-
Exposition
Protagonist: Liesel Meminger
Antagonist: Adolf Hilter
Setting: 1930's and 1940's during World War II
Setting: Munich, Germany on Himmel Street
Internal Conflict: Liesel's mother sends her to live with her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, in Munich, Germany (p 8)
External Confllict: World War II -
Start of the Book Thief
Liesel, her brother Werner, and their mother are on their way to Molching, German. Their mother was taking them to a foster home. On the way Werner died and his body was beried next to the tracks. Liesel takes "The Grave Digger Handbook" from one of the grave diggers. (p. 0-23) -
Rising Actions
Liesel realized after hearing one of the Nazi spokesman calling for death to Communists as well as Jews, Liesel relized that it was Hitlers fault for her family being gone. (p 115-116) After the burning party, Hitler became Liesel sworn ememy, driving her to steal her second book 'The Shoulder Shrug' from the pile. (120) -
Climax
Jews were marching through Himmel Street on their way to a concetration camp. (p 392) Hans saw a Jew who was extremely weak and Han gave him a chunk of bread. (p 394) With the fear of the Nazi soldiers searching the house, Max had to leave that very night. (p 397) Han was accepted into the NSDAP and goes off to war, for his punishment for his actions. (p417-423) -
Falling Action
Liesel recieves a journal from Ilsa so she can write her own story. (p 523) Liesel sits in the basement and writes down her life in Molching and every event that happened while she was living with the Hubermans. (p526-528)While in her basement on Himmel Street writing her story there was an air raid siren going off, and then killed everyone she knew. (p 536-538) She had to learn how to move on after saying good bye to her friends and family. -
Conclusion
Max returns to Liesel after the war is over. (p 549) Liesel moves to Sydney Australia, is married, has three children and grandchildren. (543-544) We are not given the information is Liesel and Max were married, however, it would seem as if they did since they met so much to each other. -
Colors part 2
"The last time I saw her was red" This was in part ten (p 536-539) death finds piles of bodies stuck to the ground, he wondered if they were glued there. These three colors represent the times that death had run in with Liesel. The meaning behind it, is that Nazism is responsible for the deaths in her life. -
Colors
Death uses colors to distract him from the humans who haunt him, the anguished survivors of death. Death states that colors relaxes him. (p 0-19) Death discribes three colors--red (dash), white (circle), and black (swastika). The first time was when Wener dies. Death describes the blinding white of the snow. (p 19) The second is black, when Rudy places a teady bear next to the American pilot. Death discribes the black night. (p 490-491) "The last time I saw her was red" (Cont.) -
Forshadowing- Death is part of life
At the beginning of the book, death introduces himself by telling us "You are going to die" (p 3) He tells the reader though out the book that he is just doing his job. He further states that he doesn't need to introduce himself "You will know me well enough and soon enough." (p 4) He is also aware that most people don't believe him or dening he is real. -
Theme- Love
Han's ability to remove Liesel from the car in such a quiet and gentle way forshadows the close relationship the two will develope in the story. Han teaches Liesel how to read, so she can read the 'Grave Digger'. (p 64-68) This book was something that connected her to her mother and brother. "You know, Liesel? I nearly wrote you a reply and signed your mother's name.... But I couldn't I couldn't bring myself." (16.1) Hans demonstrates that sometimes love simply means telling the truth. -
Theme- Courage
Through out the book Hans shows endless amount of courage. He shows his courageousness when hiding Max in his basement which is a huge risk. (p 138) At that time period, offering mercy to the Jews was an act that no one should do. A second act of courage was when the Jews were marching, he sees an old Jew fall down and offers him help and a peice of bread which leads him to get drafted in to the army. (p 390-395) -
I am Haunted by Humans (p 500)
Liesel lives to be an old age, and when she dies Death shows her, her book she wrote 'Book Theif' (p 526-528) that he took from a garbage truck after it was left on the ground.(p 539). Death tells Liesel that he is haunted by humans as humans are haunted by death. (p 500) What haunts Death most is how humans are capable of both extreams of good and evil and this troubles him and lingers in his mind because it is unsolvable. -
Personnel Connection
I know it is not the same, however, as I read this book I see some characteristics in Liesel in my step mom. She has seen death in and out of the Corps (doesn't talk much about it). Went from hating reading to loving it, and even writing her own stories (non published). Their stories our completely different, but at the same time very similar. I could not imagine living a life like my step mom and Liesel. They are my hero's -
Love and Courage
This book was amazing, I was unable to put it down. It was like riding a roller coster of emotions. I wish I could show the love and courage that the characters in this story have done. I believe and hope if I had to, I would help someone like Max regardless if it puts my own life in harms way. Or give food to someone who needs it more than me. I guess the main moral of the story is "Do onto others, as if you would want them to do onto you." And speek the truth regardless what will happen to you -
Death
There is something about death that I can not shake. I like everyone else thinks of the black cape and his sickle. And the fact that noone really wants to think about death and how it could never happen to them. "You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables." (p 4) This quate means there is alot of ways to die and that death is inevitable. Everyone Dies. I wonder what death will look like for me. (I have no desire to die any time soon)
