The very pronazi shopkeeper who refuses service to anyone who does not salute and say heil hitler upon entering her corner store. I love the thought of knowing just about everybody in the town, and having some sort of relationship with them, so everytime you go into town and buy something you see people you know and you might say, hi, hows. When they take revenge on frau diller i couldnt help but grin. Make sure to note their connection to liesel, if any. Published in 2005, the book thief became an international bestseller and was translated into 63 languages and sold 16 million copies. Its january 1939, and ten year old liesel is traveling by train with her mother and her little brother werner. Later, shivering beside his little grave, she spies a book nestled beneath the snow. In the basement of her home, a jewish refugee is being protected by her adoptive parents. Laurie faria stolarz was raised in salem, massachusetts, and educated at merrimack college in north andover. With sophie nelisse, geoffrey rush, emily watson, ben schnetzer.
I would feel horrible having to walk into her classroom everyday. The book thief is narrated by death yup, you heard that right who tells us the story of liesel meminger. Narrated by death, who over the course of the book. The book thief reading comprehension questions winter. She currently teaches writing and french, and is working on the sequel to blue is for nightmares. Importance of scapegoating in the book thief 1423 words.
While subjected to the horrors of world war ii germany, young liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Frau diller administered this feeling, dishing it out as the only free item from her premises. Nov 03, 2010 the book thief had struck for the first time the beginning of an illustrious career. Words are so heavy, she thought, but as the night wore on, she was able to complete eleven pages. The book thief revision notes notes english leaving. Liesel and rudy purchase candy from frau diller s store with money they find on the street. Frau holtzapfel begins to become a more complex character, and her soldier sons are first introduced. The leader of rudys hitler youth chapter, deutscher is a sadistic nazi bully who hates both rudy and tommy muller. The author is a prizewinning writer of childrens books, and this, his first novel for adults, proved to be a triumphant success. Frau diller a resident of himmel street who owns a store.
Ilsa hermann, frau holtzapfel, michael holtzapfel, robert holtzapfel, frau diller. Instead of being able to buy a mixed bag of candy, they could only purchase. Although the war wouldnt end in europe until 1944, liesels story ends in october of 1943, with the allied bombing of munich and stuttgart and the fictional town of. He got lost one day and ended up spending a really long time in the snow and cold. Why does death describe the third time he sees the book thief as red. The book thief a small story by liesel meminger the ribcage planes her hand was sore by page three. Mq book thief pgs 4655 name date d who can run the. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. He comes home to break the news that her other son, robert, is dead.
Liesel meminger hans hubermann rosa hubermann narrator rudy steiner max vanderburg ilsa hermann tommy muller frau diller frau holtzapfel hans junior and trudy hubermann franz deutscher erik vandenburg arthur berg. Nov 30, 2008 the war already has an effect on the story and our characters. Even when rationing started later in the year, she was known to sell certain hardtoget items under the counter and donate the money to the nazi party. Forum the book thief characters tommy muller started by. Character list and analysis minor characters the book thief. Instant downloads of all 1297 litchart pdfs including the book thief. She has an mfa in creative writing and a graduate certificate in screenwriting, both from emerson college in boston. In the book thief, why is it ironic that a book helped the. When people finally found him both of his ears were infected. In its line of work, death tries to focus on colors as a way of distracting itself from the survivors of those who have died. Frau holtzapfel lives on himmel street and is the hubermanns neighbor. Dec 04, 2011 in the book thief, why is it ironic that a book helped the germans live through the air raid. The shop itself was white and cold, and completely bloodless. In chapters twentyfour through twentyseven of the book thief, liesel and rudys stealing increases in volume and frequency, and a lone struggler finds his way to the hubermann household.
In death and chocolate, death says he sees what before the humans. She developed this evil look to discourage the very idea of stealing from her shop, which she occupied with soldierlike posture, a refrigerated voice, and even breath that smelled like heil hitler. Rudy and liesel found a coin in the dirt, which they promptly took to frau diller s candy store. The book thief is a historical novel by australian author markus zusak and is his most popular work. Describe the setting the second time death sees the book thief. Forum the book thief characters frau diller started by. The same weak hue that seeped from every defeated pore of the body of the mayors wife during each of my visits, and, im sure, every moment in between. Rudys father is a tailor, i wonder if he is having good business. The cold and soldierlike corner shop owner who requires her customers to say heil hitler. Rosa and frau start off as enemies, but grow closer and become friends as the novel proceeds.
Frau diller, who is a nazi store owner, and a foul mouthed man called pfiffikus, who whistles all. Summary frau holtzapfel stops at the hubermann home and asks if liesel will come to her house a few times a week to read the rest of the. It is narrated by death and is set in nazi germany, during a time when the narrator states he was very busy. The book thief why was fran diller mean to her paying customers. What is the title of the book that liesel steals from frau hermann when she finishes reading the whistler to max. She spits on the hubermanns door every time she goes past it. His father saved hanss life during world war i, and later hans tries to save maxs life, which puts the hubermanns lives in great jeopardy. Page 1 i try to ignore it, but i know this all started with the train and the snow and my coughing brother. Casey walsh lebt in einer amerikanischen kleinstadt. A staunch patriot who makes everyone salute hitler before she will speak to them. The book thief part 3part 4 the way home the accordionist summary the book thief by markus zusak part 3part 4 the way home the accordionist summary and analysis. Frau holtzapfel has appeared in the following books. One must say heil hitler in order to be served in her shop.
What does liesel pick up from her brothers gravesite. The book thief please write on a separate sheet of paper. The book thief essays are academic essays for citation. She looks down on the two kids when they cant afford mixed candy.
The way this book is written is genius and i have to congratulate the author on making this such an interesting read. The children dont understand the implications of this yet, but the reader does. Frau diller mocks them for only being able to afford one small piece of candy, which they share, lick for lick, outside the shop. Mar 21, 2014 markus zusak is the bestselling author of six novels, including the book thief. Steals a book from the book burning on hitlers birthday. Max has come out of hiding and is on a train, clutching the book he was given with the identity card taped inside. She is a middleaged woman and has two grown sons, micheal and robert, that were sent off to war. Mar 26, 2014 his first, every day is for the thief, was until now available only in nigeria, where it was published in 2007. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, to both popular and critical acclaim. She developed this evil look to discourage the very idea of stealing from her shop, which she occupied with soldierlike posture, a refrigerated voice and even breath that smelt like heil hitler. Frau diller was clearly the type of person who wants someone to blame, and her shop put her in a position of influence.
You must say heil hitler when entering the building or you wouldnt get served. How are the friendships between children made on himmel street. Liesel is now able to provide something for her family, small. A vocabulary list featuring the book thief by markus zusak, prologuepart one. Surrounded by violence, hardship, and war, liesel is watched over by death, who narrates her story. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the book thief by markus zusak. The book thief part one the kiss daniel is reading. I have hated words and i have loved them, and i hope i have made them right.
The argument softens a bit, though, after liesel starts going over to frau holtzapfels house to read to her in exchange for coffee. What we think of the book thief deliciously fictitious. The fielders are a family that lives six houses down from the memingers. She starts off as spiteful and aggressive, spitting on liesels door whenever she passes by. Frau diller is the owner of the corner shop and a fervent nazi sympathizer.
She lived for her shop and her shop lived for the third reich. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. Max vandenburg is the jewish man who hides in the hubermanns basement. Every day is for the thief by teju cole the new york times. A metaphysical being, death serves as the dryly cynical narrator of the book thief. Death, liesel meminger, hans hubermann, rosa hubermann, max vandenburg, rudy steiner, alex steiner, ilsa hermann, frau holtzapfel, michael holtzapfel, robert holtzapfel, frau diller, hans hubermann, junior, trudy hubermann, tommy muller, arthur berg, walter kugler, franz deutscher, viktor chemmel. The end of the world part ii summary and analysis part 10. As they walked past the precarious town hall shadows, the book thief winced. I think sister maria is a very strict teacher, who is very neat and tidy. Nominated as one of americas bestloved novels by pbss the great american read. How does liesel respond when she is brought to her foster family, the hubermanns. See the complete dunkle spannung series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. Matchingmultiple choice match the person with the correct description.
When liesel was reading to them during the second air raid in molching. The book thief study guide contains a biography of markus zusak, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The book thief is a historical fiction novel with death as the narrator. She is very loyal to the nazi party and has a framed photo of hitler hanging behind her counter. One of the younger boys contemplated crying again, but liesel stopped at that moment and imitated her. The book thief 20 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Several of the characters in the book thief are sent to the eastern front, including hans and rosa hubermanns son, hansi, and frau holtzapfels sons, michael and robert. Jan 01, 2007 the book thief is a very unique story, partly because it is narrated by death and partly because it is such a different plot to anything i have ever read before. This chapter illustrates a happy moment for rudy and liesel in nazi germany, reminding us still of the blend between lightness and darkness, and also the need to placate those who support hitler, like frau diller, by saying, heil hitler upon entering her store. I think that markus made sister maria the way she is because it makes me have more feelings for liesel. It was adapted into a 20 feature film of the same name.
At the beginning of the novel, frau holtzapfel is rosa hubermanns enemy. Honors ela 9 learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Death becomes interested in liesel meminger, a young german girl. Solitude, not myself, not her husband, not even the book thief although ill tell you more about her momentarily was islas greatest companion. Zusak 122 zusak 122 created on november 7, 20 updated november 7, 20. Liesel meminger is a foster child living in nazi germany in 1939. The book thief characters from litcharts the creators of.
The book thief by marcus zusak was the bestselling debut literary novel of the year 2007, selling over 400,000 copies. Why was fran diller mean to her paying customers the. Elements of a narrative the book thief by markus zusak. The book thief characters the book thief with levine at. What do customers have to do in order to be served by frau diller. This guy is a fighter in just about all the ways someone can be a fighter. You will receive no credit if you write on this paper. Abandoned by a dead brother and a missing mother, liesel is taken in by hans and rosa hubermann. She developed this evil look to discourage the very idea of stealing from her shop, which she occupied with soldierlike posture, a refrigerated voice and even breath that smelled like heil hitler. Frau diller was a sharpedged woman with fat glasses and a nefarious glare. The book thief cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. The book thief is written by australian author markus zusak. Frau diller is seemingly defined by her devotion to hitler.
The kiss a childhood decisionmaker i quite like the idea of living in a small town, it would be one of the few places where you would actually feel apart of the community. She owns the shop where liesel and rudy buy mixed candy on himmel street. Deaths duty is to carry away the souls of the recently departed, which it has apparently done for millenia. Character profile for frau holtzapfel from the book thief. In brief its just a small story really, about among other things. I like it how death tells us about how he meets some minor characters that disappear out of the story.
Nov 19, 2010 sister maria is liesels teacher in the book the book thief by markus zusak. Some kept faces that were contorted by pride and rally like frau diller, and then there were the scatterings of odd men out, like alex steiner, who stood like a humanshaped block of wood, clapping slow and dutiful. A neighbor who spits on the hubermanns door when she walks by because shes been in a decadelong argument with rosa, though no one remembers the original argument. Death also states that while rudy and liesel were lucky once on this day, they werent lucky again in finding more money. Wolfgang edel is a nazi party acquaintance of hans. Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness. The book thief markus zusak, 2006 random house childrens books 552 pp. Who is frau diller and what is her one golden rule.