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Motifs
Definition of Pathos
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Chapter 6, “Why I’m Not Where You Are (5/21/63)”
Explanation and Analysis—Grief:
Foer's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is crafted to evoke pathos, the deep emotional response of pity, sympathy, and sorrow. Nearly every storyline is charged with moments designed to move the reader: a young boy losing his father on 9/11, a man haunted by the ghosts of war and lost love, a widow trying to hold her family together. The novel lingers on intimate details of grief that pull readers closer to the characters' pain.
One of the most affecting sources of pathos is Oskar's innocence in the face of loss. His quirky inventions to keep people safe, his self-inflicted bruises, and his constant references to his "heavy boots" reveal how desperately he's trying to make sense of the senseless. When he hides his father's final voicemails to protect his mother, readers feel the crushing weight he carries alone. The image of a child listening to those last words is almost unbearably tragic.
Foer also uses pathos in Grandpa's letters, such as his apology for not dying alongside Anna in Dresden:
That's what I've been trying to say to you, I'm sorry for everything. For having said goodbye to Anna when maybe I could have saved her and our idea, or at least died with them.
Pathos is what makes this novel such an emotional experience, inviting readers to grieve alongside its characters.
Related Themes:
