Tuesday, January 4, 2011

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief is an interesting story told from a different perspective. In this novel, the narrator is death telling the story of a young girl named Leisel Meminger. Leisel is nine years old and living in Germany in a foster home of Jews right before World War II begins. Leisle’s mom can’t keep her and she is given up for adoption to her new foster parents Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Sadly, Leisel’s brother Werner, never makes it to live with Leisle and her new foster family. This brings traumatizing nightmares for Leisel in the near future. Despite what Leisel has gone through, she is fascinated by novels and learning to read. Upon her arrival she was illiterate, but her foster dad helps her to overcome her brother’s death and to help her read. Leisel’s first book is a manual book on how to dig graves. She took this book from where her brother is buried. Leisel’s desire to steal books is a form of defiance. As the war begins, her family decides to help hide a young man named Max from the Nazi’s. Max is the son of the man whom saved Han’s life in his earlier years when he fought in the army. They hide Max until the risk becomes too great. When Max does live in their basement, he writes stories to Leisel about their friendship. Max is a Jew who is sent to a concentration camp at the end of the novel. Leisel writes, “I have hated the words, and I have loved them, and I have hoped I made them right (Zusask, 528). Leisel becomes hopeless when Max goes off to the concentration camp. She realizes that propaganda is why Hitler is so powerful and how the Jews are only scapegoats to blame for other people’s problems. She also realizes words can bring violence and comfort. She tries to combat this vicious propaganda.She decides to write into one of the blank books Max has given her. She decides to focus on writing things out of love and not selfishness. The only friend Leisel was really close to goes off to a concentration camp. The end of the story deals with air raiding signals going off as,their hometown may be bombed by the Nazi's. Leisel's family gathers in her basement and waits to see what the outcome will be. It is significantly noted at the end of the novel, the narrator Death, is haunted by the victims of death but it is not haunted by the dead ones.

Questions for Discussion:

1.If you were in Leisel’s situation, how do you think you would handle the challenges such as a death of a sibling, the abandonment of your mother, and the challenge of not being able to read?

2.Based on the outcome of the real Holocaust and what you know about Leisel , Do you think Leisel will die at the end by the Nazi’s or overcome them? Why do you believe the way you do?

9 comments:

AnaleeL7-8 said...

1. If i was in her situation i would be completely depressed because i have no one to support me and the only way to succeed is by having an education and i can not even read.

Millie W. 7/8 said...

1) I would probably become secluded and unable to handle it.
2) My guess is she didn't live because the Nazis didn't like people speaking out against them and generally thinking.

Abby M. 1-2 said...

2. Though it is probably more logical to say that Leisel dies in the book, I believe that she survives to tell her story. She seems to have a very deep inner strength, as she has gotten through all of the trials and tradgedies in the book already. Also, it seems to be very important in the book for Leisell to write, so I think she will survive to do this.

Sevgim A.1-2 said...

1. If my brother died and my mother left me I would be very sad. I don't know how I would get through. If I was taken in under good care like Leisel was then slowly I would get through it.

2. I think Leisel will stay alive because she went through so much and became strong through the book that she will live and she'll teach children to read or help people when she grows up.

Sara D. 7-8 said...

1) If my brother died and my mom left me, I'd probably feel
like I had no reason left to live. But after seeing how nice her foster family was to her, I would probably be able to make it through the struggle of losing my real family.

Heather B. 1-2 said...

1.) I do not think I could be as strong as Leisel. It would be difficult to overcome those situations.

2.) It is hopeful to think that Leisel will survive. However, it is more realistic that she will not. Nazi's caused many deaths.

Garret Edward Patrick Graehling 1/2 said...

i agree with Analee i think her life sucks

Anna W. 1-2 said...

All of you have good responses. I like Abby's point that this young girl has a lot of inner strength with dealing with so many heartbreaking tragedies at such a young age, and also having a tremendous amount of inner strength. I have to agree with Heather B. on the contrast of Liesel's survival.It would be nice if she lived on since she has been so much but the Nazi's as we know had no compassion for the Jews. However, it is left up to the author in the end. But this is a realistic point of view from what we know happened in history.

Mrs. Sherwood said...

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