Discussion Questions For The Book Thief By Elie Wiesel

a. "She had watched a bomber pilot die in a metal case. She had seen a Jewish man who had twice given her the most beautiful pages of her life marched to a concentration camp"(521). - Liesel has been through so many struggles. Her brother died in front of her, her mother sent her away, and she witnessed almost everyone she loved depart from the world. She had more than enough reasons to quit, but she decided to stay strong through it all. She is brave enough to live with the memories, and rather than thinking of them as a burden, she wears them as a badge of honour.

The first thing that Liesel values is books, she loves to read and prove everyone wrong that she is smarter than they think. The second is stealing, whether it’s books or food she is always stealing something with Rudy who is her third most valued thing. The fourth and fifth most values things are her foster dad Hans Hubermann and his accordion, she had come to love them both when she would wake up from a nightmare and Hans would be there to play the accordion or help her read. The sixth and seventh things have to be ROsa Hubermann and Max Vandenburg, even though Rosa was really rude to Liesel, she knew that Rosa loved her and Liesel loved Rosa too.

With comparing Hans’ face to warm silver, that displays to readers that Hans seems to be stern and tough but Liesel helps show that he is warm-hearted. Liesel and Hans have a really close relationship which causes Liesel to easily make Hans “melt” and show affection for Liesel. Hans makes Liesel feel loved making her feel comfortable within the family and at home. Hans and Liesel are very close because Hans Hubermann demonstrates love towards Liesel,which is a feeling she may not be used to with her being adopted. They both bring out good in one another and has many similarities which cause them to have a close bond. For example, they both struggled with reading causing them to bond from working with reading skills which is a constant factor to bring them closer together. Liesel helps exhibit the good in Hans displaying that he is a good-natured, compassionate, sweet person. Hans Huberman looks at Liesel with a “face of warm silver” because he loves her and has a bond with her like no

When Liesel's father left her family, she didn’t have a male role model in her life. She didn’t have a father to teach her to defend and stick up for herself, and teach and guide her through life. Hans Hubermann was the perfect person to take on that

This is shown in many instances all over the book, such as in the beginning, during the period of time when Liesel was first getting accustomed to daily life in Molching. She was coming to terms with the fact that the Hubermanns were essentially bankrupt, and didn’t really expect much of anything for her first

In the Book, Liesel was observing her foster father’s eyes. This is what Liesel saw in her father’s eyes “They were made of kindness, and sliver. Like soft sliver, melting. Liesel, upon seeing those eye, understand that Hans Hubermann was worth it”. She knew that Hans Had manners when she first arrives to the Hubermann’s house. In addition, Liesel would wake up from her nightmares and would be screaming. Liesel felt loved when Hans enter her room to soothe her. Another feeling that Hains gain was trust. He would come and sit with her and he would say “ Shh, I’m here, it’s all right”. “ Trust was accumulated quickly, due primarily to the brute strength of the man’s gentleness, his thereness.” On the other hand, Rosas didn’t demonstrate the same warmth torward Liesel. “she did love Liesel Meminger.

As a result of learning what life really offers, Liesel has become a much more mature girl. "If you don 't come, I 'll stop coming to read to you, and that means you have lost your only friend."(486) This

The beauty in Hans Hubermann is that he has a gentle soul and has courage to protect his family. It takes large amounts of bravery to go from one world war to another and still manage to fight for something that he doesn’t believe in at all risking his own family’s safety. When he was

Most accounts state that Liesel is the most kind and loving character in the novel, but I disagree with that because I say Max is the kindness and loving character in the novel. He is a character who sacrifices his own basic human needs to protect The Huberman and Liesel from getting in trouble by The Nazi. Max would write books to Liesel to help her learn how to read more and describe the world better. He also did this to show the strength and courage she has given him. He left Himmel Street to protect Liesel and The Huberman from getting arrested for keeping him in their basement. His love and kindness has brought The Huberman and Liesel together in these anxious times. The way he cares for them have touch people's hearts in a way no other

Max: Max became a close and understanding friend to Liesel. He struggles through many things, due to him being a Jew. He is a very bright young man and makes good works of art in books.

Originally, she does not realize Nazis are actively persecuting people, but after she meets and grows close to Max, Liesel begins to comprehend the ugly truth of Nazi Germany. Though her closest family members, Hans, Rosa, and Max, do not support Nazi values, other people she grows close to do support the Nazis. For example, Ilsa Hermann, though extremely kind to Liesel, is the wife of a mayor in Nazi Germany and wears swastika-embroidered bathrobes, supporting the Nazi party. She does own books banned by the Nazi government, but never once speaks out against or even mentions their persecution of various peoples. A similar situation occurs with Frau Holtzapfel. Frau Holtzapfel begins the story as an enemy of the Hubermanns, but after Liesel begins to read to her, they grow closer. Even as their friendship develops, Frau Holtzapfel still shows her support for the Nazis, even though it is more for her sons than the actual encouragement of Nazi values. This is clear when Death remarks “Frau Holtzapfel was proud and afraid. Two sons in Russia” (Zusak 388). With both of her sons at the most dangerous front of the war, Frau Holtzapfel has no choice but to support and pray for Nazi victory, for her sons’ sakes. From her perspective, if the Nazis were to lose the war, it would likely mean certain death for her sons. With both women, Liesel confronts the uncomfortable truth that her close

Because of her love for Max, a Jew, and what Hitler has done to the Jews, her resentment for Hitler has grown and grown. For instance, one excerpt of the book has Liesel declare, “’I hate the Führer,’ she said. ‘I hate him’” (Zusak 115). To clarify, this is what Liesel says directly after she learns that it was indeed Hitler who took away her mother. As a result of learning that it was the Führer who took away her mother, the hatred for Hitler truly began to burn insider of her. Throughout the book, there are many other scenes that increase the hatred for the said man, but the truth about her mother and the burning of the books was the things that truly started the fire inside of her. However, due to her feeling the need to fit in, Liesel hides all of these feelings inside of her, and pretends to respect and love Hitler just like everyone else. For example, later in the book, Liesel is caught saying, “’And you?’ She glared at Liesel, who promptly gave her a ‘heil Hitler’ of her own” (Zusak 155). From this evidence, it can be seen how Liesel hesitated, but eventually gave a “heil Hitler” her own. While she did not want to do it, she complied, to be let into the shop and hang out with her friend, and to fit in with the others and not draw attention to herself. In addition, once Liesel and her foster parents start to house Max,

Liesel was enjoying the books so much that she stole nine books throughout the novel, Liesel did not know any better. She knew what she was doing was wrong, she even got punished by her parents but that did not stop her from stealing more books. Another character that changed throughout the novel is Rudy Steiner, he made decisions that almost got him in trouble like for example The Jesse Owens Incident. Jesse Owens was an inspiration to Rudy; Death says : He smeared the charcoal on, nice and thick, till he was covered in black. Even his hair received a once over. ( Zusak, 13) Rudy wanted to be like his idol, even his color, but he got caught by his father who said he should not play dress up because he will be “taken away” for being Black or Jewish and Alex Steiner did not want

There are many historical texts that describe Anne’s appearance and make it clear that she was not loved for her beauty. She was portrayed as having two major flaws which only contributed to her already present unattractiveness; a large mole on her neck and a sixth finger. Besides these factors, many people still stated that she was average

To begin with, Paula, Liesel’s mother gave her and her brother Werner to foster parents, Liesel’s parents were communists so they took her father away, hence, even though she didn’t know why, her mother had to give them over to Rosa and Hans Hubermann, but just before getting there, death took Werner away. And maybe that’s when pain begins for Liesel, as much as readers know. Liesel has been, since her arrival to the Hubermanns’, haunted by sleepless nights, nightmares, grief, etc. because she feels unloved and neglected “Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children.”(37).