“Oskar Winner”
"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is a 2005 novel by Jonathan Safran Foer and a 2011 film adaptation, both centered around Oskar Schell, a young boy who searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left by his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks.
The Difference in Oskar’s Emotional World
Oskar often struggles to understand or show his emotions in the way that others might expect. He’s blunt, has trouble with social cues, and can be distant or awkward in his interactions. These traits can make him seem isolated, but they also show how deeply he feels inside. After finding a mysterious key that belonged to his father, Oskar becomes obsessed with figuring out what it opens. This obsession gives him something to focus on, helping him deal with the overwhelming emotions from losing his dad. It’s a way for him to cope with grief, which is often challenging for people with autism, who might have trouble expressing their feelings in traditional ways.
The key represents more than just a search for answers—it’s part of Oskar’s way of trying to understand his feelings, which he can’t always put into words. For many children with autism, using a specific interest or task as a focus can be a way to deal with difficult emotions. Oskar’s search is his way of making sense of what happened to his father and to him.
The Beauty of Oskar’s Differences
One of the strengths of the film is how it shows Oskar’s unique way of seeing the world. Instead of treating him as someone who needs to change, the movie highlights the beauty in his differences. His relationships—especially with his grandmother and a stranger he meets during his search—show that emotional connection doesn’t always happen in the usual ways. Sometimes, it’s about being there for someone, sharing moments, and accepting each other’s differences.
Oskar’s mannerisms may be unusual, but they aren’t something to be fixed. They are part of who he is. He is smart, creative, and deeply sensitive. The film encourages viewers to see these traits as strengths rather than weaknesses, showing that there is more than one way to connect with others and navigate the world.
Grief Through the Lens of Autism
The theme of grief is central to Oskar’s story, and his experience of it is shaped by his autism. Losing his father is devastating, but Oskar processes this loss in a way that’s different from how most people might. His grief isn’t linear; it’s messy, unpredictable, and hard for him to manage. For Oskar, healing doesn’t come through talking about his emotions or understanding them in a conventional way. Instead, it comes through action and structure—like his mission to find out what the key opens.
Oskar’s way of dealing with loss—focused on solving puzzles and completing tasks—reflects a common trait in people with autism, who may find it easier to cope with emotions through routines or concrete activities rather than abstract discussions. His journey is about more than finding out what the key unlocks; it’s about unlocking the parts of himself that are broken from grief.
The Importance of Representation
One of the most important aspects of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is how it represents autism in a subtle yet meaningful way. By not labeling Oskar as autistic, the film opens the door for a deeper understanding of what it’s like to be neurodiverse. It doesn’t reduce him to a stereotype or a condition. Instead, it shows him as a complex individual who, like everyone else, experiences love, pain, and growth.
Oskar’s journey reminds us that people with autism can be the central characters in their own stories, dealing with emotions, relationships, and challenges. His experience is just as rich and meaningful as anyone else’s, and it highlights the importance of seeing people on the autism spectrum as multi-dimensional human beings, not defined solely by their differences.
A Tribute to the Strength of Neurodiverse Individuals
At its core, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a story about grief, healing, and finding a way to live after a loss. Through Oskar, the film explores how autism is part of who he is, and how it shapes the way he processes the world. The movie shows that there’s no one “right” way to grieve or to understand the world—it’s okay to do it in your own way.
The film ultimately encourages us to accept people for who they are, whether they express emotions like we do or not. Oskar’s story is a reminder that the paths we take to heal and grow may look different from one person to the next, and that those differences can be beautiful and worth celebrating. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close teaches us that people on the autism spectrum, just like everyone else, can have rich, meaningful lives full of connection, growth, and understanding.