The Book Thief

By Markus Zusak

Name______________Period_____________

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THE BOOK THIEFBy Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak, age 32, currently lives in Sydney, Australia. In his free time, he enjoys

surfing and playing soccer.

When Marcus was growing up, he wanted to be a house painter like his father. He soon realized he had a talent for knocking things over, painting himself into corners and

figured out painting bored him. When he was a teenager, he read a few novels that really brought him into their worlds. He decided he wanted to become a writer. He wrote his

first book at age 16, but it took many years before he could get a publisher interested. He was glad he had so many rejections and failures. They made him realize that what he was

writing just wasn’t good enough – so he had to improve what he was doing.

When it comes to writing, Mr. Zusak has two routines. He said the first one is the non-lazy routine. He begins working at 7am and aims to finish by 11:30am. That usually sees

him though until 12 or 12:30 (with a bit of time-wasting in between). Then he takes a long break and writes for a few more hours in the afternoon. The lazy routine usually

starts at 10am and he usually writes longer in the afternoon. The only time these routines change is when he is starting a new book or ending one. He then chooses to work more at

night.

Mr. Zusak grew up hearing stories about Nazi Germany, about the bombing of Munich and the Jews being marched through his mother’s small German town. He always knew it

was a story he wanted to tell.

He is an award-winning author of five books for young adults: The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, Getting the Girl, I am the Messenger, and The Book Thief.

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The Book Thief Chapters and Page Numbers

Chapter Page numbers Due Date

Prologue: a mountain of rubble 1-16

Part One: the gravedigger's handbook 17-80

Part Two: the shoulder shrug 81-122

Part Three: mein kampf 123-170

Part Four: the standover man 171-238

Part Five: the whistler 239-303

Part Six: the dream carrier 305-350

Part Seven: the complete duden dictionary and thesaurus

351-403

Part Eight: the word shaker 405-455

Part Nine: the last human stranger 457-493

Part Ten: the book thief 495-539

Epilogue: the last color 541-550

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Character ListCharacter Name Character Description (Textual Evidence)Liesel Meminger

Hans Hubermann

Rosa Hubermann

Narrator

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Character Name Character Description (Textual Evidence)Rudy Steiner

Max Vandenburg

Ilsa Hermann

Tommy Muller

Frau Diller

Frau Holtzapfel

Hans Junior and Trudy Hubermann

Franz Deutscher

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Erik Vandenburg

Arthur Berg

Viktor Chemmel

Walter Kugler

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Identifying Literary TechniquesDeath and Chocolate and Beside the Railway Line

Directions: Identify the following literary elements: similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, alliteration and imagery.

a. I can be amiable. Agreeable. Affable. ___________________________________

b. Personally I like a chocolate covered sky. ___________________________________

c. It felt as if the whole globe was dressed in snow. ________________________________

d. The world was sagging now, under all that snow.

______________________________________

e. The guard was as small as a squirrel.____________________________________

f. Death was honest Abe.____________________________________

Find 2 of your own literary elements from these sections. Include the citation.

1.

2.

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Arrival on Himmel Street (Pages 19 – 29)

1. What color is the sky? What do you think this symbolizes? Explain why. (Page 19)

2. How does Death let the reader know how cold it is out? What words does he choose? Find textual evidence, and cite it correctly. (Pages 20-21)

3. What did Liesel steal? (Page 24)

4. What does Himmel mean? What does this make you think? (Pages 25-26)

7. What is the name of the book Liesel took? Why do you think she took it? (Pages 26-29)

Growing Up Saumensch Pages 30 – 33 (Inferring)

1. “Liesel had a starving smile.” What does this mean? (Page 31)

2. Liesel’s father is a Kommunist (Communist). How is this presented in the text? What words make the reader know that to be Kommunist is not acceptable?

3. Why did Liesel’s mother leave her? (Page 32)

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(Pages 33-35)The reader learns a lot about Rosa (Liesel’s mother) and Hans, (Liesel’s father). What words does the author use to tell us the following?

Hans is: We know this because Page 1.creative He played the piano and accordion. 33 2. lucky

3. kind

4.valuable

Rosa is : We know this because 1. hardworking She did washing and ironing. 34

2. a terrible cook

3. verbally abusive

4. always angry looking

.1. What was Mr. Steiner saying to Rudy? Did he like the Jews? What was

confusing about what he said? (Page 59)

2. Make a connection to Night and “She Shall Not Be Moved.” Analyze the words Mr. Steiner is telling Rudy. Think about how one learns to be intolerant? Is it natural (within) or is it learned?How do parents and society teach intolerance? (Page 59)

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Prologue: A Mountain Range of Rubble and Part One: The Grave Digger’s Handbook

1. Who places Liesel Meminger in foster care?

2. Who is the narrator of this novel?

3. How are Liesel and her brother traveling to the foster care system?

4. Why and how does Liesel’s brother die?

5. How many armed guards escort Liesel when she helps to bury her brother?

6. To which German city is Liesel being relocated by the foster care system?

7. Using 3 adjectives, describe Rosa Hubermann.

8. What instrument does Hans Hubermann play?

9. What does Hans Hubermann convince Liesel to do after she has been in the house for a few weeks?

10. Why does Liesel Struggle in school?

11. What is the BDM?

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12. What does Rosa do for a living?

13. What does Frau Holtzapfel do every day? What does Liesel have to do as a result of what she does?

14. What sport does Liesel regularly play with the neighborhood kids?

15. Who is Rudy? How do Liesel and Rudy meet?

16. What sport is Rudy most interested in?

17. What does Rudy use to darken his body in hopes of emulating Jesse Owens? Who is Jesse Owens?

18. Who teaches Liesel to read?

19. What does Hans Huberman do for a living?

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Part I: Vocabulary

1. BlusterDefinition:

Synonym:

2. DispositionDefinition:

Synonym:

3. Auspicious Definition:

Synonym:

4. VehementDefinition:

Synonym:

5. ProlificDefinition:

Synonym:

6. ProtestationDefinition:

Synonym:

7. TrepidationDefinition:

Synonym:

8. CastigateDefinition:

Synonym:

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Part Two: The Shoulder ShrugHitler’s Birthday, 1940 (pages 101- 107)

1. Why was Liesel checking the mailbox every afternoon? (Page 101)

2. What was Molching preparing for? (Page 101)

3. What were people to bring to the Nazi party office? (Page 102)

4. What did everyone in the town have to have outside? (Page 102)

5. Who came to the Hubermann’s house that afternoon? (Page 103)

6. Describe Hans Junior. (Page 103)

7. Describe Trudy. (Page 103)

8. Why is Hans Jr. embarrassed to be seen with his father? (Page 104)

11. What event held Hans back from joining the party? (Page 104)

9. What book does Hans Jr. think is the most valuable book ever written? (Page 105)

10. What does Hans Jr. call his father? (Page 105)

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Book of Fire (118-122)1. What does Liesel discover amongst the pile of ash?

2. What does she think or wonder about what she has found?

3. What does Liesel try to do in the pile of ash?

4. What does Liesel do after she was not discovered by the Nazi soldiers?

5. What was happening to Liesel at the end of the chapter?

6. Write a reaction about how Liesel must have felt during this chapter.

Part Two: The Shoulder Shrug

1. At which holiday does Liesel finish reading “The Gravedigger’s Handbook”?

2. What does Hans sell in order to buy Liesel two new books?

3. Why is Rosa fired by various customers while Liesel is learning how to read?

4. Why does Liesel steal money from Rosa?

5. How does Rosa react when she realizes Liesel is stealing from her?

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6. What events does the city stage in celebration of the Führer’s (Hitler’s) birthday?

7. How does Liesel feel about the scheduled book burning?

8. Why is Hans Jr. embarrassed to be seen with his father?

9. What political party does Liesel think her mother belonged to?

10. Which body part does Liesel’s school friend break while attending the book burning? What is the name of her friend?

11. What part of her body is burned when Liesel steals a copy of The Shoulder Shrug?

12. Where does Liesel sit and wait for Hans to come and pick her up from the book burning?

13. How does Liesel describe the sensation of being burned at the book burning?

14. From where does the shadow witness Liesel stealing a book from the bonfire?

15. How does Rosa feel about Liesel writing letters to her mother?

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Part II: Vocabulary

1. SynagogueDefinition:

Synonym:

2. IncinerateDefinition:

Synonym:

3. PropagandaDefinition:

Synonym:

4. TrundledDefinition:

Synonym:

5. TransgressorDefinition:

Synonym:

6. Machination Definition:

Synonym:

7. Culpability Definition:

Synonym:

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Part Three: Mein Kampf

The Way Home (Pages 125 – 128)

1. Read to the end of page 125 and find two examples of personification. __________________________________ and __________________________________

Read (Pages 126-127)2. What did Papa ask Liesel?

3. What book did Papa buy from the Nazi Party office?

4. Make an inference. For what reason did the men in the Nazi Office think Hans was buying the book?

The Mayor’s Library (Pages 129 -137)

1. What happened to Liesel when she saw the Mayor’s wife? Was she recognized?

2. What does Death tell us that Liesel does not know?

3. Read up to the end of the chapter (page 137) and answer the following as you read. How did the Mayor’s wife react when Liesel came back the second time?

4. Where did the woman bring Liesel? How did Liesel react?

Interpret: What does the following quote mean?5. Page 129 “……the paranoia itself became the punishment.”

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Enter the Struggler Pages 138 – 1411. Why was Max in the dark? (Page 139)

2. How does Zusak let us know Max is starving? What words does he use?

3. Why did Max have to wait so long for someone to come?

4. Imagine you are Max. How do you feel?

5. List 4 things (not the food or drink) that Max brought with him._______________ _____________ ____________ _____________

6. Read the last paragraph on page 140. What do you think of the way Zusak described Max’s eating experience? Why did he use choose to use these words?

7. Make a connection with another part of the book. We know the character of Hans Hubermann. Where do you think Max is going and why?

The Aryan Shopkeeper (pages 154- 156)

Read pages 155- 156.1. What did Rudy and Liesel do with the pfennig?

2. What couldn’t they afford to purchase? What did they purchase?

3. How did Rudy and Liesel feel about the situation and the day itself?

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Read pages 157- 160 and answer the following questions as you read.1. Interpret the following quote from page 158.

“It could be worse.” He looked his friend in his Jewish eyes. “I could be you.”

2. Interpret the following quote from page 159. “In his stomach was the electric combination of nourishment and nausea.”

3. What words did Max dread to hear and why?

4. Reread the last page. Analyze the last four lines. What is ironic about what is written?

The Struggler, Concluded (168 – 170)

1. As Max gets close to his destination, how does he feel? How does Zusak tell the reader? What words does he choose? (169)

2. Reread the description of the house again. Connect with another part of the text the words, “brown spit-stained door.” (44)

3. Reread the last two paragraphs on page 170. Picture Max taking out the key. What are you wondering?

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Part Three: Mein Kampf

1. How does Hans react when he finds out Liesel stole a book from the bonfire?

2. Who sees Liesel steal the book from the bonfire?

3. Which customer is Liesel so afraid of that she skips over her house whenever possible?

4. How does Liesel react when she sees Frau Hermann’s library?

5. Who is the mysterious character described as living in the dark shadows of Stuttgart?

6. When the mysterious character living in the shadows is brought food and keys, which character is the mystery character urged to locate?

7. Which book does Liesel spend all of her time reading during her first summer with the Hubermann family?

8. Which of Frau Hermann’s relatives has died, leaving her deeply depressed?

9. How does Liesel describe Frau Hermann during the summer she spends reading with her?

10. What activities do Rudy and Liesel spend the summer doing?

11. What does Rudy’s father, Herr Steiner, do for a living?

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12. What type of soup does Rosa Hubermann make once a week to feed her family?

13. What type of fruit do Rudy and Liesel steal from local farmers?

14. What does Liesel purchase with the coin she finds on the street outside Frau Dillard’s house?

15. What book does the mysterious young man take on the train with him while traveling cross country?

16. Who do Rudy and Liesel steal a basket of food from?

17. How long do Liesel and Rudy work with the gang leader before he moves away?

18. How does the mysterious young man get into the Hubermann household?

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THEMES: Provide at least one example of each of the following themes from pages 123-170. Include the citation. Words, Reading, and Propaganda -

Bravery and Cowardice -

Thievery -

The Use of and Acknowledgement of Colors -

Anger and Abandonment -

Tolerance and Intolerance in Nazi Germany -

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Part Four: The Standover Man

The Accordionist (The Secret Life of Hans Hubermann) (pages 173- 184)

1. What is the narrator saying about what happened during the wars? (Page 174)

2. When was the first time that Hans was in the vicinity of death? (Page 174)

3. Explain A Small but Noteworthy Note on pages 174-175.

4. Who taught Hans to play the accordion? When did this occur? (Page 175)

5. What was their friendship built upon?

6. What happened to Hans’ friend? (Page 176)

7. How was Hans able to survive? (Page 176)

8. Why did people not want to volunteer when the Sergeant asked for volunteers? (Page 176)

9. Where was Philipp from, and what did he have to do when he volunteered? (Page 176)

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10. The Sergeant has difficulty finding a volunteer who has what? (Page 177)

11. Who did they volunteer to be the writer? What did he have to write? (Page 178)

12. What happened to the others while Hans wrote? (Page 178)

13. How many times has Hans escaped death? What were they? (Page 178)

14. What did Hans carry? (Page 178)

15. What did he do upon his return to Stuttgart? (Page 178)

16. What does Hans say to Erik’s wife? (Page 179)

17. Who else is there with Erik’s wife? (Page 179)

18. Predict why this person will need help in the future. (Page 179)

19. What did Hans do for work? (Page 179)

20. For how many years was Hans able to do his job and live his life normally? (Page 179)

21. What were some of Hans’ reasons for not joining the NSDAP (later the Nazi party)? (Page 180)

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22. Why is Hans’ business suffering? (Page 180)

23. What did Hans do in the spring of 1937? (Page 181)

24. What did he witness at this time? (Page 181)

25. What were Hans’ two mistakes? (Page 181)

(Pages 182- 183) 26. What were the three small but important facts and why were they important?

27. Why was Hans on the waiting list?

28. What happened toward the end of 1938?

29. What 2 things that saved Hans?

30. What happened on June 16, 1939? (Page 184)

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The Good Girl (185 – 186)

1. How old is Max when he arrives at Himmel Street? (Page 185)

2. How did Max feel after arriving at Himmel Street? (Page 185)

A Short History of the Jewish Fist Fighter (Pages 187 – 196)

1. What did Max enjoy doing in his spare time? (Page 187)

2. How does Death tell us Max was a ‘tough’ kid? (Page 187)

3. How did Max end up living with his cousins? (Page 188)

4. Based on the clues, what are we able to guess Max’s uncle died from? (Page 188)

5. What did Max find bothersome about the way his uncle died? This detail will be important later. (Page 188)

6. What was the important slip of paper Max’s mother gave him? (Page 193)

7. How did the chaos help Max escape? (Page 193)

8. How long did Max remain in hiding? (Page 193)

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(Pages 194 -195)9. What did Walter offer to do for Max once he realized he could no longer safely

hide him?

10. What important news did Walter bring Max about Hans?

Pages from the Basement (pages 223- 238)

1. What does Max use to write/draw the story on? (Page 223)

2. Answer the following questions in paragraph form: a. How did you feel when you were reading Max’s book?b. What did the book reveal about Max, Liesel and the situation they are in?c. What is ironic about the paper on which Max writes the book?

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Part Four: The Standover Man

1. Where was Hans Hubermann stationed when he fought in WWI?

2. Which branch of the armed forces did Hans Hubermann fight in during WWI?

3. What ethnicity was Erik Vandenberg?

4. What instrument did Erik Vandenberg play?

5. Why was young Hans Huberman asked to stay behind during his fight of WWI?

6. Besides Hans, how many soldiers survived the battle Hans Hubermann sat out during WWI?

7. Who did Hans credit with saving his life during WWI?

8. How did Erik Vandenberg’s widow react when Hans brought her husband’s instrument home to her?

9. What did Hans give to Erik Vandenberg’s widow with the hopes of being able to help her family one day?

10. Where did Max Vandenberg grow up?

11. Why was Max Vandenberg bullied as a child?

12. How many fights did Max Vandenberg get in with his nemesis, Walter Kugler?

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13. Who saved Max from the Gestapo when they were removing Jews from the neighborhood?

14. How long is Max in hiding before being moved to Hans Hubermann’s house?

15. In which room of the Hubermann household does Max hide while he is living with them?

16. Upon arriving safely to the Hubermann household, how long does Max sleep, uninterrupted?

17. What inanimate object does Max credit with saving his life?

18. What does Max give to Liesel for her birthday?

Part Five: The Whistler The Floating Book (Part I) pages 241-242

Sketches

Pages 277-281Go back and re read Sketches to find:5 examples of personification1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

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2 other examples (simile/metaphor) of figurative language1.

2.

Three Acts of Stupidity by Rudy Steiner

First Mistake (Pages 293 – 295)

1. What caused Rudy to steal the potato?

2. What literary device does Zusak use to describe the merchant’s teeth?

3. Why did the people in the crowd change their minds about Rudy?

Second Mistake (Pages 296 -298)1. Why did Franz Deutscher think Rudy would step in when Tommy had a hard time?

2. What did Rudy say to Franz to make Franz angry during the Hitler Youth meetings?

3. What did Rudy do to Franz when he saw him on the street?

4. What do you think about this?

5. What was the last date Rudy gave for Hitler’s birthday?

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Third Mistake (Page 299)1. What was the third mistake Rudy made?

2. Why do you think Rudy did this?

3. How did his parents react?

4. Why did Rudy change his mind about going and where did he end up?

Part Five: The Whistler

1. Who gives Max a haircut?

2. What book does Liesel read over and over in Frau Hermann’s library?

3. How does Liesel react when Frau Hermann offers a book to her as a gift?

4. What object does Liesel regularly fish out of the trash bins to bring home to Max?

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5. What does Liesel describe for Max using the most colorful language she can think of?

6. Which sport does Max regularly dream he is participating in with Adolf Hitler?

7. Which emotion does Max feel comfortable expressing only in his journal?

8. What tool does Max use to keep records of his emotions in the journal?

9. How does Liesel react when she catches a glimpse onto Max’s journal?

10. What does Liesel shot to Frau Hermann when the Frau fires Rosa from her laundry service?

11. How does Liesel feel after her outburst against Frau Hermann?

12. What ailment afflicts Tommy Müller?

13. Who stands up for Tommy Müller when he is being abused?

14. When Rudy is punished in Hitler Youth camp, what is he made to do?

15. How does Viktor Chemmel compare to the last gang leader Liesel worked with?

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16. Why doesn’t Viktor Chemmel like or respect Liesel?

17. How do Rudy and Liesel break into the mayor’s house?

18. What does Liesel steal from the mayor’s house the first time she breaks in?

19. What does Liesel accidentally leave behind in the mayor’s house while she is robbing him?

20. What question does the Hitler Youth leader ask Rudy on the street brefore beating him in front of his friends?

21. What does the Hitler Youth leader use to cut Rudy’s hair in the middle of the street?

22. What does Rudy ask Liesel for after he rescues her book from the river?

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Parts 4 and 5: Vocabulary

1. ImmaculateDefinition:

Synonym:

2. DanubeDefinition:

Synonym:

3. DisgruntledDefinition:

Synonym:

4. ArchetypalDefinition:

Synonym:

5. TroddenDefinition:

Synonym:

6. PlacidityDefinition:

Synonym:

7. Immutable Definition:

Synonym:

8. ImperativeDefinition:

Synonym:

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Part Six: The Dream Carrier1. What does Liesel bring into Max’s room on Christmas Eve?

2. Which character fears that Max has caught an incurable cold?

3. During what month of the year does Max collapse in the basement?

4. What is something that Liesel gives to Max hoping it will heal him from his sickness?

5. How many gifts in total does Liesel bring to Max during his time of sickness?

6. What is the title of the book Liesel steals from Frau Hermann’s library while Max is sick?

7. What does Rosa shout at Liesel for, signaling to her that Max has awoken from his coma?

8. During what month of the year does Liesel resume playing soccer with her neighborhood friends?

9. Why are men trolling the neighborhood where Liesel lives during the soccer game?

10. How does Liesel manage to warn Max about the men trolling the neighborhood, who may discover him?

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Part Seven: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus Champagne and Accordions (pages 353- 358)

1. Why were people preparing for the inevitable? (Page 353)

2. What was happening in the town? (Page 353)

3. What was Hans doing? (Page 353)

4. What was Hans getting for his painting? (Page 354)

5. When Liesel and Hans worked together what did they do? (Page 355)

6. What did Hans do when he had a break? (Page 355)

7. What did Liesel want? (Page 356)

8. Where did the champagne come from? (Page 357)

9. Why does Liesel want to be oblivious again? (Page 358)

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The Trilogy (page 369 only)

10. What is the letter about? Who is it from?

Frau Holtzapfel’s Offer (pages 385- 388)

11. What happened to their town? (Page 385)

12. Why did Frau Holtzapfel come to the Hubbermann house? (Page 386)

13. What does Frau Holtzapfel want Liesel to do? (Page 387)

14. What does she offer Liesel and Rosa? (Page 387)

15. What was Liesel thinking while she was with Frau Holtzapfel? (Page 388)

16. What happened in Molching at the end of the section? (Page 388)

The Long Walk to Dachau( 389 – 396)

(Page 391)Re-read the following and determine what is odd about this sentence.1. More people gathered on the street where a collection of Jews and other

criminals had just passed.”

2. What do you think Hans was going to say to Liesel and why did he decide against it?

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3. Death is speaking and says, “……the Jews………..like a catalog of colors..”What is the significance of referring to the Jews in this manner?

4. What does the color silver symbolize? _____________________Who do we think of when we think of this color? ____________________

5. Analyze:

They had the Fuhrer in their eyes.

(Pages 393 – 394)6. When Liesel watched the parade of Jews, who did all of them represent to her?

7. How would you feel watching this parade of people passing you in the street?

8. Analyze:

“Other Jews walked past……………..watching this small, futile miracle. They streamed by like human water. That day, a few would reach the ocean. They would be handed a white cap.” What does this mean?

Peace (Pages 397 398)

9. What is the main event that takes place on these two pages?

The Idiot and the Coat Men (399-403)

10. What is the important event that takes place in this passage?

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Part Seven: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus

1. During what year do the air raids begin in Munich?

2. What color do Hans’ neighbors ask him to paint their windows?

3. What words does Liesel use to describe the process of mixing paint?

4. What alcoholic beverage is Hans paid in, which he allows Liesel to drink with him?

5. How does Liesel describe the alcoholic drink she sips with Hans?

6. How many races does Rudy sign up for during the Hitler Youth carnival?

7. What does Frau Hermann leave on her windowsill for Liesel to collect?

8. How does Frau Hermann react when she realizes that Liesel is stealing from her?

9. Who is Rudy most terrified of seeing him fail?

10. Who does NOT get up in the middle of the night during the air raid sirens?

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11. Where are Liesel and her family expected to hide out during the air raid drills?

12. Which of her belongings does Liesel bring into the bomb shelter with her during air raids?

13. How long has Max been hiding in the basement before he sees the sky?

14. What does Frau Holtzapfel offer to trade Liesel in exchange for reading sessions?

15. What does Hans offer to his starving Jewish solder he sees being marched through the streets?

16. To which concentration camp is the starving prisoner being relocated?

17. With what weapon are both Hans and the starving prisoner beaten by the guard?

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Parts 6 and 7: Vocabulary

1. PuncturedDefinition:

Synonym:

2. UnflappableDefinition:

Synonym:

3. AdamantDefinition:

Synonym:

4. IrreparableDefinition:

Synonym:

5. IncredulousDefinition:

Synonym:

6. VigilanceDefinition:

Synonym:

7. Copious Definition:

Synonym:

8. Premonition Definition:

Synonym:

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Part Eight: The Word Shaker

1. What does Rudy hear when he eavesdrops on the conversation between the Nazi party and his parents?

2. How do Rudy’s parents feel when the Nazi party offers Rudy a full scholarship to one of their training schools?

3. Why is the Nazi party interested in giving Rudy a full scholarship to their school?

4. Who is in the room with Rudy when he has to strip naked for the Nazi physical?

5. How does Rudy feel after the Nazi physical?

6. What punishment does Hans receive for helping the starving Jew from the parade?

7. How does Hans learn that he has been accepted in the Nazi party?

8. How does Hans react to the news that he is going to be drafted to the war?

9. Who is drafted to the war at the same time as Hans?

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10. What confession does Rudy make to Liesel when they run away from home together?

11. After Hans is drafted to the war, what sound does Liesel hear at night that wakes her from sleep?

12. What unit is Hans assigned to in the war?

13. What is Hans’ major responsibility during the war?

14. What does Liesel leave around town in case the Jewish prisoners get hungry?

15. What titles does Max give to his journal before skipping town?

16. According to Max’s dreams, what is Liesel meant to shake in opposition to Hitler?

17. During their only Christmas together, what does Liesel give to Rudy as a gift?

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Part Nine: The Last Human StrangerThe Cardplayer(463-464)

1. Who was Reinhold Zucker?

2. How old was he?

3. What character trait would you assign to him?

4. What do we know will happen to Zucker?

5. Predict how Hans will be involved in the end of Zucker’s life._

6. What is the irony in the statement, “It kills me sometimes, how people die.”

The Accident (pages 475-480)

1. What did Zucker ask Hans to do?

2. What happened to Zucker because of this?

3. In the end how did this benefit Hans?

One Toolbox, One Bleeder, One Bear (pages 481- 491)1. Why was Rudy getting angrier?

2. What does Liesel think Rudy is going to do?

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3. Why does Rudy say Liesel is not a thief?

4. What did Rudy say was the purpose of the hammer? Towel? Teddy bear?

5. What was wrong with Frau Holtzapfel?

6. Was Liesel successful in helping Frau Holtzapfel?

7. How did Frau Holtzapfel’s son feel after leaving her?

8. Who appears at the shelter?

9. What does Rudy see near the Amper River?

10. What caused the fire near the Amper River?

11. Predict who Rudy sees (page 489).

12. Interpret the following quote, “It’s probably fair to say that in all the years of Hitler’s reign, no person was able to serve the Fuhrer as loyally as me.”

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Part Nine: The Last Human Stranger

1. What food item does Liesel find on Frau Hermann’s desk around Christmas time?

2. According to Frau Hermann, who owns the library in her house?

3. In what German city is Hans stationed during the war?

4. What game does Hans regularly play with his troops?

5. During what month of the year does Frau Holtzapfel’s son come home from the war?

6. In which Russian city did Frau Holtzapfel’s son die?

7. What does the disgruntled card player steal from Hans after their game?

8. When the disgruntled card player dies, what part of Hans’ body part is broken?

9. In what month of the year does Hans return from the war?

10. Why does Rudy pack a toolbox?

11. Who tries to refuse to go to the air raid shelter?

12. Who is the first character to see the fire in the distance upon emerging from the air raid shelter?

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13. Where is the pilot whose plane has crashed near the river from?

14. What does Rudy give to the dying pilot in the hopes of comforting him during his death?

15. What job does Hans take upon returning home from the war?

Part Ten: The Book Thief1. Who does Liesel continue to search for during the prisoner parades through town?

2. How does Michael Holtzapfel die?

3. Who does Michael write a letter to shortly before his death?

4. Where is Michael Holtzapfel’s body found?

5. Who breaks the news to Frau Holtzapfel that her son has died?

6. What does Liesel attempt to do with Max when she sees him being paraded through town?

7. Where was Max captured?

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8. Who saves Liesel from being beaten to death by the German soldier guarding Max?

9. What is Frau Hermann’s first name?

10. What gift does Frau Hermann claim Liesel has?

11. What is the name of the book Liesel writes after seeing Max in the parade?

12. In which room of the house is Liesel hiding during the final air raid?

13. What does Liesel finally give to Rudy?

Epilogue: The Last Color1. In what country does Liesel die?

2. Who ends up with Hans’ accordion at the end of the novel?

3. Who takes Liesel in after the final air raid?

4. For whom does Liesel end up working at the end of the novel?

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5. What does Death have in his pocket when he comes to claim Liesel?

6. What happens to Max at the end of the novel?

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https://vickyloras.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/the_book_thief_crawford.pdf

Themes of The Book Thief Words, Reading, and Propaganda - Throughout the novel, Liesel

grows to understand the power of words, the importance of reading, and the power words can have in changing the minds of others (both for the better and for the worse). How is propaganda, in both visual and audio mediums, present in Liesel's everyday life? How has it created a fearful world?

Bravery and Cowardice - In Hitler's Germany, is it cowardice NOT to stand up to the Nazis and their beliefs? Is this cowardice acceptable? Who was brave in this society?

Thievery - As indicated by the title, The Book Thief is a book, in part, about thievery. How does this stealing have both literal and symbolic meanings throughout the novel for Liesel and the rest of characters?

The Use of and Acknowledgement of Colors - In literature as in life, colors can have symbolic meanings. How did Markus Zusak use colors to express tone and to create bonds between characters in the story?

Anger and Abandonment - To be left is to be hurt. Throughout the novel we see characters who were left by the ones they love or who feel like they were abandoned. What impact does this abandonment have on the characters personalities and outlooks on life?

Tolerance and Intolerance in Nazi Germany - dictionary.com defines tolerance as "a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry." How do we see examples of both tolerance and intolerance in the story? What lessons do we learn from these instances?

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