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How does this book compare to others you have read?
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2. No text-talk: writing style counts.
3. DON'T YELL WITH CAPITALS!
4. Stay on topic: our purpose is to discuss literature.
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I'm about 10% through the novel and so far I don't feel as though i know much of anything about the characters. In 'The Book Thief' so far, the book has mainly focused on the narrator, Death, and the typical amount of personality that would've be displayed of characters at this point in most other books (eg. To Kill a Mockingbird where all we heard was about scout and her family)doesn't really paint a good picture of their personalities, which for me, is often a defining point of a novel on the realistic development of character personality and behavior.
ReplyDeleteEssentially I'm still waiting for the personalities to reveal themselves more so, but the first 10th has disappointed me in this area.
I find that Death is a very interesting character so far, like how he is both straightforward, but mysterious at the same time. He acts like the commentator of the story, like an all seeing eye. And even though his "job" must bring him all over the world all the time, he seems to be intruiged by one person in particular. Death knows everything about Liesel, which leads the reader to think that he will follow her all her life... until she dies...
ReplyDeleteDeath being the main character,and not really a person at all, kind of intensifies the reading experience for me. Mostly in the sense that I dont read a lot of books, and how this one so far seems to be substantially different than any book that I've ever read. Another point that I'd like to add is the fact that I agree with, is that the characters are under-developed, but it is really early in the book. Therefore if we give it some time the characters will develop a putpose and a destiny within the book itself.
ReplyDeleteWell as everybody points out, Death is the main commentator,But i also feel that we will meet more charactors as well as more protagonists and antagonists. But I also feel that were not that far in the book to assume that anybody is right or wrong about Death and Liesel. Keep reading to find out more?
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite character so far is Hans Hubermann because in my opinon his character is well developed. From what I have read he is: artistic, musical, uplifting, kind, and amiable. I think that he is the best foster dad that Liesle could have asked for. For instance on page 36, it says that whenever Liesle would have nightmares Hans Hubermann, her new papa would come in her room "to soothe her, to love her" and that show that he is a kind and caring man.
ReplyDeleteI love Hans! Not only has he shown Liesel an enormous amount of love but he's also shown her friendship. Hans always puts Liesel first. He's the one who stays up all night with her, and saves his cigarettes to buy her presents. He's the only person so far that has been patient, calm and supportive with Liesel. For example, with teaching her how to read and write. Also, when Liesel first came to Himmel street, Hans was the one that was able to comfort her. When Liesel has nightmares and wets the bed, it's Hans who comes and cleans everything up but still manages to let Liesel maintain some dignity.
ReplyDeleteIt's also refreshing to finally read a book where the foster girl is truly loved by her foster father insead of, like in so many other books out there, abused him.
I agree with Amy, Hans is a kind and loving person. He defends Liesel and realizes that shes going through a tough time, with her mother abandoning her and her brother dying. He spends lots of time with her and really shows that he loves her.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't think of Death as a character in this book. I see him as the narrator, who jumps in occasionally to take someone's soul, and then jumps back out to continue telling the story. I see him as more of a commentator, like a sports' commentator: not actually part of the game, just explaining what he sees.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie, I don't really see Death as a character although he is in the book. He's more like an observer or as most people said, a commentator. Hans really is an interesting character. At first I thought of him as just an ordinary, kind and loving man that lived quite happily on Himmel street and smoked his cigarettes as he reads with Liesel, but further into the book I kept getting a suspicious feeling about him, like he was hiding some sort of secret or he was planning something. I thought it was weird that he didn't join the 'nazi club' yet, but he had a good reason not to. I find him as a very respectful man in general.
ReplyDeleteSo far from reading through this book their have been know real characters. The only character is death but he truley is not real. He is only the narrator. To any normal person you would think he is a real character. I had to get used to teh fact that he is not. It was tough because the way he narrates in the book you would automatically think he is a character. This is going to play a huge role in making this book interesting.
ReplyDeleteHans Hubberman is an excellent character. He is always so loving and nice. I love how he always shows his protection over Liesel. He always puts her before himself. Whenever Liesel's foster mother is getting angry with her he always protects her and sticks up for her. He stays up late and reads with her to all hours of the night. Hans will do anything for Leisel. As we all know, Hans is an avid smoker. He trades in his bad habit for books so that Leisel will be happy. Hans is an awesome character and I hope to see him become even greater as the story progresses.
ReplyDeletePersonally I see Death as being a character in the book. Though he only says he saw Leisel three times, he seems to know everything and it's as if he's always there, lurking in the dark corners of the basement when Hans is teaching Leisel to read or in the hallway as she receives he beatings. We know nothing of Death's appearance and for me this adds to the story. You can imagine Death as anything based on the wise and caring personality Zusak gives Death. Zusak's version of Death is much different then that of other figures used to portray a usually ominous character, which is why the lack of physical description makes it easier to imagine a Death of this manner. This Death doesn't want to take the souls of the dead or to be isolated from the world.
ReplyDeleteAt first I found this a difficult idea to swallow as I have many opinions associated with certain characters and Death was one of them. Seeing Death as a good character was different for me but then again a lot of the characters in this novel and even the whole approach to this story this way. I look forward to continue reading and learning about the stereotype-breaking characters Zusak has created.
In my opinion Hans Huberman is the father most people would love to have. As i was reading I kept thinking about Hans compared to the character Atticus Finch from "To Kill a Mocking Bird". Both are extremely loved fathers by there children/foster child and both have their own method of parenting.
ReplyDeleteIn Atticus's case, he is a stern and strict father that teaches morals through letting his children make mistakes before learning. He also has a lot of respect for his children which made for a whole different type of father that many people do not know.
On the other hand, Hans Huberman is a loving, caring, outgoing father who goes all out to please Liesel whenever he can. If it is not waking up each night calming her down and cleaning her sheets after a nightmare, it is teaching her to read and write till morning.
Although both have different teaching methods and morals they are both good fathers with loving children. I look forward to finding more relatable topics to these two fathers throughout the book.
Personally, I also like Liesel's foster fater Hans. He just seems so willing to help her, and is even willing to defy and anger his wife to do it. I also think it is rather nice of hime to pay so much attention to Liesel because he knows how lonely and misunderstood she is. That's why I think they get along so well, because people don't understand them. Hans is not a Jew, but he is not a nazi either, so people don't know what to think of him. Meanwhile Liesel is just this little German girl without any other family, so she is kind of an odd one out.
ReplyDeleteI really like how the author has developed these two characters so far, because I find that they are very interesting in their own ways, and I am starting to understand them and what they may be thinking even before their thoughts are mentioned.
I agree with Chris and Kirstin. Hans Hubermann is a great foster father for Liesel. He does in fact remind me of Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" quiet a lot. They both teach their children useful things in life and both understand how children can be. I really like Hans, he is a very intelligent, kind man. I think it is great that he is helping Liesel out with reading and writing. It is really nice that he plays accordion for Liesel when she is sad and he seems to really understand her even though she is only his foster child. He is always there for Liesel and he understands why she is having night terrors and wetting the bed. He also forgave her stealing a book. I feel his connection with Liesel is very strong and I really like him as a character. I can't wait to see how he is going to develop more throughout the book and see what connections he will grow with Liesel.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Chris he made a excellent assumption about comparing Atticus and hans. As the others stated Hans Hubermann was indeed my favorite character in the novel so far, hes protected liesel and was always there for her especially during her nightmares and constant bed wetting. Hans was very supportive even though he didn't know how to read he still continued on to help liesel learn how. My thoughts on Rosa.. I feel that she is not a good mother i think most of you guys would agree on that it seems to me she only cares about liesel when it ends up being a benefit for her in the novel she ends up using liesel to do her job, but liesel did not mind as she enjoyed being out of the house.
ReplyDeleteThere is one character in the novel that I have very mixed feelings for. It is Rosa Hubermann – the woman with the iron fist. At the beginning I really did not like her behavior and the way she develops relationship with her family. Her constant grumbling, arguing and complaining really annoyed me, and I even wondered how it is possible to live with such woman. It even says in the book that Rosa could argue with the entire world in her kitchen even though there is no one really to argue with. The words like, “Saumensch” and “Arschloch” are probably the most popular in their house only due to Rosa. All rebellions in the house seem to start only because of her repugnant nature and prejudiced attitude towards everything. Still, if you stop and think, the question might pop up into your head, “Why is she this way?” I can’t believe that she always was such a grumbler; there is always a good reason behind person’s negative behavior. It is just hidden deeply within under a thick cover of grudge. In Rosa’ s case, I think the reason is that her life is simply not easy due to the luck of money and hard work that she does for just surviving every day. After looking on the Rosa’s character from this perspective, I even feel sorry and compassionate for her. No matter how much she complains and argues, she does not give up or ever puts her hands down. There are even times when Rosa throws off her shell of callous and cynical person, showing her real self being a very king and caring mother, like when she was wondering whether Liesel was warm enough after she and her foster father went to the beach to read (Zusak,70). Maybe if someone really tried to listen and understand her, she would even melt completely? For now I could only surmise, but I am very interested in getting to know this character and see her developing more thorough out the story.
ReplyDeleteI kind of agree with Eskender but not fully, I mean yes it does SEEM like Rosa is a bad mother because she makes Liesle do her work and also because she has a very aggravating way of showing she cares; by that I mean she can't have a normal conversation with anyone without insulting them every other second, and like Elvina said Rosa could argue with the entire world in her kitchen even though there is no one really to argue with (I find that really anoying). But there is also another way of looking at the situation you see I think that if Rosa was a terrible or a careless mother she wouldn't have let Liesle stay at her house, she wouldn't have cared if she were fed or not, and she wouldn't have cared whether Liesle took a bath or not like on page 35: "When Liesle finally had a bath, after two weeks of living on Himmel Street, Rosa gave her an enormous, injury-inducing hug." Personally I thought that was very motherly of her. But hands down Hans is the more supportive, understanding, and sweet parent, but that doesn't mean that Rosa is a bad parent, I just think that she has a very strange and infuriating way of showing she cares.
ReplyDeleteI find Rosa Huberman an interesting character. It seems like she hates Liesel. But in the book it says that Liesel loves Rosa and that Rosa loves Liesel. Obviously Rosa can't be completely uncaring if Liesel loves her. Also, every once in a while, we catch glimpses of Rosa's motherly side, like when she asks Leisel if she's warm enough on page 70. But how can a person who beats a girl the way Rosa does on page 99, love her?
ReplyDeleteI do not like Rosa Hubermann as a character. It seems to me that she does not try very hard to have a strong connection with Liesel. Hans on the other hand is trying very hard. It feels like Rosa does not care for Liesel in some ways but in other ways cares to much like how she got angry with her. She hit Liesel, which I do not understand how she can do. Sure, Rosa could be angry but to hit someone you love with a spoon just does not comprehend with me. Which is why I don't understand how she "loves" Liesel... Well she sure doesn't show her love greatly like Hans does.
ReplyDeleteThough I agree with everyone about Hans being a very caring father, I am frustrated with his lack of courage. I know it's easy for me to criticize now, save from the rage of the Führer, but I believe that Hans has the ability to be a better example for Leisel in the area of standing up for what you believe is right.
ReplyDeleteWe know that Hans is not a Nazi and does not want to be one but he still succumbs to the pressure of his only son Hans Junior to apply, yet again, to the Nazi party. He has the power to speak against Hitler and he has the power to act according to his words. Or a least teach his foster daughter what he believes, rather then allowing her to learn false information. To give him some credit it was not only Hans but Rudy's father and possibly many other Germans, who remained silent.
I would like to think that I would have the courage to stand up to Hitler's words, his suggestions and orders but maybe the power and support those words had gathered would stop me, just as it stopped many people then. So now I wait, wishing for Hans to say something in hopes of thwarting a quick growing weed.
I love the way the author wrote the character of Hans Hubermann. He is such a loving, compassionate foster-father to Liesel, which she clearly needs after everything she's been through. This tends to be the opposite of the role foster-parents play in most books. I also think that what he is doing by teaching Liesel to read is very important for their relationship, and I think it will affect the story later on. I'm very happy that the author put someone in Liesel's life that can help her out and be there for her.
ReplyDeleteAgain, i also agree that Rosa Hubermann seems like a nasty women. On the outside she seems negative, aggressive and demanding, but on the inside i think she might be a loving, caring and even a nice mother. In the book Rosa constantly demands and yells at Liesel for little things and usually includes "Saukerl" or "Saumensch", but when you really notice some of the things Rosa tells her to do are because she cares about Liesel. Except she just tells her in a rude and disrespectful way. For example, in the book Rosa yells at Liesel if she had a jacket because it was cold outside, but as usual not politely. So, maybe Rosa just shows her affection in a different way and her curses and negativity are just a way of showing it. I also think that Rosa does love Liesel a lot and if she does show her affection with curses, then wouldn't that signify just how much she loves Liesel, since she mostly expresses them to her.
ReplyDeleteI have read about 20% of the book and the characters traits are starting to become more apparent. I also agree with everyone that Hans is a very caring character. Liesel is not the smartest of people and it shows on page 39 when it says "humiliatingly, she was cast down with the younger kids, who were only just learning the alphabet." So her foster father enhances her reading and writing techniques. He lets her write with paints on the cement in the basement. He has her side when her foster mother, Rosa tells her to go do the laundry deliveries with her. He is a very lovable foster parent and always cares about her. He is a very compassionate father to her and she also loves him a lot. I also agree with Amy about Rosa being a very interesting person. She loves Rosa but, it mostly shows her as a very angry person to Liesel. She always screams at her to do work and she yells at her when she doesn't do things proper. On page 40 it tells us that Liesel received a broken doll for turning 10 because the Hubermann's are very poor. Instead of being like her husband who shows us that he feels very bad about the present, she says "what are you talking about? She’s lucky to have that much". It says that they both love each other but I don't see how this works, Rosa abuses her and always yells at her. How could this be right?
ReplyDeleteSo far from reading this book i think that we can all tell that Rosa Hubberman is not the nicest lady. She is always looking for something to complain about and always trys to point of the flaws in everything. She is always very demanding. Normally a foster parent would try and be nice to their foster child but no, not this lady. She always gives off this negative vibe when ever she comes into the story. I am hoping to see her grow into a living foster parent.
ReplyDeleteI see Rosa Huberman as an interesting character. Yes, she yells and punishes Liesel for stupid little things, but really, I think she actually has feelings for Liesel and others. Rosa may not show them in always the nicest way, but I think those feelings are just hidden by her hard exteriour. After all, she gives Liesel a home, and cares for her. And even when she beat Liesel, she was sorry afterwards. And when she gets mad at Hans, he laughs it off because he knows she loves him.I believe it is just her way of expressing that she actually cares. But once in a while, we see Rosa's soft side, and I think the mean character we see is just an act.
ReplyDeleteMax Vandenburg is another interesting character. In his younger years, we heard of how he was very outgoing, always picking fights and making friends. But now, he is described as a meek, scared and a self-battering man. Max thinks he has no rights, and that he is guilty for many things, like deserting his family to save his own life. Even when Max comes to live with the Hubermans, he feels he deserves all the worst possible conditions. Max is overwhelemed by guilt and shame, and he sounds just like a small helpless child who cannot fend for themself.
ReplyDeletePersonnally, I like Max Vandenburg's character, and I find him fascinating. I think it is nice how he befriends Liesel, and feels so sorry when he doesn't have anything to give her on her birthday. I also enjoyed how he wrote "The Standover Man" for Liesel, because it relects an act of friendship, and even trust, that would be a very unstable option at that time in Germany
Max Vandenbug seems like a very interesting character, because it seems he's very different when he's older then from his childhood, personality wise. When he was younger he seemed like a tough kid who loved a fight, but when came and lived with the Hubermann's when he was 24, he seemed like a different person. He acted scared, quite and hesitant. It also seemed like he didn't think he should get the best, for example thinking that the only place he should stay is the Hubermann's basement and not Liesel's bedroom, aswell as asking for only the scraps to eat instead of a descent meal. Though, this just shows what Max must've been through before he came to the Hubermann's and how he was treated. Though, he's a Jew so it's not that surprising that he'd act that way. He's basically hiding for his life, so if that means sleeping in the cold and eating scraps, it would make sense. As i keep reading i also notice that Max and Liesel become close. Liesel first wanted nothing to do with Max and like death described denied his existence. But they're relationship becomes more when they share their dreams with each other and can relate with their pasts, for example they've both lost close people in their life. I think that Max and Liesel will become very close in the book and this is just the start.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I'm not very fond of the character Rosa Hubermann. She's a very harsh, outspoken woman. I know she cares about Liesel, because if she didn't she could just send her to an orphanage. But, although I know that she does love Liesel, I wish she could show it in a more loving, mother-y way. I think that Liesel really needs a loving mother-figure after the life she's already had. However, Rosa Hubermann does not fill that role. I'm very glad that the author wrote Hans' personality the way he did, as Liesel desperately needs loving parents. Hans and Rosa don't seem very compatible, and their personalities severely clash, but I think that just makes the book more interesting.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Rosa Hubermann seems to have a very 'tough exterior' and acts mean while throwing out vicious words, I think she's a kind woman, but just doesn't show it. On page 204, after Liesel was given a very serious lecture from Hans, she went upstairs with a tear-stained face and Rosa pulled her into a rugged embrace asking her if, "all is good?" which was accompanied by her favourite word - 'saumensch'. Despite her loud ways, during rough times she shows a softer, calmer side to her. On page 211 the bolded note stated, "She was a good woman for a crisis." When times were tough at home, she still managed to keep everything together, making food for the family and even providing a shelter for Max. When Rosa talked to Liesel, she no longer seemed to be agitated or threw out demands in the rude way she used to. She now talks to her calmly, makes sure that Liesel understands that she must keep the secret safe, then pats her on the back and calls her a good girl. Even when her very last customer stopped their business with Rosa, she didn't curse the family in anger. Instead, Rosa asked, "What did you go there you little saumensch." After followed the line, "The sentence was numb. She could not muster her usual venom." Liesel even offered to let Rosa give her a 'watschen', but she didn't do it. I think that there's more to Rosa Hubermann than her mean demeanor, but it's just not written in an obvious way or she hasn't showed her true self yet. From the washings Rosa does, I think she's a hardworking and patient person. To wash and iron out the clothes take time and effort. You have to apply a lot of pressure/strength when ironing. To do the wahsing of the clothes take a lot of time because there were no washing machines back then, there were only scrub boards. When she had many customers, she would do all of it herself.
ReplyDeleteAs people have said before i think Hans Hubberman is a very caring and compassionate person. The way he excepted Liesel as if he were her real father, not just her foster parent i found to be really sweet. I liked the way he would wake up with her every night at the same time during her night mares, not all parents especailly foster parents would do that. I think Hans is exactly the kind of parent Liesel needs after everything she has been through. The way Hans teaches Liesel to read is interesting as well considering he isn't the strongest reader himself.
ReplyDeleteI find the character Rosa Hubberman doesn't seem to be the nicest of people the way she always puts Hans down by saying he's useless and other things. The way she even yells cruel words at Liesel, that is not what she needs after everything she's been through, but at least she has Hans. In some ways i find Rosa has more of a secretive side to her, but i guess i will just have to read more to find out!
ReplyDeleteRosa Hubberman is a well developed character, I really like her because shes very independant and her way of communicating with Lisel, is teaching Lisel to be independant too. Some people might think shes mean but I think its just her way of dealing with a situation.
ReplyDeleteI love the character of Hans Hubermann. When we heard about the Hubermanns, I liked him more than Rosa. I thought it was so cute how Hans and Liesel became inseperable in such a small amount of time. He acted like Liesel's father and not just a guardian. I think he is a very caring person towards everyone around him. The way he stays up with Liesel all night to read with her and helps her with her reading is so sweet of him. Also he must be something special because anyone that can take all Rosa's comments and not snap back, is different (in a good way). I think of him as a strong individual as well because he is following him beliefs with not joining the Nazi party when everyone is telling him to. Hans is a different character of what I thought all Germans were at that time. I believed that all Germans hated the Jews, but Hans shows the reader that it wasn't the way that we believed it to be before. He seems to be a great role model for Liesel.
ReplyDeleteSo far my favorite developed charater would have to be Hans Hubermann. This character is well developed he is Liesels mentor he teaches her to read and write, and is there to give her advice when she seeks it. He has a strong powerful personality and never make Liesel scared of the situation they are faced with. The book doesn't talk much about Rosa she is not as well developed, and even thought Hans and Rosa have there moments he just takes it in stride. He gives lots of love to Liesel aand Max even thought he has only know them for a little while. He is risking his life and his familys lifes for the well being of Max, to me this is a strong character.
ReplyDeleteRosa Hubberman is always been so mean to everyone. She is always putting Hans down saying that he is worthless and doesnt have a purpose. She has nothing but mean things to say about people. Its almost as if her main goal to to make other peoples lives misserable. I cant believe that Hans Hubberman puts up with her. If i was Hans i probably wouldnt be with her. Somehow he manages to pull it all together and stay calm through the roughest of her moods. I have a feeling that in some part in this book he is going to leave her. At the same time i think he might not leave her because he cares alot about Leisel and he really wants to stay in her life.
ReplyDeleteMax Vandenburg is a Jew that Hans had agreed to help since Max's father had once saved his life and promised to his wife that if they ever need any help, Hans will do what he can. So the twenty-four year old left his family for safety. Although he said he didn't want to, his heart selfishly did and Max felt bad for it when he thought back to when he left his family. He regretted not turning back around to take one last look at them. With the help of his friend, Walter, who occasionally came to bring him food and items that Hans wanted to give Max, Walter hid him in a storage room that was kept dark. "Help." It's a word that is constantly in Maxs life now that he's in danger. He needed Walters help, then Hans, Rosa and Liesel. I'm sure he felt bad that where ever he went, he always needed someones help, so he tried his best to hide himself downstairs in the Hubermanns basement and try to stay out of their sight. I remember in the pictures that Max drew it revealed that he was afraid to fall asleep because he was scared to see who would be standing over him when he wakes up (the Nazis). You may think that Max would be a very quiet and polite person - as he is, but when he was younger he enjoyed fighting. He lost most of the time, but he never gave up. As time progresses, he became great friends with Liesel. Everyday, she would scavenge the streets for any newspaper with crosswords and bring them home for Max. When Max was sick, Liesel would bring him small gifts like a pinecone, a button and even a scratched up toy soldier. On Liesels birthday, he didn't prepare any gifts for her, but he made a small book out of the pages in Mein Kampf and drew a story on them. I feel that there is a relationship growing, but it's kind of restricted at this point - as if Max is holding back. Possibly because he's a Jew and he's putting the Hubermanns in danger. If the Nazi's or anyone else found Max alive in the Hubermanns basement, they would get punished. If they found him dead, they would still get punished. Either way the whole family is in danger. I read in one chapter that when Max went to bed at night, he would keep his shoes on just in case he had to leave 'home' again. I think Max still has his silly side to him. Well, not silly, but... Determined. He would stand in the dark alone and imagine that he was fighting Hitler. Although he would lose in the imaginary fight, it's as if they were telling the story of his life because Hitler made people get inside the ring to kill Max and in real life, Hitler has already made people that way, so if they saw Max he would get killed or beaten up.
ReplyDeleteThe Character that sticks out to me the most is Rosa Hubermann. The thing's she says,and her actions are very much alike. She has a very rough exterior towards Liesel and Hans, but i think on the inside she has a strong heart and feelings. During the book so far she is always swearing at Hans, and doesn't treat him like a normal husband,but deep down i think she really does love him, but just does not know how to show it at the time.
ReplyDeleteEvery time that Liesel goes to the mayor's house to deliver the laundry, I question myself about Ilsa Herman (the mayor's wife). You would think that after she saw Liesel take the book out of the fire, she would be cold towards Liesel. Certainly not invite her into their home and allow her to read books with her. But once she let her in the house she never said a word to her until Liesel left and she said goodbye. I always get an eerie feeling with Ilsa Hermann. I keep getting the impression that she's hiding something from Liesel that she wants to tell her but is scared to.
ReplyDeleteI have the impression that Ilsa's kindness towards Liesel might be because she feels sorry for Liesel. You could feel the guilt that Ilsa felt when she gave Liesel the letter telling Rosa that she had to cancel her laundry orders. I'm guessing that Ilsa will have a part in Liesel's life later on in the book because she wouldn't just be there for a bit and then disappear.
Death as a character is very strange to me. First, the idea of death actually being a character is different because when I first hear this word I don't think of it as a person, but as a tragedy or something we should all be scared of. He's also very different then what i thought death would actually be like as a person. Originally i kind of thought he wouldn't care so much for people, he's dark and his personality would be quite creepy. Though, in the book Death is more described as hardworking, dedicated and a character that could be treated as a normal person. When I read the book, i too agree that sometimes you forget he's the one narrating because he doesn't seem like the type of character Markus would choose for death.
ReplyDeleteDeath treats what he does as any other job, that it's stressful, hard, but it has to be done. Though, I'm a bit bothered by the fact that death doesn't really have sympathy for people. I understand it's his job and he knows when everyones going to die, but the way he narrates and describes Liesel and all the other characters makes me think he does, then when he makes some remarques about it, then it doesn't seem like he does. For example, when he told us that Rudy was going to die, Death said he has so much to live for and didn't deserve the way that he died. So, i kind of thought that was sympathetic of him, until he made a remarque about Rudy actually maybe liking the night that he would die. So, it's just a bit confusing for me.
Overall, i do like death as a character because he's different, unusual and unexpected.
I do agree with everyone's post about Hans Hubberman being a great foster father, but I disagree with Shandra that he is showing a lack of courage. Doing anything beyond what he is doing now would be reckless and put himself and his family in danger. The fact that he was not eager to join the Nazi party, and that he does not actually help with the destruction of Jewish property or harm Jews is already enough to be proud of, but then he goes beyond that and lets a Jewish person hide in his basement, which poses a huge risk for his family. Hans does not have enough power that his words would really make a difference if he spread them around, he would be more likely to be killed. In his position I think he did exactly the right thing: concentrating on his family and working against Nazis in a discreet way.
ReplyDeleteto taylors comment- yeah Rosa Hubberman never has anything postive to say. She is always negative and calling everyone Saumensch or Saukerl. Also she makes Liesel deliver the washing and do her work and has no appreciation toward her.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite character so far is Hans Hubermann. He is a sweet and gentle man who wants his new foster daughter to feel like she’s at home in his house. He is constantly there for his new foster daughter who has nightmares. I love how their relationship grows as they get to know each other better each night as they stay up reading together. As their relationship progresses you almost forget that they aren't really related and how they have both lean on each other in a variety of different situations.
ReplyDeleteI have changed my opinion on Hans. Though he was not the bravest man in the war he still fought to represent his country, which I learned after reading more about his life. Going into war itself, despite being one on the front lines, shows an abundance of courage in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAlso after learning about him letting Max, a Jew into his home I realized that this was his more discreet and less dangerous way of defying Hitler. I do agree with Martina more about how dangerous it would be for not only him but his family, if he publically defied the Nazis and I therefore have changed my opinion on him. I now see Hans as a subtly courageous man and a very good role model on morals, among other things, for Leisel.
Liesel is the main character and she definitely carries the majority of the story. Because of this, one of the things that I find interesting is the fact that she has her twelfth birthday while they are hiding Max in the basement. I personally know some 12 year olds, and generally they aren't the best at keeping secrets. Even if they are scared, and trying their best it would probably eventually slip out.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that Liesel is able to keep such a huge secret for so long is very impressive, and it shows something about her character, and about her beliefs and opinions.
At the beginning of the novel, I really didn’t like the character of Rosa. She seemed like a very rude person who put other people down to make herself feel better. I thought she wasn't a very good mother to Liesel and defiantly not a good husband for Hans. She was always putting him down and making him feel worthless. I might even say that she was the character than I disliked the most. My opinion totally changed of her when they took in the Jew, Max Vandenburg. Based on my opinion of Rosa from the beginning of the novel, I thought she would have made a big deal about them having Max, and getting mad at Hans for it. I wouldn't have been surprised if she turned Hans in to the Nazis. It surprised me a lot when she went along with hiding Max. It was even more surprising when she was asking him if he wanted more soup and talked to Liesel in a mature way. It’s almost as if something had changed in her when Max had arrived. She seemed calmer, and not happy, but not as angry. This change in her character really made me look at her in a different way. I respect her, and understand how she is in a very, as Death said “sticky” situation. I am looking forward to seeing how the character of Rosa is changed and developed throughout the rest of the novel.
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ReplyDeleteRudy Steiner, is one of the most interesting characters in this novel. My first impression of this character was that he definitely was his own person, for one he wasn't racist and he did not care about the colour of anyone’s skin I figured that out when he was trying to be Jesse Owens who was a black Olympian he covered himself black so that he could look like him (page 60) this told me that unlike many people at that time and place Rudy didn't care whether you were black or a Jew which says a lot about his character. Rudy was very kind and a great friend to Liesle he had proved that throughout the whole novel by, accompanying her to take the washings, playing with her, reassuring her, and by standing up for her like on (page 303) Rudy ran and got her book that was thrown in the river by Viktor Chemmel (a jerk) I believe that this act of kindness from Rudy says a lot about his character in so many levels. Rudy was also a strange and stubborn kid who could push and bring the worst out of people like when he threw a rock at Deutscher for no reason (it only created more problems for him),(page 296). The author did a great job at developing this character everything Rudy had to say or do kept me interested and eager to find out about what he would do next.
ReplyDeleteAs you read the book, you see that every character shows new traits. Rudy is a very unique character in the book as he does not discriminate people by there race or skin. It shows that when he acts like Jesse Owens, a black sprinter who beat German sprinters in races. Rudy was inspired by him so he honored him by painting himself black and running. He is also Liesel's best friend; they do a lot together like playing soccer and stealing food. On the other hand Rosa has completely switched characters and is now a very nice person due to Max, who is a Jew that is hiding after his family died. I believe that Hans is a very brave and trustworthy person because he helped Max out by letting him live with them when they could be caught and killed. Also he is a trustworthy person because he kept his promise with Walter. Liesel has become very friendly because of Max moving into their house. She showed it by giving him a hug when he had no present to give her on her birthday on page 222. Max is a very interesting character who can relate to Liesel because they both love to fight. He is a very strong minded person because he said "when death captures me, he will feel my fist on his face." It showed a lot of character development.
ReplyDeleteI find death to be the most interesting character as i proceed through the book. At the very begining of the book while they were explaining death and it's significance in the novel, I encountered a very cold feeling from death. Although it seems like death has no soul, it intrigues me to want to find out more about how he/she likes taking the souls from others. It is as if he/she likes taking the soul from another because it does not have one itself. Also, I find it very interesting that death can visit everyone in the world but chooses to focus on one person, such as Liesel. It seems as if death has a mind of it's own and still has a conscience as to who he/she chooses to follow and watch over. I am very eager to find out more about what he/she is thinking and what soul it will take next further on in the novel.
ReplyDeleteIn part 5 I was very upset about the new side of Liesel which was uncontrollable anger. I was actually getting angry reading the few paragraphs about the fight. While I was reading the unbelievable argument on page 261 I was only thinking I hope he does not get killed. At this time period a child rarely talked back or disagreed with their parents never mind another adult that they hardly knew. I also did not like how Liesel brought up the point about how Ilsa Hermann should stop being depressed about her dead child regardless of how mad Liesel was. This really showed a idea of Liesel that had never been seen before.
ReplyDeleteThe Night after the fight thinking in bed, Liesel said she was going to Hell. This showed that she knew she had done something wrong and that she felt remorse which did help a little to restore her more normal self.
In the end regardless of what Liesel did after causing a woman to be in complete and utter shock it did not make up for the fact that she treated another human being like dirt on the floor which in my opinion is no better than Hitler himself.
Rudy and Liesel have a typical young boy and girl friendship. The boy tries to kiss the girl, the girl shuts him down, and they both know the like each other but wont admit it. Also, a lot of people in the book think they are boyfriend and girlfriend but they always deny it and say they are just friends. Some things never change. I predict that later in the book they will finally confess to each other they like each other and end up being together. I find it amusing that Rudy keeps asking Liesel for a kiss even though she keeps turning him down. This shows that Rudy is very ambitious and sticks to what he wants. I like that about him and I think that he is a very amusing character.
ReplyDeleteThe character I personally like the least is Rosa Hubermann. At the beginning of the book she tells Liesel she has to call her Mama and Hans, Papa. In my opinion you shouldn't have to tell someone to call you something and that being told she has to call Rosa "Mama" is like she wants to replace her real mother. Being someone's mama says she is going to be kind and gentle towards them because they are your daughter and what you should care most about. She definatly doesn't show this love. Calling your foster daughter "Saukerl and Saumensch" and bossing her around to do the chores she doesn't want to do won't make her feel loved or like Mama even cares. As the book she progressively gets worse and finally she does one nice thing for her foster daughter. On page 204 she shows her compassion for the first time. " When she saw them, she stood and beckoned Liesel to come over, noticing the dried-up tears that streaked her. She brought the girl into her and heaped a typically rugged embrace around her body." Zusak, 204. This finally shows Liesel she cares about her when she knows she is having a tough time dealing with a particular situation, i hope this new Rosa will last.
ReplyDeleteMax Vandenburg is a very tranquil character. From the moment Max entered the Hubemann residence he was calm, respectful, standstill, and a quiet character, and the reason why I think he comported that way is because he already felt guilty staying at their house knowing what they were risking by allowing him (a Jewish man) to stay in their basement, that shows his sincerity. For instance he apologized a lot, like when he promised that he would no longer sleep in Liesle room and that he would be extremely quiet while staying in their basement (page 206). Max was also a very kind, thoughtful and thankful guy although staying in the basement wasn't comfortable at all he was still grateful and he never complained not even about Rosa’s horrible pea soup as a matter of fact he lied and said it was good (page 333), and when it was Liesle's birthday he felt so bad that he didn't have a present for that he made her a picture book that talked about what a great impact she's had in his life, which I thought was an extremely sweet gesture. Max is probably one of the most kind-hearted characters in this novel and he has a huge influence on the experiences readers will have while reading this book, because Zusak developed this character in a fantastic way
ReplyDeleteI sympathize for Max's character. His predicament is almost unbearable, having had to seperated from his family, live in a storage room for 2 years, then 'uprgrade' to a cold basement. At first I didn't like his character because I thought he was selfish. I couldn't imagine leaving my family behind, most likely to be killed, while I alone survived, and upon that also causing a huge risk for an innocent family. After seeing the caring side to him, my opinion quickly changed. In his little story, "The Standover Man," he proved to be a very caring character and we were able to understand how it is like to live from his point of view. I think that Max is trying to give a little back to the family that has helped him out so much, and I really like his character.
ReplyDeleteI think Rudy is one of the more interesting characters in the this novel. He seems to be a very unique person. I liked way he stands up for Liesel when the teacher says she can't read even though she knows she could do it, it shows Rudy is a caring person who does not let his friends be pushed around. A time were i realised Rudy was a very unique child was when he covered his body in charcoal to change his skin colour, took his brothers bike and pedaled out to Hubert Oval, all to reinact the olympic competiter Jesse Owen. Not many kids could be that creative to think of using charcoal to change there skin colour. So far i think Rudy is my favorite character, he does not care what people look like on the outside but what really matters is how they are on the inside.
ReplyDeleteOne quality I really appreciate about Max Vandenburg is how real he is. He's not your typical hero. I really like the fact that Max is afraid to die, he will do whatever he can to survive and he's not completely selfless. I think that no matter how much we try to deny it, everyone feels the same way, even if just a little bit. When Max's family told him to go, he felt relieved. Also, at the Huberman's house, he felt guilty for putting them in danger, but not guilty enough to leave. But even after reading all of that about Max, he's also shown as being caring. I am really glad that the author chose to create Max the way he did and to show Max's inner thoughts, because that touches on a point that is almost a taboo; you can put yourself first even if you are a "good" person.
ReplyDeleteMax Vandenburg has to be one of my favourite characters in the book so far because he's always feeling bad for the danger that he's putting the family in. I loved how bad he felt when he didn't get Lisel a present, so he took pages of his own book, that would help keep him alive, to write how he felt about Lisel.
ReplyDeleteRudy Steiner is one of my favorite characters in the novel so far. Hes very kind and his attempts at having a connection with liesel amuse me, even though he may not have a love connection with liesel they still do have some sort of connection they both enjoy each others company stealing food together. Rudy is a free spirit and shows liesel how to have fun including her in soccer games. hes not a discriminated person as you can see he idolizes Jesse Owens by painting himself in charcoal to represent himself as Jesse Owens
ReplyDeleteI know I am repeating others, but I can’t say anything other than that I like Hans Hubermann character. Starting from the beginning of the book, I really liked the way he was developing his relationship with Liesel. He took it very slowly and calmly, not imposing himself like Rosa, giving Liesel some time and trying to understand her. No wonder that Liesel did not have problems with calling him Dad even though he is not her real father. He agreed to teach Liesel to read and was very patient through this difficult process. He never said a word about their midnight sessions and that he hardly gets any sleep because of them. Hans always puts Liesel before himself and Liesel is very lucky to have a foster father like him. Just by reading the book I can feel the tranquility, good nature and authority radiating from Hans and the protectiveness that he has over Liesel. You can feel the warm and fatherly feeling he has for her and that he will never let her be offended and he always be there when Liesel needs him.
ReplyDeleteBesides being a good father, I also find Hans to be a very strong and warm-hearted man. Despite him being a German and living in the time of Hitler’s rule, Hans stays loyal to his principles in fairness and justice of humanity. He does not support Nazi’s belief about Jewish people and tries to respect people in spite of their race. After surviving the First World War, Hans never forgets that it was his friend Erik Vanderburg, a Jew whom he always has to thank for that. By being grateful, just and honest with himself Hans agrees to help Erik’s son and saves Max’s life by doing so.
One of the characters in the novel that I despise is Isla Hermann. From the narrator descriptions of this strange woman I learned that she is very calm, not verbose, and sad and she looks like she is always in sufferings. When I think of her living in her big and luxurious house and being able to have anything she needs or wants, and still always wearing a desperate face of helplessness, I really imagine her as a ghost who is simply lost, not belonging to either worlds. I understand that maybe it is the death of her son that had really affected her life, but as Liesel said, “You think you’re the only one?”( Zusak, 252), I think that it is not a very good reason for her to give up on life and turn into this desperate woman.
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ReplyDeleteThrough the first part of the book the author does a real good job of expressing the characters in a good way. He gave us a good overviews of the characters, we could think of them as a person that we could meet in 2010. Markus Zusak has detailed his characters in a great way, he shows different sides of them like they are a real person. For example Rudy Steiner is shown as a ruff house kid at the start but as u go through the story he turns into a great kid that likes and helps Lisel and would do anything for her.
ReplyDeleteHans Hubermann is a great character! He is a foster parent that you would want, he thinks of Lisel as his own child. From the first day she came to their house he had tried to get close to her and make her feel at home. Slowly but surly he eventually made that bond with her while doing something that he loves rolling cigarettes and that's were their relationship started. He stays up at night every day because of her midnight sessions, sometimes a real dad wouldn't stay up for his kid everyday and hes just a foster dad. He also decided to help her learn how to read, that's not a easy thing to do for teachers and hes just a painter. Hans Hubermann's character is shown as a ideal father figure so far in the book and the author has done a good job in doing that.
ReplyDeleteRudy Steiner is a great friend to Lisel. He's always there for her and risked his life trying to help Lisel by getting her book out of the river. I like how he's always trying to impress Lisel for example when death was telling the story of when Rudy was stealing food from the market, and he was scared to death but when he told Lisel the story he said he wasn't scared at all and that he was very brave.
ReplyDeleteRosa Hubermann is a great character and she is full of a lot of anger. From the start of the book she has been yelling and swearing at Lisel and her own husband, she calls them "Saukerl". But on the other hand she wants Lisel to be apart of the family and wants her to call her Mamma. She also takes her on her trips to go give back ironed clothes in the town. Overall Rosa's character is a very rude one, she has no manners and she likes everything to go her way. She also doesn't have any trouble embarrassing anyone and making rude comments. For example on pg.70 "What the h*ll could you teach her?" that shows she has no faith in her own husband.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book i have grown to really like one of the characters. That charcter is Rudy. Rudy is by far my favourite character becuse he reminds me of one of my friends in elementary school. i love how everything to him is a joke and how he never really lets anything bother him. I wish i still had a friend like that.
ReplyDeleteMax Vandenburg is an interesting character. I can already tell he wants to speak out and stop the maihem Hitler caused, but he can't. He was a fist fighter, he was strong, he spoke his mind, and he wasn't afraid. Now the only way he can speak his mind is towards Liesel or through drawings. He is determined to bring justice to the world again, but he is living hidden in a basement, and is wrongfully hated due to propaganda.
ReplyDeleteLiesel Meminger is a different character in think. i think that she is a different character because she is so secretive to everybody even Rudy. the only person that she tells everything to is Hans Hubermann. I think that she would have to be very brave to tell your foster parent that you stole _ number of books and all of the other things that go on in her life.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised on page 313, at the part when Liesel brought snow down to Max in the basement. They started a snowball fight, where Rosa ended up getting hit by a snowball thrown by Hans. I thought she would be mad. She was momentarily, but after, she began to help them build a snowman. That showed me that Rosa comes on strong, and blunt, but underneath she is kind and caring. Rosa is a protective parent, but some of her ways are a little rough.
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ReplyDeleteI like the character of Liesel because she adjusts to life without her mom and brother, and is upset over it all but she goes on with her life. I also like her because she is very tough and can stick up for herself, she reminds me a lot of Scout from "To Kill A Mockingbird."
ReplyDeleteSo I love the personality of Rosa, because I'm sure most of us have thought of our mothers as the exact same person at one point in our life even if it was just for an instant. She is rude and over reacts over little things, but she means well, even if she does curse someone out.
ReplyDeleteTo add to my comment about Liesel and her struggles to live without her mother and brother, and to have to live in an environment that she is not comfortable with. Like I said before, she is very tough, and I think she is so tough because of all the struggles she had to live with. This toughness builds as she gets older and I think it helps her a lot later on.
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