The Book Thief

By: Lauren Schuster

Author: Markus Zusak

Key Words & Phrases

"Standover man" (Zusak 235). > This demonstrates how Max was scared and thought of life as this scary thing but when he met Liesel he started to feel loved and acknowledged in the world. "They breathed. German and Jewish lungs" (Zusak 238). >Since Hitler came to power, people believed Jews were completely alien and wrong but Liesel sets that aside and sees him as human.

Key Words & Phrases "Even with injury, it could still stand up" (Zusak 323). ~These words of wisdom perfectly describe maxs situation & how mentally strong he is. " Max & Liesel were held together by the quiet gathering of words" ( Zusak 248). ~This phrase perfectly captures their unbreakable bond of friendship and how they struggle, grow and face their fears together.

Key Words & Phrases "If it isn't Rudy Steiner and his little whore" (Zusak 301). >Little children were allowed to use this type of language because it wasn’t uncommon, its just the society they grew up in."The bombs were coming & so was I" (Zusak 335). >This is told through death’s point of view, and the wording of this makes it seem like there will be tragic events coming up.

“...a crackling sound prompted her to think that the fire had already begun. It hadn’t.. kinetic humans, flowing, charging up” (Zusak 109). > Opposite Personification: The overwhelming human excitement is referred to a fire crackling and ample excitement.“There was a smile. He s ready” (Zusak 56). >Suspense: Makes readers anxious for what he has deviously inmind.

Literary Devices

“The moon was undone now, free to move and rise and fall and drip on the boys face” (Zusak 60). >Personification: He have human qualities to the moon to make the scene look eerie.“I was still getting over Stalin, in Russia. The so-called second revolution-the murder of his own people” (Zusak 309).>Point of View: Now it starts to give us a new perspective of death and how these events has taken its toll on he/she/it.

Literary Devices

Actor Geoffery Rush who plays Hans Hubermann speaks on Deaths point of view and his feelings towards the book.

VIDEO

“He was the second snowman to be melting right infront of her eyes” (Zusak 318). >Personification: People can’t actually melt, but they can disappear or leave them like the rest of her family did.“‘I was being Jesse Owens… What the hell does it look like” (Zusak 59).>Tone: Rudy is very impatient and always thinks others know exactly what he’s thinking at all times.

Literary Devices

“People observe the colors of a day only at it’s beginnings and ends, but to me it’s quite clear that a day merges through multitude shades and intonations with each passing moment” (Zusak 4).

Intertextual InformationThe main character,Tessa Grey, of “The Infernal Devices”trilogy by Cassandra Clare thinks the same way Liesel does. She finds comfort in books, she is a hard driven woman who pays attention to the little things, not the big picture.

“There were people of every stature, but among them, the poor were most easily recognized” (Zusak 25).

Intertextual InformationIn “The Selection” trilogy by Kiera Cass they have similar totalitarian governments. But they have a very strict chaste system that go from royalty to the lowest of the low. Each level is distinguished by their appearance, job and housing so they are easily identified.

“She had hidden her last link to him-The Grave Diggers Handbook- under her mattress and occasionally.. hold it” (Zusak 38).

Intertextual Information-------------SPOILER--------------In the concluding book to the “Divergent” series, “Allegiant” Tobias holds onto Tris’ ashes for a few years until he is finally able to accept that she is gone. Just like Liesel mourning her brother, it took him a while to take in she’s gone.

Questions

“Rudy tried what appeared to be a masterful new tactic, Pity” (Zusak 271). > How desperate is Rudy wanting to steal a kiss Liesel and what extent will he go to to be with her?

“If we gamble on a Jew.. I would prefer to gamble on a live one” (Zusak 215).>What does he mean by gamble? Does he mean with money, the chances of being caught, giving up their food to him?

Questions

“She was going to read the book. The excitement stood up in her” (Zusak 65).~ When Liesel was getting ready to read in front of the whole class, she didn’t know she would make a fool of herself. Would she go and do it again if she knew the level of reading the other children were doing?

“Even at the time, he sounded unconvincing, as if he wasn’t telling Liesel something. Word of her mother had also been tight-lipped on Frau Heinrich’s brief visit” (Zusak 95).~Could this possibly hint that the mother is dead, missing, or not wanting to be mentioned?

Questions

“He clenched his eyes. Then opened them. He slapped Liesel Meminger squarely across the face” (Zusak 116).~Does it pain him to smack his beloved daughter across the face for thinking the correct things? For having common sense and knowing what is right from wrong?

):

“So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them” (Zusak 303).>This made me extremely sad because they are evidence that love can be at any age and is just as deep as any love.

Personal Reaction

“Then there was a resurgence- an immense struggle against my weight” (Zusak 318).>Max is fighting against the hands of death, just like he promised himself many years ago, that death could never take him without a fight.~It is very inspiring for me to hear that some people do have that drive to stand up and fight when there is always an easier option. That virtue of motivation is something everyone needs to improve on, myself included.

Personal Reaction

“... she was given what was known as a watshen… a good hiding” (Zusak 75).

Contextual Information

Back in that time era, it was not uncommon for children to receive punishment at school. Teachers were allowed to hit them and teach them the correct way of doing things by inflicting pain, especially in catholic school.

“Well don’t ask her either’ he dropped some ash outside ‘she left school in third grade” (Zusak 39).

Contextual Information

Even today kids are not required to stay in school until they are eighteen all over the world. They can drop out to support their families or just stop going at a certain age. Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for them to drop out after elementary school to work.

*In “The Book Thief” a little girl named Liesel is put into a foster family with the Hubermanns. Living in Germany at the time of World War II, their life becomes extensively difficult overcoming many battles. Throughout the plot line readers start going through Liesel’s life of friendships, tragedies and learning experiences. Being taught by the Nazi’s in catholic school then her papa at night, her love for reading never ceases. She thinks she is doing fine until she meets her new jewish best friend, Max Vandenburg. When he is brought into the picture her point of view on life changes completely once she gets to know what is really happening in the world. The Nazi’s think they have full control over their citizens, but hey can’t be more wrong about the Hubermanns.

Synthesis

“propaganda informed him that it was only a matter of time before a plague of Jewish tailors showed up and stole his customers” (Zusak 59).>This whole book if based around the power of the Nazi party over all the citizens and how they are lying to them about everything.

“Herr Hitler, you begin to lose. Should this occur, I will be quite willing to turn a blind eye to any unconscionable tactics you might employ to grind this piece of Jewish stench and filth into the canvas” (Zusak 252).>All of the people are under his rule and to not get punished, they favor Hitler and give him bigger advantages/ opprotunities.

Synthesis

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