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What is so important about the interaction between Ron and Oskar?
Why is Oskar so interested in Gerald's daughters and his relationship with them?
What does Oskar mean when he refers to digging up his dad's coffins as "a simple solution to an impossible problem"?
Why isn't his mom angry or curious about his late night trip to the cemetery?
His mother tells him that his dad had called her. What does this do for Oskar? Why doesn't he share with her about the messages he hid from her?
What does Oskar's reversal of the pictures and the imagined reversal of time remind you of?
The chapter was entitled "Beautiful and True". What is beautiful and true about this chapter?
32 comments:
What does Oskar mean when he refers to digging up his dad's coffins as "a simple solution to an impossible problem"? Oskar finally realizes that he won't find out anything on how his father died. He knew his problem was impossible to answer. His problem was that he wanted to hold on to something that was already gone. He had to learn to let go. And he needed to prove to himself there wasn't anything left to hang on to. Which is why he dug up his father's coffin. He knew his father was dead. That was the simple solution.
The interaction is important between Ron and Oskar because they’re both a part of Oskar’s mother’s life and they both have losing family members in common. Oskar finally understands that his mother is allowed to be happy with someone other than his father or him, which is a big thing for him. His mom isn’t angry or curious about his late night trip to the cemetery, because just like the trips Oskar made to all the Blacks’ houses she knew where he was going and that he was being safe. Having his mother tell him about his dad calling is a good thing for Oskar because it means that he can still keep the messages to himself because she was able to hear his voice one last time just like he was able to, and they each got their own message from his father.
For me, the ending didn't really conclude the story. There wasn't much resolve and some of my questions were left unanswered. The entire plot of the story was Oskar searching for answers about his father's death. He wanted to know the details of his father's death, but never learned them. He wanted to find what the key unlocked, but he found it didn't involve his father. In the end, his quest for answers provided him with none and he had to deal with his problems himself.
Also, the author left some of my questions open. Which of the grandparents' story was the truth? Why was William Black yelling eight months ago? How blind was the grandmother?
Oskar refers to digging up his dads coffin as "as a simple solution to an impossible problem" because now Oskar finally realizes that there isn't anything more about his dads death. His dad didn't leave him anything to go find after he died. Oskar knows that he just died. Oskar knew that any questions he had couldn't be answered.
His mom isn't angry because she knew he needed this to maybe finally realize it was just death. She knew that he would finally understand.
Oskars reversed pictures reminded me of his grandmothers dream. They were both going back in time. I think they both kind of wanted to start over. It ends the book with almost a positive ending. Like none of that really happened yet. Things could have ended up differently.
The interaction between Ron and Oskar is important because Oskar learns that Ron had lost people in his life who were very close to him just like Oskar did. I think that losing their family members was something that they had in common and they could understand the pain they both felt and dealt with while going through the grieving process.
What is so important about the interaction between Ron and Oskar is that Oskar got to hear about what happened to Ron with his family. Ron and Oskar are both important to Oskar's mom and them interacting is a good thing in my eyes. I think Oskar needed to hear about Ron's story so he could see that he has lost a lot as well.
What Oskar means when he refers to digging up his father's coffin a "simple solution to an impossible problem," is that by digging up his father's grave it makes him realize that he won't be able to figure out how his father died. He didn't leave any clue for Oskar to find and figure out what happened. This was the impossible problem Oskar had to deal with the entire book, and digging up the his father's grave was the simple solution to come to terms with it.
Ron and Oskar communicating is so important because it gives Oskar a way to relate to him. Before, Oskar would make little to no conversation with Ron whatsoever. He became angry with his mom because he felt that she was over his dad's death and had forgotten about him. He believed that, in a way, she was trying to replace his father with Ron. He didn’t think it was fair that while he was suffering she was with Ron, trying to be happy. When Ron tells him that he lost his wife and daughter though, I believe that it formed a connection between the two. A day or two after the conversation, Oskar tells his mother that she could fall in love again if she wanted to. This conversation helped Oskar understand that her being with Ron wasn't a way to replace his father, as well as that they've been through similar experiences. I believe that his mother isn't angry or curious about the trip to the cemetery because she already knows about it. She knew about his search for the lock, so I believe that someone, like Gerald, might have told her about the cemetery. Like the key journey, she knows that this is one last way for Oskar to connect with his father. By allowing him to go to the cemetery, it'll help Oskar finally overcome the sadness brought upon by his father's death. It'll help complete his mission, while allowing him to live a happier life.
The very end of the book is Oskar reversing his book, "Things That Have Happened to Me", so that the man who was falling out of the building is now falling into the building. He reverses time all the way back to the night before his father died. This reminds me a lot of the grandma's final letter to Oskar; In her final letter she reverses time all the back to before 'god created the world'. They both reversed time as a way to reserve the final memories they had with the ones they loved.
The interaction between Ron and Oskar, to me, is amazing. Oskar is finally realizing that he knows it's okay if his mom is happy around someone that is not him or his father. Also, while they talk, Oskar learns more about Ron and how, he too lost people close to him. They are more alike than Oskar thought.
"A simple solution to an impossible problem"? This makes me think of a oxymoron, a contradiction. But I think Oskar means an impossible act, or unthinkable act, could make him feel like he has come to terms with what has happened. Even if it is just an empty coffin, it's his dad's empty coffin, and its importance itself is the truth. As Oskar said, "Dad loved the truth, and the truth is that he's dead." This is Oskar coming to the realization of his father's death and that there's nothing that can be done about it now.
Also at the end when he's playing the guy backwards so he's flying instead of falling, it is just like Grandma's dream. Everything is going backwards.
Also I liked how Jake put his questions in here. I had a lot of the same ones. But, even though the whole quest was to a key that didn't even belong to his father, I felt as though the journey was not pointless. Oskar met so many people with so many stories. Each unique and different. Maybe in their own ways they helped Oskar come to the realization of his father's death. Without this journey Oskar could have still been sitting at home mourning forever or maybe even have ended up hospitalized like how his shrink offered to his mother earlier in the story. I believe this journey happened to Oskar because it needed to.
The importance of the interaction between Ron and Oskar is they are both play a large role in the mothers life. Oskar has always felt a sense of anger for Ron because he did not think it was fair to his father for her to be smiling and laughing again so soon with another man. Recently, Oskar began to realize that Ron wasn't such a bad guy and maybe it is a good thing for his mother to happy.
When Oskar refers to digging up his dad's coffin as "a simple solution to an impossible question" he means that even though throughout his entire life there was always a deeper meaning to every scenario with his father, there was nothing beyond what he already knew now. His father didn't leave any unanswered questions for Oskar.
I think that this chapter is beautiful and true in different ways. Oskar finds out the truths to many different questions throughout the book. He finds out the truth about Ron and how his family had died in a car accident and that he had met Oskar’s mother in a group for those who had lost family members. He had learned that his mother had received a call from his father on the day that he died. He felt relieved that he really hadn’t been hiding the messages from his mom because she had spoken to him that day. He learned that the renter was actually his grandfather, and they decided to fill the coffin with the letters that the grandfather had never sent to his son, Oskar’s dad. Oskar finally feels connected with his mother, the universe, and his father, and can finally start to live his life.
Oskar's interaction with Ron allowed Oskar to realize that he was not the only person who had lost a loved one. This interaction also gave Oskar a newfound respect for Ron's relationship with Oskar's mother, and a realization that it is possible to move on after a tragedy.
Digging up his father's grave was a "simple solution to an impossible problem" because Oskar realized that he had no way of knowing the details of his father's death. Trying to find out these details became Oskar's impossible problem. However, Oskar realizes that he can overcome this obstacle by simply accepting his father's death as something that may never be truly understood. Digging up his father's empty grave allows Oskar to come to terms with the mystery of his father's death.
Oskar's mom isn't angry about his late night trip because his moms knows where he has been all along. Ever since Oskar went out to search for the lock to the key eight months previous Oskar's mom knew where he was. Mrs.Black had called Oskar to share new information the day after she had met him. Oskar's mom picked up the phone and Mrs.Black shared all the information Oskar had shared with her. Oskar's mom never questioned Oskar because she felt that it was a good way for Oskar to deal with his dads death. the trip to the cemetery was just another way for Oskar to deal with his dad's death, and that's why his mom is fine with it.
The imagined reversal of time reminds me of a time machine. All Oskar wants to go back in time when everything was right and his dad was laying in his bed with him.
The importance of the interaction between Ron and Oskar is it shows that Oskar is starting to come to terms with his mom seeing Ron. When Ron tells Oskar about his family Oskar starts to understand him better. It leads to him telling his mom it’s okay to move on and to see Ron. Oskar doesn't hate Ron like he did throughout the whole book.
What Oskar means when he refers to digging up his dad’s coffin as “a simple solution to an impossible problem” is he will have done everything in his power to finish what he started, figuring out what happened to his dad and what the key meant. The impossible problem is that Oskar does not know how his dad died and never will. He does not know if he jumped from the building, if he got caught in the fire,or if he got stuck under rubble. Also he has no way of knowing if his dad did leave something behind for him. A simple solution is to open his dad's coffin and realize his dad left nothing behind for him. After they open the coffin Oskar has finally done everything he could have done. He can’t ask what if I had tried or looked harder. It’s the simple solution to an impossible problem.
What does Oskar mean when he refers to digging up his dad's coffins as "a simple solution to an impossible problem"? Oskar realizes that the simple solution was his fathers death. It was just that, a death and nothing more. The problem was impossible because of how over thought everything was about his fathers death. Oskar accepts that there is nothing more that can be done and knows that there is nothing else to it but that, a simple death.
I think that the interaction between Ron and Oskar toward the end of the novel to be a good thing because Oskar found out that he was not the only person who lost someone close to him. Throughout the novel Oskar acted like he was the only one who was hurting inside when in reality both his mother and Ron were hurting. I think that Oskar had two "impossible" problems, both of which he found the solution to. the first problem was finding the lock that the key belonged to; which he eventually found. the second problem was finding out how his father died. The solution for that was simple; he just had to accept his father's death and remember the happy times they had together.
"A simple solution to an impossible problem" haunting words for such a young child. His impossible problem:to accept the death of his father. Oskar is such a sweet child that it is heartbreaking to read. His key was the only thing that kept him from collapsing and going to the cemetary was almost like a farewell.A weird sort of goodbye but heart wrenching at the same time.
The "Impossible problem" Oskar refers to trying to find out how his dad died. he spent 8 months looking for the owner of the key, hoping it would lead to some information about his father. That search ended when we found out his father only had the key because he bought the vase from a garage sale. His search hit a dead end, and he realized it was impossible to solve the problem. The "simple solution" was a way to prove to himself that he has to let go. Digging up his father's grave to see the empty coffin, Oskar realizes there is no more to search for. he might never find out how his dad died, because it's just a question that couldn't be answered.
Oskar is so interested in Gerard's daughters because he is interested in fathers since his father is gone. Hearing how Gerard knows his daughters so well, sees the best in his daughters, and loves his daughters so much; Oskar is reminded of his own father in a bittersweet fashion.
Oskar's reversal of time reminds me of the grandmother's reversal of time. This reversal of time represents closure for both of them. It shows how in the end all things return to nothingness on earth so theoretically Oskar and the grandmother will one day be with their father/son. This is not a bright, sunshiney-rainbow way of comprehending death but it is realistic and it seems to bring serenity and tranquility to Oskar and his grandmother.
Oskar's mom is not angry about Oskar's late-night graveyard excursion because it is Oskar's way of putting his father to rest. She cannot scold him for finding his own form of closure and peace of mind.
“A Simple Solution to an Impossible Problem”
This is how Oskar felt while digging up his father’s grave. Looking for something, it was all just a big mystery to him. Even though it may be an empty coffin, it is his fathers, and that has all the meaning and importance itself. As much as he wanted to know how his father may have died it was simply impossible no matter how hard he may have tried. But, Oskar knew that he could overcome this by accepting his father’s death as something he will never fully understand, it will forever be a mystery to him.
Oskar’s mother is very accepting to his late night adventure to the graveyard. She is so accepting to this because she knows that this is the only way to put Oskar’s mind at rest. So he knows that he had done all that he could to figure out the mystery.
The interaction between Ron and Oskar is unusual for most but normal for Oskar. Oskar gets straight to the point in asking the questions he wanted to know. Oskar came off a little too harsh when he asked about Ron’s family, only because he thought his mom was falling in love with him. After getting his answers I think that they were on the same level of understanding. Oskar is still young so he doesn’t understand that Ron and his mother are just friends, he sees it as his mother forgetting about his father.
Although Thomas is not in the coffin, digging the coffin up provides closure for Oskar in the way that he knows he will never see his father. For something that seems so impossible, digging up the coffin lets him realize the truth which is somewhat simple.
Oskar’s mother tells him that his father called her before he died; this made Oskar feel relieved that she was able to talk to him before his last moments. Throughout the novel, guilt had overcome him due to the fact he never told his mother about the messages. Now that I think about it, His father was only trying to reach Oskar, at that point he had already talked to Oskar’s mother. The only shame Oskar should have is that he didn’t get to say good bye to his father.
Oskar asks Ron about his relationship with his children because he is missing his dad and wants to see how other fathers interact with their kids. He says it is a simple solution to an impossible problem because the whole goal of his adventures are to be closer to his dad. This is easier than tracking down all the people and trying the key in all the different locks and it brings him closer to his dad than any of the searching does.
The reversal of time and the images at the end remind me of the last letter Oskar’s grandmother wrote to him, about his grandfather leaving her. But this time, it’s not as if nothing has happened between then and now, rather it’s as if everything has happened, and Oskar is just wishing and hoping and remembering. I think he wishes that things could happen backwards so nothing could go forward, so he wouldn’t have to lose his father again. It also reminds me of moments in my life where I just wish things could go backwards for once, to when everything was okay and safe, much like Oskar yearns for safety.
What’s most beautiful and true about this chapter is how raw and blunt it is, from the moment Oskar openly asks Ron about his family, to the second he and his grandfather open the coffin, and even to the moment when he gets home and finds his mother awake and on the couch. It’s discovery of reality, I think, that makes it true, and understanding the candor that makes it beautiful.
Oskar refers to digging up his dad’s coffin as “a simple solution to an impossible problem” because that’s exactly what it is. The impossible problem is his dad being dead. No one can fix that kind of problem. No one can bring someone else back. No one ever completely heals when someone dies. The problem is even worse for Oskar because he doesn’t even have closure. He doesn’t know how exactly his dad died. He doesn’t have a body. The coffin is empty, so to Oskar it’s pointless. So the solution to make the coffin not empty is to fill the coffin. The solution is simple, but the problem really is impossible to solve.
The reversal of the 9/11 pictures reminded me of his grandmother's dream in which her whole life was played backwards. I think this was intentional. Most of the book had been focused on exhibiting similarities between Oskar, his father, and his grandfather; however, once he found the lock and more-or-less tied up all of the loose ends, he displayed a trait that he shared with his grandmother. I believe this was included to show the direction Oskar would now be moving in, toward a closer understanding of his female relatives, especially his mother.
Oskar’s mother told him that his father talked to her before he passed. Just this small explanation gave Oskar a feeling of relief. Throughout the two years after 9/11, Oskar has been willingly hiding the messages that his dad left for him. The messages gave Oskar a feeling of comfort, but also a feeling of regret. If only he would have picked up the phone… As I mentioned before, when Oskar found out his mom talked to his dad, he could know that at least one of them spoke to Thomas before his death.
This is the last chapter and it only makes sense for there to be some sort of conclusion to the story, and healing within the characters. The reader is able to witness one of the first “actual” conversations between Ron and Oskar. This conversation shows the healing process coming to an end for Ron, Oskar, and Oskar’s mother. “Beautiful and True” reveals Oskar’s realization that his dad’s death brought him grief as well as, with the help of complete strangers, the strength to continue his life and move on, with the memory of his father in his heart.
"A simple solution to an impossible problem" is how Oskar describes his search to an answer that can not be found. Oskar discovers that digging up his father's grace doesn't answer any of problems and doesn't help him find closure. Luckily, Oskar comes to understand grief and finds closure with the help of complete strangers. The saying "beautiful and true" is a reflection on Oskar's journey and his fathers life.
"a simple solution to an impossible problem" was Oskar's reaction to digging up his father's body and discovering that there was no body.
Oskar could not get over the loss of his father, he loved him so that he would do anything to feel close to him. When he he does no discover the body, there is nothing he can do. Simply the end of that hope. A simple solution to an impossible problem.
The simple solution to finding out about his dad's secret, is to dig him up. Though that won't do much because his dad is dead. Which the impossible problem. Oskar will never be able to just ask his father about the letter he found.
Oskar's acceptance of Ron show's his growth as a character. He felt abandoned by his mom because she found Ron. But Oskar gives him a chance and can then grieve with him and move on.
The beautiful and true part of this chapter was the love shared between Oskar and his mother, and the love they both shared for Oskar's father. In this chapter Oskar finally cried in front of his mother and his mother finally cried in front of Oskar. It showed that they finally understood each other and that they had finally come to terms. Another true thing that had come up in the chapter was when Oskar's mother had told Oskar about his father calling him on the worst day ever. It symbolized that they finally trusted each other. The beautiful part was that Oskar had finally been able to express his feelings. One of my favorite parts was how Oskar had told his mother he wanted her to fall in love again. To me that showed that he understood that his mother would always love his father no matter what.
Oskar refers to digging up his dads coffin as "as a simple solution to an impossible problem" because Oskar knows now that digging up a grave won't tell him what actually went on during his father's death. I think Oskar is coming to terms with reality in more than one way. Oskar is figuring out that to find out about his father is hard, and may cause pain. Also, he wants his mom to fall in love again. Oskar wanting his mom to fall in love, shows that he knows that there are things better left as memories, and that she shouldn't hold on to all the pain. Instead, she should keep her husband as a beautiful memory and move on in life.
Oskar realizes that he isn't going to find out anything else about his father. The answer was there all along and he just had to move on. Digging up his father's coffin allows him to come to reality that his father is dead. He wants his mother to fall in love and not be sad her entire life. The memory of Thomas is good but it's time to move on.
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