an an abundance of clues that would give the wanting believer something to hold on to." I think Oskar's dad wants him to be a kid and believe in stories. But, his dad also wants to teach Oskar that it's ok to let go of things, like the boy and girl to put the memories in a can and put in up on the shelf.

Hannah Duschl said...

The unknown of the sixth burough is just like the unknown of Oskar's fathers death. Both cannot be proved or explained, and they leave you questioning. The sixth burough cannot be proven simply because no one has ever seen this place. The fact that Oskar's fathers body was never recovered can also lead to a situation that is not 100 percent clear. I believe that Oskar believes in things that cannot be completely understood because that is how his dad taught him. This moral lesson can help Oskar with accepting things or leave him to question even more.

mariah bellino said...

Oskar’s father tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough because, he wants Oskar to understand that so many things happen in life that you cannot change. Oskar's dad asks Oskar if he is an optimist or a pessimist, and Oskar answered that he is an optimist. Oskar won't give up, even though in some situations letting go is the best thing to do. Oskar seems to be stubborn like I am in this sense. Oskar knows that there's more he can do, and even though he might know it's best to give up, he won't. I think that drive and initiative will help him to find what it is that he wants to find.

Emily Meyer said...

Oskar's father told him the story of the Sixth Borough most likely to entertain him with the story, while teaching him a deeper lesson. As the Sixth Borough drifts farther and farther away, the people who live there refuse to leave. They refuse to leave most likely because they are afraid of change, without realizing that by staying things will change for them. They agree to move Central Park, which is a huge change for them, but they willingly let go. The people of Manhattan don't want to lose the Sixth Borough either, and attempts are indeed made to keep it from moving out, to no avail. The moral is letting go of things you love, but also that staying steadfast in your usual routine doesn't always work out. The people that were so afraid of change on the Sixth Borough are literally frozen in their ways, according to Oskar's father who describes the Sixth Borough as if it drifted to Antarctica.

Maxwell Lezon said...

Oskar's father probably left him with the story of The Sixth Borough to teach him to move on. This is a great lesson that happens to apply to Oskar's current situation. The people of the sixth were rigid and were eventually alienated from the rest of the city. Stubbornness and inability to change destroys people, and this is coincidentally Oskar's biggest problem at the moment.

Unknown said...

Oskar's Dad told him the story of the sixth borough to teach him that when thing happen in life that our out of our control and cannot be changed, all we can do is let go of the past and continue on with our lives. Life can only move forward and it is important that Oskar learns that in order for him to cope with the death of his father.

Jessica Kreger said...

Behind the story of the Sixth Borough that Oskar's father tells, there is a moral. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to make things stay, they are meant to leave. Moving on is a part of life. I believe this connects with Oskar's father's death. Everyone still remembered the Borough after it left and cherished the things it left behind, but they moved on. This is something Oskar needs to do with his father. I also believe the story was supposed to get Oskar thinking. Oskar does not believe in anything that he can not see or be proven, and the story of the Sixth Borough was illogical. However, there are signs that the Sixth Borough could be real, which makes Oskar wonder. This also gives Oskar a reason to believe where all the things he found in Central Park came from.

Unknown said...

I think that Oskar’s father tells him the story of the Sixth Borough for a lesson. There are always morals to the story. And for this story is loss. We all may lose things, but we always have to learn that it will be ok and sometimes you just have to let it go. No matter what we lose, there will always be a part of them stuck with us. You can’t rid of memories so easily. Even though the sixth borough may be gone, New York will always have a part of it.

Olivia Villarreal said...

The story of the Sixth Borough is the last conversation between Oskar and his father. His father tells him a bedtime story on the night of September 10. He explains that the Sixth Borough began to drift away from the rest and Central Park was dug up and moved to Manhattan. People on the Sixth had a difficult time adjusting to the growing distance and he believes that the dreams of children are still embedded in the park as well as many of the items left behind by the citizens. Even though Oskar knows that there was never really a Sixth Borough, he says that he is an optimist and there is really no reason to believe that one did not exist. As his father leaves his room, Oskar tells him that he thinks his story was awesome. The moral of the story: things happen in life that are beyond our control. They happen for no reason at all, but we must do our best to continue on and always remember. It is al oat as if his father knows something horrible will happen soon.

trentreynolds said...

Oskar’s father tells the story of the sixth borough to prove to Oskar that sometimes he should let go of things and there isn’t always a reason behind everything. Oskar should remember his dad and how much he loved him but he should learn that the world moves on and it’s not the end of his life. Oskar’s father doesn't want Oskar to do the same mistakes as his father did. Oskar’s grandfather kept allowing the memories of Anna to ruin his life and he never accepted that she was gone and that he needed to move on. The story also teaches Oskar to remember the good things in his life, just like Central Park. The things that Oskar found in central park used to belong to people from the Sixth Borough before Central Park was pulled out of the Sixth Borough.

Jerod Mason said...

Oskar's dad tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough to teach him that in life there will be things that happen that will disappoint you, and you will not to be able to do anything about it. Instead of letting disappointment run your life you are supposed to take positive aspects from the events and continue to move forward. Oskar's dad would not have wanted Oskar to be constantly depressed of his death and would rather Oskar continued to live life to the fullest.

Jeremy Thomas said...

Oscar's father tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough for a bed time story. The moral can be interpreted in several ways. It can be interpreted as that sometimes you have to let go of certain things in your life. It can be interpreted as you need to treasure things while you have them because the next day you might not. An example of this is the girl and the boy with the string and tin cans, he knew he wouldn't be able to talk to her forever and he decided to save their last moments in the can. The story of the Sixth Borough ties in to his earlier searches in central park because those items he found have the potential to be from the Sixth Borough, if the story was true. This also means that the items he found could actually have no connection at all and it shows that not everything has an explanation/answer. This relates to Oskar's personal life with him trying to find what the key leads to and that it might not actually be connected to his fathers death.

Vanessa said...

I think Oskar's dad realized that Oskar tended to attach himself to things and memories and routines that he possibly should have moved on from. With his story of the sixth borough, he showed Oskar that there are some things that cannot be controlled, and one must learn to recognize those and move on in life. It seemed a little eerie to me that Oskar's father would tell such a story because I think it directly applied to how Oskar dealt with his father's death. Oskar desperately tries to hold onto his father's memory and things so he won't forget and even becomes angry when he sees his mom laughing with Ron as he believes she has forgotten all about her dead husband.

Joey Joly said...

Oskar's father tells the story of the sixth borough to teach Oskar that some things can't be stopped, and that no matter what, you have to let go and keep on living life.

Erika Kackmeister said...

I think Oskar's father tells him the story of the Sixth Borough so he can learn life lessons and morals. First off to be optimistic over pessimistic so life can be viewed in magical ways.An optimistic attitude makes life better.It also teaches Oskar that when something wants to leave, or someone wants to leave, if that is what they have set in their mind, there is nothing you can do to stop them. This relates back to the quote on pg. 153 "So many people enter and leave your life! Hundreds of thousands of people! You have to keep the door open so that they can come in! But it also means you have to let them go!". The moral is that if it wants to go, let it go, let it be, and move on. You will always have the memory. Memories cannot be taken. Oskar asks if his father's things that he found in Central Park were from the Sixth Borough, and he shrugs. This shoes that Oskar is optimistic, like his father.

Alex Wallace said...

Oskar’s father tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough because he wants Oskar to understand that anything can happen in life and you need to be able to handle everything that happens. Oskar's dad also asked Oskar about his outlook on life and Oskar answered that he is an optimist. He won't give up, even though in some situations letting go is the best thing to do. He seems like he can be very stubborn and even though Oskar knows that there's more he can do, and even though he might know it's best to give up, he won't. I think he's very driven and motivated and that will help him achieve his goals in life.

Matthew Jackson said...

I think Oskar's father tells Oskar the story of the Sixth Borough because he knows that his son has a hard time letting things go. The moral of the story is that the longer you try to cling to something, the harder it gets to hold on; eventually you have to stop and let it drift away. Oskar says that he doesn't want to let the memory of his father go, and the search for the lock was his last chance to be close to his father. In the story, Central Park was ripped from the Borough and planted where it is now. If Oskar's father is, symbolically, the Sixth Borough, then Central Park corresponds to the mysterious key. It once belonged to the Borough, but is now both the most significant artifact from it and the most important one to understand it.

Unknown said...

I think Oskar's father told him the story as a bedtime story. It only became relevant once Mr. Schell past away. When Thomas told Oskar the story when he was alive, it was a simple bedtime story, giving Oskar something to think about throughout the night. Once Thomas died, the meaning of the story comes to light. The moral of the story is to let things go. Like the town people in the story, Oskar needs to learn to let go and move on with his life. Oskar is trying so hard to hold onto his fathers memory that it is starting to consume him. The only thing Oskar looks forward to is looking for the lock that belongs to that key. Anything other than that is boring and only makes him to look for the lock more. The things Oskar find in his Central Park search really aren't anything. But to Oskar they are clues. He is trying so hard to find the connection between all the items he found. In all actuality there is no connection, just the hope there is a connection. That is what drives Oskar to find the lock...hope.

Morgan McCullough said...

Oskar's father told him the story of the Sixth Borough to begin his search in Central Park. Based on the end of the story when it describes all of the delicate, frozen memories on the Antarctic island, I think that his father was trying to say that everything leaves its mark. As of late, Oskar has been feeling that his dad won't be remembered by the general public and it's just not fair. If he ever reflects back on this story, he will hopefully put together that the frozen people, every single one of them, agreed to give up Central Park and that's why we all have it to look at today. Oskar's father may not be remembered by being famous, but he will have molded Oskar into who he is and will be. His father insinuates that things from the Sixth Borough may still be found there today, which probably sparks the idea to send him on his search.

Emily Turigliatto said...

I think Oskar's father told him the story of the sixth borough to teach him an important life lesson in a fun way. I think the moral of the story was that things may happen that you don't like but you have no control over. You just need to accept that things change like the city finally did. You have to make a decision though: be like the stubborn residents of the sixth borough and be forgotten, or use your experiences to grow and be better. Hopefully Oskar realizes this and decides to use his father's death as a way for him to become a better person.

James P said...

Oskar's father is a profound and observant thinker. He sees things and notices tiny bits of unexplainable details that don't follow a conventionally followed narrative. I' ll elsborate: when he tells Oskar about the sixth borough, he is more than telling an entertaining story; he is making an outrageous claim about something that once existed in New York City. This is where the moral of the story comes in, and my point begins to make more sense: after the story, Oskar asks him if there is any evidence of the previous existence of the sixth borough, and his father lists "circumstantial evidence" of its existence- all tiny clues that curative lay point towards the past existence of the sixth borough. This ability to find subtle clues and hints towards a potentially outrageous conclusion is what this story is attempting to bestow upon its listeners, and that is the same reason for Oskar's father to tell him that story. He wants Oskar to have this amazing skill, and he wants him to use it to find the lock (if there even is one) that belongs to his key.

Unknown said...

Oskar's father tells him the story of the Sixth Borough to teach him a life lesson in a way that he will be able comprehend more. I think the moral to the story is that life is forever changing, and you can accept it and move along with life, or refuse change and become forgotten like the residents of the Sixth Borough did. I would compare the Sixth Borough to Oskar's father's death, and Oskar needs to accept the change in his life and begin moving on.

Megan Waite said...

Oskar's father tells him the story of the Sixth Borough as a lesson to him in the future. The moral of the sotry is that no matter how hard you try to hold onto something, if it was meant to leave fate will have its way. The only thing to do is acept reality and make the best of the situation. I think this story would help Oskar move on with his father's death. Instead of dwelling on the fact that he is gone, be happy about something that once was and look forward to the future. The part where the boy has a little girl say "I love you" into the string cups so he can preserve it forever is another lesson in my eyes. This shows that Oskar has preserved his father's voice forever by keeping the hidden telephone with the last messages his father left them and that just knowing that he had a piece of him left was enough to keep him going through some rough times.