ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How has your text contributed to the world of ideas both historically and in the present moment? What ideas in the text are relevant and why? How do you know?
Book Summary:
The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, who is preparing to meet her foster parents. Along the way, tragedy strikes and Liesel is left sibling-less. When she meets her new parents, she is depressed and alone. But one night, she wets the bed and discovers a whole different side of her new parents, the fun-loving educational side. This point of view is an omniscient third person, yet it's still a first person because Death is narrating it.
Characters:
Liesel MemingerLiesel Meminger is on her way to her new foster parents house when tragedy strikes, and her brother dies, cold and sick on the train with her. Liesel now has to face her new parents alone, but soon finds a neighborhood friend.
"Upon her arrival, you could still see the white bite marks
of snow on her hands and the frosty blood on her fingers. Everything about her was undernourished. Wirelike shins. Coat hanger arms. She did not produce it easily, but when it came, she had a starving smile. Her brown hair was a close enough German blond, but she had dangerous eyes. Dark brown. You didn't really come across brown eyes in Germany around that time." (page 31) Hans HubermannHans (a.k.a. Papa), is the foster father of Liesel. Hans is seen from the outside as slow and unintelligent, yet with a big heart. He shows us this by teaching Liesel to read even though Hans has had a bare minimum of education.
"To most people, Hans Hubermann was barely visible. An un-special person. Certainly, his painting skills were excellent. His musical ability was better than average. Somehow, though, and I'm sure you've met people like this, he was able to appear as merely part of the background, even if he was standing at the front of a line. He was always just there. Not noticeable. Not important or particularly valuable.
[...] There most definitely was value in him, and it did not go unnoticed by Liesel Meminger. (The human child-so much cannier at times than the stupefying ponderous adult.) She saw it immediately. His manner. The quiet air around him. [...] Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver. Like soft silver melting. Liesel, upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot." (page 34) |
Rudy SteinerAccording to Liesel's first opinion of Rudy, he is a boy obsessed with Jesse Owens, and girl crazy. But as their friendship blossoms, Liesel discovers another side of Rudy, the big-hearted side of him who cares for her well-being.
"He was eight months older than Liesel and had bony legs, sharp teeth, gangly blue eyes, and the hair the color of lemons. One of six Steiner children, he was permanently hungry. On Himmel street, he was considered a little crazy." (page 48)
Rosa HubermannRosa (a.k.a. Mama), is the foster mother of Liesel Meminger, who was an uptight and strict foster mother who often went about calling Liesel saumensch, and saukerl. And even though Rosa didn't seem to have much of a heart, she surprises Liesel when she shows her a side Liesel hadn't seen before.
"Make no mistake, the woman had a heart.
She had a bigger one that people would think. There was a lot in it, stored up, high in miles of hidden shelving. Remember that she was the woman with the instrument strapped to her body in the long, moon-slit night. " (page Max VandenburgMax, the son of Erik Vandenburg, is a fist-fighter. Max enjoys winning, and never gives up. But Max, a Jew, is soon faced with a tough decision regarding his family and his welfare.
Ilsa HermannAlso known as the mayor's wife, Frau Hermann is one of Rosa Hubermann's laundry customers. Always wearing a bathrobe, Ilsa is a kind person who lets Liesel into her house (and life) primarily to read books, but in result, forms a close relationship.
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Photo Sources: http://curiouseggs.com/rare-photos-of-nazi-germany-in-color/ (National Archives of Norway)