Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Standover Man

Blog #6 (due 9/30):
Write a 250-word response based on our reading of The Book Thief pg. 199-242.

Compare and contrast the lives of Liesel and Max Vandenburg.  How does Max’s life give Liesel purpose?  At what point do Liesel and Max become friends?  Max and Liesel both have nightmares about their past and suffer from survivor's guilt.  Can you relate to the way they feel?  Why or why not?  Max does not have any money and cannot go shopping, but he still manages to give Leisel a birthday gift.  He gives Liesel a story called “The Standover Man."  What is the significance of this story?  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.



Click here to read more about "The Standover Man" from an interview with Markus Zusak.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Struggler

Blog #5 (due 9/23): 
Select one of the following discussion questions and write a 250-word response based on our reading of The Book Thief pg. 154-198.

1.  Who is Walter Kugler?  How did Max and Walter meet?  Describe Max Vandenburg's experience in the dark storeroom.  How does Walter help him?  How long has does Max have to stay in the storeroom and what does he do before he leaves?  Why?  This is a very scary time for Max; can you relate to him at all?  Have you ever been in a scary situation?  How did you react?  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.  Discuss the irony of the book that Max Vandenburg reads on the train.  How is Max feeling on the train and why?  Have you ever tried to convince others that you are someone that you are not?  If so, 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.


3.  Who are Arthur Berg and Otto Sturm?  How are Liesel and Rudy involved with both of these young men?  Think about Arthur's quote, "We might be criminals, but we're not totally immoral" (163).  Is it possible for people to be both bad and good at the same time?  Why or why not?  Can you relate to Liesel, Rudy and the gang of young thieves at all?  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.


4.  Why does Max ask Papa if he still plays the accordion (173)?  Why does Max come to stay at the Hubermann's?  Describe Hans Hubermann's experience as a soldier in World War I.  What does Death say about war?  Was Papa lucky to survive WWI?  Why or why not?   Do you consider yourself to be a lucky person?  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.  What is the NSDAP and why didn't Hans Hubermann join?  Why did Papa's painting business fall "slightly awry" when Hitler rose to power in 1933 (180)?  Who is Herbert Bollinger and what does he tell Papa?  Why does Papa apply to join the party in 1937 and what happens?  What happens towards the end of 1938?  What is Kristallnacht?  Have you ever stood up against something that you thought was unfair?  What happened?  What does equality 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.


6.  Discuss the theme of loyalty in The Book Thief pg. 154-198.  What happens when the Nazis come to Max's family's house?  Who shows up?  How does Max react?  Does Max look back when he leaves his family?  How does Max feel leaving his loved ones behind to ensure his own personal safety?  Have you ever had to make a difficult choice like that?  Have you ever had to leave your loved ones behind to do what was best for you?  How do Hans and Rosa react when Max arrives at their home?  Are they being loyal to the promise that Hans made to Eric Vandenburg's widow?  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.

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Heavyweight Champion of the School-Yard

Blog #4 (due 9/16): 
Select one of the following discussion questions and write a 250-word response based on our reading of The Book Thief pg. 108-153.

1.  Describe what happens at school when Sister Maria asks the children to read.  How does Liesel react?  How does Liesel express her anger and frustration?  How does Liesel demonstrate perseverance?  Have you ever had a similar experience at school?  How can we learn from our own challenges in the classroom?  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.  Describe the second time Liesel steals a book.  Is Liesel acting bravely or dangerously?  If you were a ‘Book Thief’, which book do you love enough to go to extraordinary lengths to secure?   Alternatively, what do you hold dear? What is it, and what would you be prepared to do in order to ensure its safety and safekeeping?   Also, to what lengths would you go to save or rescue something of value to your best friend?  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.  Describe Liesel & Papa's conversation on the church steps after the Nazi book-burning.  What is the significance of Liesel's realization about her mother?  How does Papa react when Liesel says she "hates the Fuhrer" (115)?  Compare this moment in the book to what Papa does for Liesel on Christmas.  How does Papa show leadership and sacrifice?  How can we apply these qualities in our own lives?  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.  Some of us are born with an innate sense of the love of books and reading, while for some it grows and strengthens as we mature.  Describe the first time Liesel sees the Mayor's Library.  How does Liesel react to seeing all of the books?  Have you ever felt inspired to learn or try something new before?  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.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

A Mountain Range of Rubble & The Grave Digger's Handbook

Blog #3 (due 9/9):  
Select one of the following discussion questions and write a 250-word response based on our reading of The Book Thief pg. 3-107.

1.  What is the effect of having Death serve as the narrator?  What feelings/emotions do you associate with Death and why?

2. In the very beginning of the novel, Death explains that when he comes to carry away a soul, he tries to see colors first and then the people (4). Because he has such a hard time looking at the humans who are left behind, the survivors, Death tries to distract himself by noticing the color of the sky. In this way, he does not have to notice the people who scare him. Since he cannot take a real vacation, - "Who could step in while I take a break...?" - Death must "...vacation in increments. In colors" (5).  Because colors are so important in helping Death cope with his job, he associates each person's death with the color of the sky at the time he comes for the soul. Therefore, when Death describes the three times that he sees Liesel, he associates a color with each incident.  Is there a significant day in your life that you associate with a color or colors?  Describe that day and the significance of the color/s you associate with it.

3.  Liesel believes that Hans Hubermann's eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels closer to him than to Rosa Hubermann. How does Hans gain Liesel's love and trust? 

4.  Abandonment is a central theme in the novel. The reader knows that Liesel feels abandoned by her mother and by the death of her brother.  Debate whether she was abandoned by circumstance or by the heart.  Have you ever experienced abandonment?

5.  The Grave Digger’s Handbook is the first book Liesel steals.  Discuss why she hides The Grave Digger’s Handbook under her mattress.  What is the significance of the book to Liesel?  Why is it ironic that Liesel steals books?  Describe Hans Hubermann’s reaction when he discovers the book. 

6.  Describe Liesel and Rudy's friendship in Part One.  How does Rudy help Liesel adjust to her new life on Himmel Street?  Do you have any childhood friends like Rudy?  What does it mean to have a best friend or to be a best friend?  How does friendship change as we get older?