What is the significance of Oskar only wearing white but all the while looking for "Black"?White and Black are on two opposite sides of the spectrum, a spectrum which also mirrors Oskar's journey of self discovery (or any journey in general). He starts his search in a state of confusion, still clueless about many aspects of his father's death/life, and ends it with emotional closure.
One might think of black as being empty and white its opposite, but thinking in terms of a blank slate, or a sheet of computer paper, the reverse can be just as plausible. Perhaps Foer is trying to "fill in" Oskar's blank clothing with his search for "Black." Oskar's choice of clothing may signify his emptiness, and longing for answers. Just as his grandfather chooses actual writing to fill in blanks, Oskar is searching for the equivalent. Why not express that through a bizarre choice of everyday attire?
8 comments:
Do you believe that Oskar has chosen to wear all white after his father's death because he feels empty or could it just be a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that Oskar is expressing?
I feel that he chooses to wear white after his father's death not so much BECAUSE of the death or OCD, but because its the one thing he can control. Everything else in his life is all jumbled and has him confused, but his clothing is the one thing he has a say over.
Let's try this again, this time hoping the computer accepts my comment.
I agree with your paper-space theory, and also the opposite spectrum that is Oskar's attire and the Blacks. I put forth the idea that the color variation stands for Oskar's refusal to accept what he gains from the Blacks because he finds anything that does not fit his specific spectrum (the key) important. Or, also that he, as white, is searching for something from his painful past (the key again) that he really should not be searching for; that he should really be moving on and not dwelling in the gloomy dark but rather finding closure in the light (with his mother).
I like how you contradcited the cliche of black and white. I never of looking at white as emptiness and black as fulfillment. It makes a lot of sense. Oskar spent the entire novel looking for clarity. It is ironic, though, that he is looking for clarity in a list of Black. So that only goes to prove the point even more that Black is a symbol for fulfillment.
I like your idea about Black being something he shouldn't really be searching for; he should instead be in the light with his mother. It can be said that he's already in this "light" (by wearing white) but he cannot look past his grief to realize that he can go for support to his mother.
the last comment I posted was in response to Anonymous. I keep forgetting to type who i'm directing my comments to.
I believe some of the significance of wearing white while searching for Black has to do with Oskar being the illumination in a sea of black(darkness). He is trying to unravel his father's mysterious story and find the key to his father's lock. He illuminates this mysterious story while looking for answers and I feel his white garb represents definity in a sea of ambiguity. Enjoyed the blog.
If you are creating a painting, and do not have black paint, how do you create the color? What other colors do you mix to achieve black? What do those colors symbolize? Does their combination create an image that might be applied to Oskar?
Does the study of chromatics provide any insight into the use black in this story?
Can we examine Oskar's choice by a scientific study of color?
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