Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

by

Jonathan Safran Foer

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close makes teaching easy.
Gerald, the limousine driver, takes Oskar, Mom, and Grandma to Dad’s funeral. He gives Oskar his card, which is presumably how Oskar knows how to call him to drive himself and Grandpa to dig up Dad’s coffin. On the drive to Dad’s funeral, Gerald seems taciturn and gruff, not responding to Oskar’s jokes and conversation. However, on the drive to the cemetery, Gerald is much friendlier and sympathetic. He even helps dig up the dirt above Dad’s coffin when Oskar and Grandpa can’t do it.
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Gerald Character Timeline in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

The timeline below shows where the character Gerald appears in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1, “What The?”
Mortality and the Purpose of Life Theme Icon
Trauma and Guilt Theme Icon
Love and Family Theme Icon
Language and Communication Theme Icon
Oskar describes the limousine ride to the cemetery for his Dad’s funeral. He chatters at Gerald, the limousine driver, telling nerdy puns and jokes that fail to crack Gerald’s smile. Mom... (full context)
Chapter 17, “Beautiful and True”
Mortality and the Purpose of Life Theme Icon
Puzzles and Cleverness Theme Icon
Trauma and Guilt Theme Icon
Superstition and Ritual Theme Icon
Love and Family Theme Icon
Language and Communication Theme Icon
...11:50 PM, Oskar sneaks out of the house to meet Grandpa, and at exactly midnight, Gerald, the limousine driver who had driven Oskar to Dad’s funeral, arrives. During the drive, Oskar... (full context)
Mortality and the Purpose of Life Theme Icon
Puzzles and Cleverness Theme Icon
Trauma and Guilt Theme Icon
Superstition and Ritual Theme Icon
Love and Family Theme Icon
Language and Communication Theme Icon
...an hour, they’ve barely gotten anywhere. The flashlight runs out of batteries, and Oskar calls Gerald to tell him to get more. They shovel in the dark. When Gerald returns with... (full context)