"I zipped myself all the way into the sleeping bag of myself, not because I was hurt, and not because I had broken something, but because they were cracking up."(37)
Tragic moments in life are what make people stronger and more aware of the world around them. It is common to see that people that have experienced more in life then they should are more mentally and emotionally mature and think in different ways. It is as if they know too much about the world and this is common for Oskar as well. Even though many claim that he is only a naive 9-year-old boy, it is evident that he has the mind-set of a mature teenager. When reading the novel, I get a sense that Oskar feels he knows too much, however he can't help it. This is where the motif/theme of safety comes in play. He wishes that he could hide within himself.
I think there is significance in the way the book often uses letters to show the story. This sort of shows how Oskar wants to show what he is feeling but doesn't know how.