Traumatic events often bring feelings of terror and stress upon the individuals caught in them. Whether these unfortunate events harm a specific person – or someone close to them – the aftermath can be quite horrific and daunting. The two events I wish to focus on are 9/11 through the lenses of Oskar Schell in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close By Jonathan Safran Foer and the moving of Japanese Canadians in the Second World War through a collection of memories in Obasan by Joy Kogawa. These though times leave people trying to find ways of coping with their mixed emotions or “Heavy Boots” as Oskar Schell would describe them. Both Foer and Kogawa offer examples of the way that small and simple activities can act in therapeutic ways; this activity being writing. I have selected a specific page from each book that addresses the act of writing in a therapeutic manner. The First example can be found on page 119 in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Oskars grandfather expresses his feelings towards writing and its therapeutic ways; he suggests that Oskars grandmother try it.

“ It was my suggestion, and at the time I thought it was a very good one, I thought maybe if she could express herself rather than suffer herself, if she had a way to relieve the burden, she lived for nothing more than living, with nothing to get inspired by, to care for, to call her own”(Pg 119)

He exemplifies that fact that writing might help his wife, and Oskars grandmother to relieve the burden of her suffering. The second example I pulled is from the letter that Naomi’s mother writes in Obasan, explaining her reasons for having not contacted them through their lengthy childhood years. She states

“ If these matters are sent away in this letter, perhaps they will depart a little from our souls … for the burden of these words, forgive me” (Pg 259)

Both Oskar grandfather and Naomi’s mother feel that the act of writing and releasing their emotions on to a page will lift the burdens of their suffering. Although they came from very different situations and traumatic events, their coping mechanisms have endless similarities. I never would have though that something so small could bring such hope and relief to people as they try to move on from their fragmented past.