Transcript The Book Thief

Initial Situation
 Liesel's loses one family, and gains another.
 For reasons unknown to us at the time, Liesel's
mother is taking Liesel and her little brother
Werner by train to live with foster parents, Hans
and Rosa Hubermann.
 The Hubermanns live on Himmel Street in the
town of Molching, Germany.
 Sadly, Werner dies on the train.
Initial Situation Continued
 Before Liesel arrives in Molching, she attends her
brother's burial in a snowy graveyard.
 She steals The Grave Digger's Handbook from the
cemetery after it falls from a young grave digger's
coat.
 The kicker is, Liesel can't read.
Initial Situation Continued
 After arriving on Himmel Street, Liesel takes an
immediate liking to her foster father, Hans, who
begins to teach her to read.
 Her foster mother, Rosa, at first seems scary and
abusive, but as we get to know her better, we can
see love behind Rosa's coarseness.
 In addition to her foster parents, Liesel meets her
soon-to-be best friend and neighbor, Rudy Steiner.
He will soon become the Clyde to her Bonnie in the
stealing of books, and, occasionally, food.
Conflict
The Book Burning
 Until the book burning organized by the Nazis to
celebrate Adolph Hitler's birthday on April 20,
1940, Liesel isn't really aware of what it means to
be living in Nazi Germany.
 When Liesel hears a Nazi spokesman calling for
death to Communists as well as Jews, a light bulb
goes off.
 The only thing she knows about her father is that
he was accused of being a Communist.
The Book Burning Continued
 She realizes that Hitler is likely behind her father's
disappearance, her brother's death, and her mother's
recent disappearance.
 When Hans confirms her suspicions after the book
burning, Hitler becomes Liesel's sworn enemy. This
conflict helps drive Liesel to steal her second book,
The Shoulder Shrug, from the burning pile.
Complication
Enter Max Vandenburg.
 Turns out that Erik Vandenburg, a Jewish man,
saved Hans's life during World War I, giving up his
own life in the process.
 Erik's son, Max, is now 22 and is running from the
Nazis. Upon learning of his plight, Hans readily
helps arrange for Max's journey to Himmel Street.
 Hiding a Jewish person in your home during
World War II is one of the most dangerous things a
German person could do. It means a constant state
of paranoia for all involved.
 Liesel forms a fast friendship with Max.
Complication #2
 During this time, Liesel also forms a complicated
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almost-friendship with the mayor's wife, Ilsa
Hermann.
Ilsa saw Liesel steal the The Shoulder Shrug.
She also pays Rosa to do her laundry.
When Liesel comes to her house on laundry visits,
she invites Liesel into the library to read.
When Ilsa has to stop using Rosa's services, Liesel
begins stealing books from her, though Ilsa doesn't
seem to mind.
Climax
 Everything changes in October of 1942 when "The
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parade of Jews" (55.4) comes through Molching on
the way to the nearby concentration camp Dachau.
Hans feels compelled to offer one of the Jewish
prisoners a piece of bread and is whipped along with
the prisoner by Nazi guards.
Hans is now desperately afraid the Nazis will search
his house and find Max, so he sends Max away that
very night.
His house is never searched, but Hans is conscripted
into the German army and has to leave Molching.
Rosa and Liesel are left all alone.
Suspense
 Will Hans return alive?
 Will Liesel ever see Max again?
 These are the two most suspenseful questions for
Liesel. She does everything she can to live life well in
spite of her missing foster father and friend.
 Liesel spends a lot of time thieving with Rudy and
helping Rosa.
 One night Rosa shows her the book Max left for her,
a book written on painted-over pages of Adolph
Hitler's Mein Kampf.
 This amazing book only increases Liesel's suspense
over Max, even after Hans is sent back home after
breaking a leg and barely escaping death.
Denouement
 Seeing Max, Liesel's book, and the bombing of
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Himmel Street….
In August of 1943, Liesel sees Max marching through
Molching to the Dachau concentration camp.
She bravely walks with him in the procession.
g was captured some six months earlier.
She learns he
The Nazi guards don't take well to Liesel's
courageous display, and Liesel and Max are both
whipped.
Rudy stops Liesel from following Max any further,
and possibly saves her life.
Denouement Continued
 Soon after, Liesel decides to give up books and Ilsa
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Herman's library.
Ilsa presents her with a blank book, and Liesel
begins writing the story of her life, called The Book
Thief.
She writes in the basement and is doing so when
Himmel Street is bombed.
Everybody she loves dies while they sleep.
In despair over the deaths, Liesel drops her book, but
it's picked up by Death.
Reunions
 First we learn that Liesel has died after living a
happy life with a husband, kids, and grandkids.
 As the novel is about to close, we learn that she and
Max are reunited at the end of World War II.
 But, we don't learn what happens to Max after that.
 The novel ends with Death giving Liesel back her
book, The Book Thief, when he's taking her away.