With this being the last week of the boo Im kind of sad because Im really liking this book from Foer. This weeks read is getting good! everything is starting to come to a a close and everything is coming out about Oskar's farther. The quote that spoke volumes to me this week was on page 272 shen Grama was talking to Thomas Jr.;
“I’m not going to share this grief with you.” (Foer, 274)
Here, Grandma refuses to let Thomas entirely re-enter her life after his return to New York. Though she allows him to stay in the guest bedroom, she remains emotionally distant, refusing to let him meet Oskar or learn much about Thomas Jr. There are several implications to this sentiment. The first conforms to the novel's overall exploration of grief, which is expressed as entirely personal; each person grapples with it in his or her own way. Secondly, Grandma's refusal to let Thomas in is understandable considering his abandonment, but also shows that she has not entirely transcended her emotional hang-ups. The reader understands from her letters that she cares deeply for Thomas, but allowed him to leave initially so that she could have a family. In many ways, she overcame the emotional coldness that initially characterized their relationship so she could live a life of fuller love. However, when he returns, she finds that resentment and guilt have not entirely left her. It takes a while yet for her to embrace her true feelings, and decide to join him at the airport as she does at novel's end. The suggestion there is that, for all of us, our emotional journeys continue throughout our lives. We are always working to balance our sadness and happiness.
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