SPOILER ALEARTIf you have not started to read this book, and have stumbled across this blog, be warned, there are some spoilers in these passages.
The Book Thief Pages 114-122
This is the section were we find out that Liesel's mother was taken by the Fuhrer. I really expected Hans to feel sympathy when this happened, so I was surprised when he slapped her in the face. I guess the Fuhrer is pretty important. That was defiantly a crack in Liesel and Han's relationship, but I guess Hans had to do it for his own life. In fact, I think Liesel is scared a bit of Hans now. Liesel taking the book was a risk I would never have taken. That proves Liesel's devotion to books, and making big memories out of small things. Luck. Yes, luck is another think required to be a book thief. If Liesel had not been lucky enough to be ignored, she would probably have gotten herself and her foster parents killed. Or was it lucky? After all, someone was watching the whole time...
I agree with why Hans slapped her. I didn't think of that at first, but it is probably true. Luck is always helpful in any task, and I feel like Liesel is very lucky to have stolen her book, but also to have a father that only slapped her and wasn't mean. She is a very luck girl. There were some new thoughts in here I enjoyed reading about. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLike you and Kenna, I too was surprised when, upon realizing that her mother was kidnapped by the Nazis, Liesel was slapped by one of the few people she knew cared about her. What the heck, Hans? (Just like with Frozen! The evil prince Hans... weird.) I like the wording of "a crack in their relationship." very well said. Do you think that Hans did it for his own life, or for Liesel's life? Maybe both? Liesel was clearly shocked. Incredibly shocked. But do you think that she will permanently have a bit of fear towards Hans, or will the crack be refilled, smoothed over?
ReplyDeleteLuck. Luck luck luck. The key ingredient in the recipe of theft. Was it luck that let her be ignored? Or were the Nazis around her just to stupid to watch a little eleven year old run away from a pile of ashes? It kind of reminds me of Men in Black, where J is being trained/tested into the society. He is told to protect the city from the dangerous monster-things with a shooting-range style "game" and shoots the little girl in the back. When asked why, he points out that there is something fishy about a little girl wandering alien-filled streets at night, alone, carrying a college calculus textbook. Liesel could have been like the little girl in the back, but the Nazis couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the innocent little girl in a BDM uniform.
Yeah, it's alot due to luck that anyone gets away with any kind of theft. I think that, yeah, you have to be REALLY into books to have the guts to steal one.
ReplyDeleteTheCreepahMan