The Evolution of Pain Published in 2005, Jonathan Foer's novel Extremely Strong and Incredibly Close takes its readers on an intriguing journey into the life of a boy named Oskar Schell. The novel follows the nine-year-old as he travels throughout New York in search of the secrets behind a mysterious key and the connection he has to his father, Thomas Schell, who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. . On his journey, Oskar accumulates many friends who help his pain while he helps them with theirs. As Oskar's story blossoms, so do those of his grandfather and grandmother, who tell the story together with their grandson. These three narratives come together to introduce and develop the theme of pain. All the characters in the novel suffer from something. They grieve for the loss of a father, a son, a sister; they grieve over a loveless marriage; they grieve over solutions that can never be resolved. Foer uses an assortment of characters to acknowledge the theme of grief which is slowly eliminated by Oskar's uplifting spirit. Oskar's grandmother is a critical character who strongly acknowledges the theme of grief throughout the novel. Like all the characters in the novel, Oskar's grandmother experiences a great deal of pain, perhaps the greatest of any character. After her family was bombed in Dresden during World War II, her grandmother was left alone to live a life full of pain. He later joins his sister Anna's fiancé, whom he marries. After Grandma becomes pregnant in hopes of saving her unsatisfactory marriage, her husband leaves her. To top off the pain of his life, his son, Oskar's father, was of course killed in the Twin Towers. Oskar's g...... middle of paper....... He interprets and realizes that there is nothing that can be done about his father's tragic death, and thus his grief is eased. Oskar expressed an emotion, which in turn caused the loss of unhappiness due to his father's death. An evident theme of grief is clearly established throughout the novel. However, Oskar can also be seen lightening this theme and as the book comes to an end, so does the obvious theme of grief. It was his pain that allowed Oskar to amend others from their pain and allow them to discover a life full of prosperity. For this reason it is pain that unites humanity and gives society a sense of peace. It is therefore the pain that is extremely strong, but also what brings us incredibly close. Foer uses an assortment of characters to acknowledge a theme of sorrow that is slowly eliminated by Oskar's uplifting spirit.