1) Initially, what would you imagine a person who steals books to be like?
Untrustworthy? Mysterious? Evil? How does Liesel differ from your initial notions of who a “book thief would be”?
If a stranger asked me to describe what a “Book Thief” would look like, I would be stunned for words. Stealing books is an unusual thing for a thief to steal, compared to other things its monetary value is very low. This is why it is hard to imagine a “Book Thief”, I can imagine an old librarian sneaking a book out of the library that they work at, but I can also picture a young child feeling quite cheeky by slipping a book underneath there coat.
Liesel is a quiet young girl who I wouldn’t expect to become a thief, but she has a mischievous side to her that when given opportunity would come out and compel her to do things that she wouldn’t usually even think of. When this mischievous is paired with something that she loves like books, she will break the law to get what she wants.
2) Explain how these early experiences in Liesel’s life would have affected her as a child? What do these early references about Liesel indicate how she is going to interact with others? What will be her goals/ objectives in life? What
conflicts/difficulties may she have as she matures?
Liesel’s early childhood experiences did affect her greatly. At an early age, Liesel and her brother were taken away from there mother and were going to be given to a foster family. On the train, to there new home her brother dies
3) Why are books and words so important to Liesel? How does she learn that
words, can be used for good and for evil?
4) Why does Liesel vow that she will never kiss Rudy?
5) How does Max’s experience in Nazi Germany alter how Liesel views her own
suffering?
6) Liesel continues to steal books throughout the novel. Why is this act important to her? What purpose does it serve?