Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Word Shaker

Blog #11 (due 11/11):
Select one of the following discussion questions and write a 250-word response based on our reading of The Book Thief pg. 407-493.

1.  What happens to Rudy and his family in the section "Dominoes and Darkness?"  Were the Nazis telling the truth about the school they wanted Rudy to go to?  How did Rudy's father react?  Do you agree or disagree with Alex Steiner?  What happens to him as a result?  Have you ever gotten in trouble for standing up for something you believe in?  Back up your opinion with two quotes from the book and be sure to use proper MLA format for in-text citations and Works Cited.

2.  What happens to Hans Hubermann in the section "Punishment?"  Why did the NSDAP finally accept Hans Hubermann into the Nazi party?  What happens after Papa is accepted into the party?  How does Papa react to being drafted into the German army?  What does Mama do to Papa as a result?  Have you ever gotten in trouble for standing up for something you believe in?  Back up your opinion with two quotes from the book and be sure to use proper MLA format for in-text citations and Works Cited.

3.  What happens in the section "The Hidden Sketchbook?"  What does Rosa give to Liesel and what is its significance?  What message does Max want Liesel to take away from the story "The Word Shaker?"  What kind of tree do Liesel and Max climb in the story?  If you had a seed to plant a special kind of tree in the world, what kind would it be and why?  Back up your opinion with two quotes from the book and be sure to use proper MLA format for in-text citations and Works Cited.

4.  What happens in the sections "The Cardplayer" and "The Accident?"  Who is Reinhold Zucker and how does he save Hans Hubermann's life?  How do the soldiers react after the car accident?  How has war changed the way that the soldiers react to death?  Are we desensitized to violence in our world?  Why or why not?  Back up your opinion with two quotes from the book and be sure to use proper MLA format for in-text citations and Works Cited.

5.  Who is Michael Holtzapfel?  What news does he have for his mother and how does Liesel help?  What happens to Michael and Frau Holtzapfel in the section "One Toolbox, One Bleeder, One Bear?"  Why is Michael upset in the Fiedlers' basement?  Have you ever had to leave someone behind?  How did you feel?  Back up your opinion with two quotes from the book and be sure to use proper MLA format for in-text citations and Works Cited.

6.  What does Rudy do at the end of the section "One Toolbox, One Bleeder, One Bear" and why?  How does Death describe Rudy and Liesel?  How does Death describe the human heart?  What does compassion mean to you?  Back up your opinion with two quotes from the book and be sure to use proper MLA format for in-text citations and Works Cited.