Prologue and Part One
Quotations
"I am in all truthfulness attempting to be cheerful about this whole topic, though most people find themselves hindered in believing me, no matter my protestations. Please, trust me. I most definitely can be cheerful. I can be amiable. Agreeable. Affable. And that's only the A's. Just don't ask me to be nice. Nice has nothing to do with me."--Death Prologue (3)
This quote introduces our narrator a little and gives us an idea of how he/she feels. When the narrator (death) brings up the subject of not being nice it shows the reader that he will be honest and straightforward about what he sees and what happens and he won't try to sugar coat any of the sad stuff that happens.
This quote introduces our narrator a little and gives us an idea of how he/she feels. When the narrator (death) brings up the subject of not being nice it shows the reader that he will be honest and straightforward about what he sees and what happens and he won't try to sugar coat any of the sad stuff that happens.
"It was a place nobody wanted to stay and look at, but almost everyone did. Shaped like a long, broken arm, the road contained several houses with lacerated windows and bruised walls. The Star of David was painted on their doors. Those houses were almost like lepers. At the very least, they were infected sores on the injured German terrain."--Death, Part One (51).
This gives a good description of the area and shows that this time in history was really rough for certain people. It shows the reader how the Jews lived in this time period and how they are poorer than even the poor part of Molching on Kimmel Street.
This gives a good description of the area and shows that this time in history was really rough for certain people. It shows the reader how the Jews lived in this time period and how they are poorer than even the poor part of Molching on Kimmel Street.
"Because you shouldn't want to be like black people or Jewish people or anyone who is...not us."--Alex Steiner (Rudy's Father) Part One (60)
This quote shows how dangerous it was to be black or Jewish. This historical time period was very racist and to want to be anything other than white was considered wrong and could lead to your death, if you weren't careful. This was the beginning of Hitler's reign, when he decided to get rid of the Jews and he when he despised the blacks.
This quote shows how dangerous it was to be black or Jewish. This historical time period was very racist and to want to be anything other than white was considered wrong and could lead to your death, if you weren't careful. This was the beginning of Hitler's reign, when he decided to get rid of the Jews and he when he despised the blacks.
Images
This is the type of train Liesel, her mother, and her brother would have ridden on on their way to the Hubermanns house.
This images gives an idea of the setting of Himmel Street in this time, which is where most of the action happens in the beginning of the book.
Connections and Historical Context
Click here to learn more about the history of Jews in Germany
Click here to learn more about the education under Nazi Germany
Click here to learn more about the education under Nazi Germany
Questions
- Why was Liesel so attached to The Gravedigger's Handbook?
- How does Han Hubermann earn the trust of Liesel Meminger throughout part one of the novel?
- What is the importance of the mini chapter about Rudy's Jesse Owens incident?
- Why did Liesel beat up Ludwig? Why did she beat up Tommy?
My Thoughts and Response
I believe that the beginning of the book seems to be very depressing with death of Liesel's brother and then to the condition of the neighborhood and even the fact that Liesel can't read. Liesel has an obvious connection with her foster father, which makes her new beginning in her new home a lot easier.
I feel as though the narrator, death, gives the story a different point of view but also gets me anxious to see who will be the next person to go in the story.
I feel as though the narrator, death, gives the story a different point of view but also gets me anxious to see who will be the next person to go in the story.