In The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, a young boy with the inability to speak faces his worst nightmare when his father dies right before his eyes. His longing for revenge leads him on a journey of self-discovery, which eventually leads him to the revenge he seeks.

In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, a young boy with some form of autism is also faced with his father’s death. His desire to hold on to his father’s memory and stay connected to his father leads him on a journey of self-discovery, as well.

Both stories explore the theme of the devastating effects one suffers with the death of a loved one, and the authors use the techniques of characterization and imagery to help develop this theme.

In The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, a young boy with the inability to speak faces his worst nightmare when his father dies right before his eyes. His longing for revenge leads him on a journey of self-discovery, which eventually leads him to the revenge he seeks. In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, a young boy with some form of autism is also faced with his father’s death. His desire to hold on to his father’s memory and stay connected to his father leads him on a journey of self-discovery, as well. Both stories explore the theme of the devastating effects one suffers with the death of a loved one, and the authors use the techniques of characterization and imagery to help develop this theme.