Part 3 re-cap of "The Book Thief"

In the first chapter of part three Hans found Liesel's third book she had stolen, "The Shoulder Shrug" and bought himself "Mein Kampf" the book written by Hitler himself. The second chapter, "The Mayor's Library", was about Liesel finding out that the mayor's house had a room just full of books. In the third chapter, "Enter the Struggler", you meet Max who is a Jew that is hiding and continues on his journey to find safety. In the fourth chapter, "The Attributes of Summer", in the beginning of the chapter it showed the attributes of the summer of 1940 which were: 1) advancing farther into "The Shoulder Shrug" 2) reading books at the mayor's house 3) playing soccer on Himmel Street and finally 4) the seizure of a different stealing opportunity. Later on into the chapter Liesel finds out that the mayor and his wife had a son that died, who was the owner of all the books. The final attribute of the summer was yet another stealing opportunity but this time it was for food. Liesel and Rudy met Authur Berg who helped them steal apples. The next chapter, "The Aryan Shopkeeper" is about Liesel and Rudy finding a pfenning on the ground which is money like a coin. They used the coin to buy a piece of candy. The next chapter, "The Struggler, Continued", is continuing on Max Vandenburg's Journey to safe keeping. "Tricksters" is about more of Liesel and Rudy's thievery and trickery. They steal some more food and end up selling it for more candy. The final chapter of part three is "The Struggler, Concluded" is where Max ends up which is at the Hubbermans.

This book is getting really good. I'm starting to understand it a little more. I think Liesel is feeling pretty powerful at this point because she's stealing more and more. I believe Liesel feels most powerful when she gets away with stealing.

Part 2 re-cap of "The Book Thief"

The first chapter of Part 2 of "The Book Thief" kind of summarizes what the next few chapters are about and tells readers that Liesel Meminger has become a girl of darkness and asks the questions why, what was there to be angry about, and what happened in the past four or five months to culminate such a feeling? The second chapter is called "The Joy of Cigarettes". The joy of cigarettes is about her father, Hans, selling some of his cigarettes to buy her a couple books for Christmas. The second chapter, "The Town Walker", talked a little about Liesel and her mother, Rosa, having to get laundry from people around their town because they do people's laundry for money. The third chapter, "Dead Letters", is all about Liesel sending letters to her biological mother and getting no response or anything. "Hitlers Birthday, 1940", the fourth chapter, talks a little about the struggle Hans has with his biological son Hans Jr. Hans Jr ends up leaving in anger from his parents house because of a conflict with his father. "100 Percent Pure German Sweat", doesn't really have a real purpose to me; I didn't understand it. The next chapter, "The Gates of Thievery", tells about how Liesel says she hates Hitler and even though her foster father, Hans, isn't part of the Hitler party he slaps her because if you are part of the Hitler Youth you are not supposed to say anything like that. She then realizes what it takes to steal more productively which opens the gates for more thievery. The last chapter of Part 2 is called "Book of Fire". "Book of Fire" is about her stealing her fourth book "The Shoulder Struggle".

I believe this book is all about the power struggle because everyone so far is struggling to make everything work. Most of the people in the book so far do not have much money. Liesel's foster mother, Rosa, is definitely the head of the household. I believe, Hans, Liesel's father, has a very hard time trying to assert his authority when Rosa is around. To have any power or authority in the town they live in they really should be part of the Hitler party and Hans is not so I believe he has a hard time being powerful because of that.

A small conflict that I am seeing right now is the conflict Hans Hubermann is having in becoming part of the Nazi Party. I'm not quite sure what he has done to not be a part of it but he is having a very difficult time joining the party.

So far I am enjoying this book. It keeps me interested. I'm not quite sure how the book relates to the class. I do realize there is some power struggle but I haven't quite figured it out. Liesel is struggling to figure out who she is and seems to be having not the best of time. I guess I'll keep reading and figure it all out.

Part 1 re-cap of "The Book Thief"

So far "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak is about this girl Liesel Meminger who just lost her brother. Her mother sent her to a foster home where her "new" mother cusses all the time and her father doesn't seem to care about much. They send her to school where she is not up to par with the rest of the children. She meets Rudy Steiner and so far they have become good friends. Towards the end of what I've read so far her foster dad has somewhat taught her to read.

The genre of "The Book Thief" is historical fiction. It fits this genre because one of the book's settings is during the Holocaust. It's fiction because this never really happened.

The main point of view in this book is death's point of view. Death narrates this whole book. Having death as the narrator causes it to have a very interesting point of view. It kinda gives death life. It shows death as being intelligent and thoughtful. Some facts are revealed immediately while others are given throughout the story. The author chose to tell the story this way because the Holocaust was pretty much all death.

Rising Action: Liesel's brother died and after his funeral she found a book that one of the grave digger's had dropped called "The Grave Digger's Handbook".
Climax: Once she was in school while living with her foster parents she realized she couldn't read or do anything like the other kids could.
Falling Actions: She asked her foster dad to teach her how to read "The Grave Digger's Handbook".
Resolution: Every possible night her foster dad teaches her how to read as best as he can.

The conflict in this book right now is Liesel vs. herself. She constantly reads books or tries to because she is trying to find out who she is. She's trying to deal with the issues she has with the death of her brother and her runaway mother.
Liesel Meminger is the protagonist of the story. She is a young, tomboy-ish girl about to reach her adolescent years.
Hans Hubermann is Liesel's foster father. He doesn't believe in the Nazi way and wants nothing to do with them. He has silver eyes and is a very tall man. He also plays the accordion.
Rosa Hubermann is Liesel's foster mother. She is a very foul-mouthed woman.
Rudy Steiner is Liesel's best friend and neighbor. Rudy doesn't hide the fact that he loves Liesel.
Liesel's mother sent her to a foster home and runs away from her problems.
Liesel's brother died on the way to be taken to the foster home.

Markus Zusak's style is very unique in this book. The way he puts things is almost child-like; the way he puts little intermissions in, in various, random places. He uses words that really creates images in the reader's head. He also uses personification in a way because he gives death life. At first the book is kind of confusing but as it goes on I'm understanding it a little more.