Consider what role minor characters play in populating the world of The Book Thief. You might consider the other Hubermann children, their neighbors, Leisel's friends and classmates, the mayor's wife, the Nazis, and other characters who play smaller roles but carry some of the important themes of the novel.
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I found that the death of the brother was a sort of catalyst for Leisel and books. If he had not died then who knows whether or not she would have discovered reading. Further more the book uses tradgedy in order to show the way Leisel strengthens and builds her character, with no tragedy then Leisel would not be in a way Leisel.
I have to agree with kiera, that the "Grave Diggers Handbook" was a catalyst to Liesel discovering books. If her brother had not have died she never would have never found the book. I think that the way Liesel is able to cope with the tragic loss of her brother shows how she is a strong girl. I think that Liesels mother also shows what Liesel's character is. I think that because Liesel's mother was able to give up her children shows that she is strong and won't back out of anything if its for the safety of her children. Liesel picks that up without really knowing it that but her character shows the strength that her mother has.
The books are a very large part of the story. They become minor characters as Liesel learns to love to read. Exempting the prologue, all the parts this is broken into are named after a book. Most of those books she stole, like "The Sholder Shrug" and "The Whistler". Two were written for her, the last one by her and in the case of "Mein Kampf" later used as paper for the books written for her.
The important books are not the two she gets for Christmas. Really, she doesn't mention them much after reciving them on pages 88 and 89. "...she unwrapped two small books. The first one [was], Faust the Dog...The second book was called The Lighthouse."
No, the important ones were the ones she stole. Really, though, is that all that suprising considering the title?
However, I think the most important book of all is the last one. The Book Thief. The one she wrote. The one that saves her life. This book is what the whole story leads up to. She goes from barly knowing her alpabet (67) to writing the poetic last line of her story on page 528. It is her crownig achievement.
I agree with Alex that the books become minor characters in the story as Liesel learns to read and love them. However, I also think that the mayor's wife had a big role in this as well. After she saw Liesel steal a book out of the fire(120-121), she began inviting her in to read in her library. She saw how much it meant to Liesel and that helped her to forgive and continue letting Liesel in through the window without Liesel knowing it was intentional, for a while. It was also the mayor's wife who gave Liesel the book to write her story in. She helped save her life.
I agree with what Alex said; the books are a very important part of the story. However, not only do the books assist in carrying the theme of who Leisel is, but the minor characters like max and leisel's family. Her family conveys who she is personaly. (Leisel's Papa reading to her and helping with her journey to love to read) while other minor characters like Tommy Muller, the mayor's wife, and leisel's brother motivate leisel's actions. leisel's brother motivated her to steal her first book, and Tommy muller aided in a way that made her feel like proving herself.
I agree with Hannah T P when she said, “not only do the books assist in carrying the theme of who Leisel is, but the minor characters like max and Leisel's family. Her family conveys who she is personally.” Events that happen in her home are crucial to the opinions that Leisel forms throughout her life on the political events going on in Germany. For example, Leisel first began to form her opinion about the Fuhrur when Junior and Trudy come to visit the Hubermanns on page 103 to 106. While describing Junior, she said, “Hans Junior had the eyes of his father and the height. The silver in his eyes, however, wasn’t warm, like Papa’s – they’d been Fugrured” (103). Leisel recognized that Hans Hubermann had been involved with the Fuhrer and knew that was why his eyes had become cold and hard.
She also described him as having “prickly blond hair and skin like off-white paint” (103) Just like in The House on Mango Street, Leisel is using a physical trait, hair, to describe a character’s personality. By describing Junior with prickly hair, she is also describing his personality as prickly. This turns out to be an accurate observation as you read the fight between Hans Junior and his father on the following pages. Also, Leisel describes Hans Junior as having skin like off-white paint. Can you think of any other time in a person’s life where their skin looks like off-white paint? When they are dead. They have no more color in their cheeks and they look very pail: like off-white paint. This is because Junior has given his life to the Fuhrer. You find out on page 106 that he went to Stalingrad. By the comment by Death, “I wish I could tell you that everything worked out for the younger Hans Hubermann, but it didn’t” (106), and the “Some Facts About Stalingrad”, you can easily assume that Hans Junior did end up dying for the Fuhrer soon after.
By the impression that Hans Junior left on Leisel, she figured out what happens to those who are loyal to the Fuhrer. From that knowledge sprouted the opinion of him that he was a bad person and she didn’t like him. Directly after this event, she went to the book burning. Maybe if this hadn’t happened, she would have had a good time at the book burning like everyone else. Maybe she would have cheered and proclaimed her loyalty to Hitler. But she did not, because she knew what kind of person the Fuhrer was and did not like what he was doing to the people of Germany and recognized what he was doing with the Jewish literature was wrong.
Minor Characters play a very important role in this book because they infasize the themes of the book. For instance, Liesel's best friend, Rudy Steiner is a character that shows a different side to race issues. He lives in Germany at a time when race is used to define whether someone is worthy in the country. He is of the "chosen race" but still admires a man that at this time is considered to be unworthy of living by his country. Rudy is the boy that, painted himself charcoal black and ran 100 meters at the soccer feild one night" because he wanted to be like the black athlete, Jesse Owens. Rudy doesn't feel that this man is of an inferior race, even though at the time this man was considered to be inferior even in the U.S.A.
The Major's Wife is also important to the idea of tragedy and the power books. In this way she is a lot like liesel. Liesel has lost her brother and still has nightmares about his death. The Majors wife has also lost someone. When Liesel finds the name Johann Hermann in one of them books in the Mayor's Library, she inquires as to who this person is. The Major's wife only replies with, "He is nothing now in this world." The Major's wife is still damaged from the death of johann in 1918.Frau Hermann also is the one that exposes liesel to so many books. She allows liesel to come read in her library after she sees liesel steal a book from the fire. She understands what books mean to liesel and helps her to explore them. This just adds to liesels love for reading and inspires her. Minor characters help to shape who liesel is and shape the circumstances of the story.
Keeley B said "Minor characters help to shape who Liesel is" One of the minor characters who especially does this is Max. They have quite a bit in common, the accordians their fathers, adopted or not, played. Max and Liesel both lose their families, in some way or another. It happens twice- the second time they both lose the Hubbermans, their adoptive parents. They both have horibble nightmares. Come the end of the war, they both are left with each other.
Max is the cause of much of Liesel's fear in the middle of the book. Instead of nightmareing about her brother, she nightmares about Max. His illness hurts her (page 330). There is always that fear in the back of everyone's mind- "What if he doesn't wake up? What will we do with the body?" (pg. 379)- the fear of getting caught. But Leisel in particular has come to love Max in the way one loves a friend. They are kindred spirits, and the thought of him dying is really difficult to think of.
When he leaves because of Hans's kind act toward yet another Jew, a stupid one this time, Leisel hopes. She looks for him in the parades of Jews that march on their way to Dachau. The scene where she finally finds him is heart wrenching. She does not care that he is a Jew. Max helps enable Leisel to see past Hitler's distortions and that people are people, there is not a superior race. She becomes a stronger person because of Max.
The mayor's wife is an important minor character that helped to shape Liesel's character. Like Keeley said, "Frau Hubermann also is the one that exposes Liesel to so many books. She allows Liesel to come read in her library after she sees Liesel steal a book from the fire." I think that an important part about this is that it was the Mayor's WIFE'S library. Liesel had automatically assumed that it was the mayor's library since men had that kind of power in those days. Knowing that the library was Ilsa's probably gave Liesel hope and confidence that it was okay and even good for her to be taking books and reading a lot. It might have helped her to know that there was someone else who also had a love for words and it was a woman. This personality of the mayor's wife as a minor character helped show Liesel the way and gave her some of her character.
I agree with Monica, and concerning the library, the book portrays that books give women a kind of secret authority that you would expect from men. The power is education, in those times the women were not very well educated and to have your own private library is sort of showing your a person high in society to be educated enough to read.
As Kiera states in her comment, "books give women a kind of secret authority that you would expect from men", I strongly believe this statement is more than reasonable. As we speak of minor characters, I believe there is one very important minor character that we are all forgetting about. He is introduced in not only the story but in Leisel's life as a thief himself. Arthur Berg. Arthur, a fifteen-year-old criminal, portrays as a minor character who effects Leisel by convincing her, more than what she already is, that thievery is a big pat of who she is. Arthur teaches the young children the basic orders (151-152) in which is needed to become a good "criminal". By following these orders, Leisel begins making habits of thievery. Arthur strengthens Leisel by building up her confidence to follow through with doing the things that are wrong and dangerous. If Leisel had not followed through with these requirements from Arthur, then she might still be cautious with her decisions of stealing things that do not belong to her. But since she did, this is who she is.
Another minor character that contributes to Liesel's character and her stealing, is Ilsa Hermann. Once Liesel learned how to read, she hungered to read more books. While she was delivering laundry for Rosa's business, Ilsa Hermann allowed her to come into her library and read. She allowed Liesel to continue to fulfill her want of books and reading.
When the Hermanns no longer could use Rosa's laundry service, Liesel no longer had to deliver laundry to their house and she is unable to read from Ilsa's library. So she begins stealing books from her. This contributes to who Liesel is because becoming a theif is who she is, and her interest in theft is stealing the books. Without Ilsa Hermann and her library, Liesel would be more hesitant to steal, and would be a completely different character from what the Book Thief portrays.
There is one minor character that I think did not have as much of an impact on Liesel as it did on the reader. Michael Holtzapfel.
Usually when we reflect on the topic of the Holocaust, we think of the millions of unjust deaths of Jews. Usually, we feel no pity for any of the Germans. We have to take into account that not all of the Germans were bad like Hitler.
So, naturally, many times we shove the historical and emotional factor of German suffering off to the side. We do not usually take the time to count German deaths, especially in the case of Michael Holtzapfel. "He killed himself for wanting to live." (503) What a short, yet powerful, ironic statement.
Pages 502 and 503, describing Michael's suicide, held powerful meanings for me as a reader. Here was a German boy, who unwillingly left his mother to save himself, when all along it turned out that she was fine. His guilt of leaving his mother was growing inside him the whole time, so "he killed himself for wanting to live." My first thought was, "How foolish of him! What has he done to his mother!?"
This part of the book made me think a lot of Death's perspective on suicide souls.
"'Have me,' they said, and there was no stopping them. They were frightened, no question, but they were not afraid of me. It was a fear of messing up and having to face themselves again, and facing the world, and the likes of you." (503)
This presents a theme in the book: we should forgive ourselves. If Michael would have done this, he would have lived.
Previously, Alex introduced books as a topic of referring to minor characters. By making an appearance to objects as characters, Alex helps to make a statement that not only do the people in Liesel’s life leave an impact on her, but the objects around her also shows affection to who she is.
As we all know, Hans Hubermann, also known as Papa, is the character in this novel who Liesel loves the most. He represents a huge part of who Liesel is. He taught the girl how to read and write, and helped her grow into a responsible fourteen year old girl. Liesel loves her Papa more than anything in the world, and in the novel the one item Liesel sees her father as is the accordion known to bring tears to Liesel’s eyes. (527)
I believe the accordion is a minor character that affects Liesel because it’s brought up many times in the story. As Liesel wrote on page 42 of The Book Thief , she stated that , “There are lines on his cheeks. They look drawn on, and for some reason, when I see them, I want to cry”. (527) The lines “drawn on” Papa’s face is left over from the accordion, showing a connection between the two which helps to recognize the importance of one. The accordion also shows a really big importance because it’s the object in the story which is brought up the most. It has been handled and played, passed down and shared, and throughout the many years of bringing happiness, I believe it has affected Liesel the most. The accordion is the one object Liesel remembers her father by when he passes away. Through the broken case the accordion rests in, it’s mentioned several times to be staring back at Liesel when words have failed to bring happiness to her life.
Kiera said at the very begining of this topic that, "the death of the brother was a sort of catalyst for Liesel and books". I agree with this and also noticed another way that Liesel's brother affects her character. The nightmares of her brother's death cause Liesel to become closer to Hans and Max. When Liesel wets the bed bacause of the nightmares, Hans discovers the first book and ultimately teaches her to read. The chapter that talks mostly about Hans teaching Liesel to read is called, "The Smell of Friendship" (69).Even just the title lets the reader see how close Liesel is to Hans. The nightmares of her brother also bring Liesel close to Max. In one of Death's commentaries, called "The Swapping of Nightmares," he writes, "The girl: 'Tell me what you see when you dream like that?' The Jew: '. . . I see myself turning around and waving goodbye.' The girl: 'I also have nightmares.' The Jew: 'What do you see?'" (220).When they share their nightmares they become close and Liesel becomes able to "cope on her own with the dreams (220). In "The Standover Man" Max writes that the dreams are something Liesel and him have in common. Even though Liesel's bother died at the begining of the novel, he stays with her in her dreams and helps his sister form new relationships.
I found that Hitler was one of the main minor (more or less minor)characters that propelled and even caused a lot of events. Hitler was not very much to Leisel's favor and he caused so many bad things to happen, or come close to happening, to Liesel in some way or another. Hitler's idea of the perfect race was the Germans and thus Jews were treated horribly and those that helped the Jews were treated like traders. So when Leisel and her family take in Max (a major minor character) it was a gamble and that was risking their lives and home.
Hitler's pary- the Nazis tried to get rid of all the books written by Jews.
Like Christine M said close to the begining of this blog: "By the impression that Hans Junior left on Leisel, she figured out what happens to those who are loyal to the Fuhrer. From that knowledge sprouted the opinion of him that he was a bad person and she didn’t like him. Directly after this event, she went to the book burning. Maybe if this hadn’t happened, she would have had a good time at the book burning like everyone else. Maybe she would have cheered and proclaimed her loyalty to Hitler. But she did not, because she knew what kind of person the Fuhrer was and did not like what he was doing to the people of Germany and recognized what he was doing with the Jewish literature was wrong."
She stole that book from the fire and was seen in the process. If she were reported to the Nazi party her and her family would be in danger. But under the conditions that allowed people to read Jewish literature, she wouldn't have to worry about the danger that would cause to take or have Jewish literature. Luckily for her, she was not reported but gained more books though the mayor's wife and her library.
There are more things that happen and badly affect Leisel because of the Fuber. The Fuber trusts a lot of the theme in this book. I would like to know some one else's opinion on Hitler as a major minor character.
Hitler is definitely an important "minor" character. He influences the entire plot of the book. He put Liesel and Max on edge as well as the rest of the world. For Max, it is a direct assault. Hitler has turned all of Germany against Max.” Adolf finished him.”Will you climb in here so that we can defeat this enemy together?””(254) Max decides to fight back. He builds up his strength and even when he falls deathly sick, he comes back to continue his fight. The will power of people is incredibly strong and Hitler brings out this quality in the characters of the book.
Another minor character that I think may have affected Liesel in a small way is Frau Holtzapfel. On page 387, she comes to the Hubermanns' door and makes an offer. "'I was hoping to hear the rest of it in the shelter, but it looks like we're safe for now." She rolled her shoulders and straightened the wire in her back. “So I want you to come to my place and read it to me...I'll stop spitting on your door...And I’ll give you my coffee ration.'" In this passage, Frau Holtzapfel wants Liesel to keep reading the book The Whistler to her. In this way, I think that she expands Liesel's world of words more because it gives Liesel more experience. The Duden Dictionary Meaning #5 had the word opportunity (386), which tells that this is an opening for Liesel. A change, I noticed, through the course of the book was Holtzapfel's attitude towards the Hubermanns. In the beginning, she and Rosa are engaged in a long forgotten feud, which leads to them spitting on each other’s doors. This gives the reader a great sense of dislike between them. However, as Hans Hubermann is leaving for the war, Frau Holtzapfel says, “’Goodbye, Hans, you drunken Saukerl,” but she offered him a note of friendship, too. “Come home soon.’” Liesel’s family and she go from being somewhat enemies in the book to close acquaintances.
Can we open a new blog about the holocaust?
I agree with kiera when she states "the death of her brother was a sort of catalyst for Leisel and books." With that being said, Leisel's brother turns out to be a very important character. Although he is only in pages 19 through 29, his death ended up affecting the entire story. I also continue to agree with Kiera in the fact that if her brother had not died Leisel might never have found her desire for reading.
I believe that when she found The Gravediggers Handbook, without relizing it the book became something she could cling onto to help fill the void left by her brothers death. This also gives me the feeling (like Alex M P said) that the books she ends up stealing become minor characters themselves. Even when she doesn't want to steal the book with Rudy because she knows its wrong, she does it anyway and then continues to take other books. To her all the books she comes to own all mean a lot to her.
I agree that Leisel's little brother is a very influential minor character in this book. Not only because, "The nightmares of her brother's death cause Liesel to become closer to Hans and Max." as Brittany H W said, or because, "the death of the brother was a sort of catalyst for Leisel and books. If he had not died then who knows whether or not she would have discovered reading." as Kiera M P siad, but also because his presence is there with Leisel in a few instances on the Hermann's doorstep. One example is when Ilsa first told her they wouldn't be using their washing services anymore on page 262. It says, "Immediately. Her brother was next to her. He whispered for her to stop, but he, too, was dead, and not worth listening to. He died in a train. They buried him in the snow." Here Leisel's brother is almost acting as her conscience, telling her to stop yelling at Ilsa Hermann. Another time this happened was on page 370 when Leisel received the letter in the dictionary given to her by Mrs. Hermann. It says, "Again, her brother found her. From the bottom of the steps, his knee healing nicely, he said, 'Come on, Leisel, knock.'" In The Book Thief, Leisel's brother plays a huge roll as a minor character.
I think that Christine M. is right about Liesel's brother acting as her conscience. He appears next to her in every instance on the steps at Ilsa Herrman's house. Each time, he speaks to her, telling her to stop or urging her to knock on the door on pages 263 and 370. On both occasions, Liesel doesn't do what her brother advises except on the last time she visited those steps and left the plate by the door. Zusak writes, "Liesel did not look back, but she knew that if she did, she'd have found her brother at the bottom of the steps again, his knee completely healed. She could even hear his voice. "That's better, Liesel" (472-472). I think that this shows how Liesel knew she had made the right choice and done a good thing by giving back instead of stealing. I think that Liesel's brother has quite a big role in Liesel's story even though is he only mentioned a few times.
A minor character in The Book Thief that helped to carry important themes was Hans Junior.
Hans Junior and his father had many arguments about the war, joining the Nazi party, and his devotion to his own country. Hans Junior was a true Nazi, he only worried about the Fuhrer. “And what trash is this girl reading? She should be reading Mein Kampf.” (105), Hans Junior said about Liesel. “It’s pathetic- how a man can stand by and do nothing as a whole nation cleans out the garbage and makes itself great.”(105), Hans Junior refers to the Jews as garbage.
In the story he represents one of Hans Hubermann’s children that strayed away. With Hatred he brings his own father down with words. He leaves ironically after Hitler’s birthday never to see them again. If only he could have been there when his father was accepted into the Nazi Party. For helping the helpless, Hans Hubermann was sent to war. If he were there then, Hans Junior would have finally been proud of his father for something. But he wasn’t. And he may never know, because now his father is dead. Hans Junior was there to show the hate of the Nazis.
I think Kathleen made a very good observation about Hans Jr, but I do not completely agree with everything she has said.
Yes he does bring his father down with his hateful words, but he argues with his father because he wants the family to become a true German family, to follow Hitler blindly at any cost, and Mama and Papa are obviously not the typical German family. I don’t understand how his son would have been proud of his father going to war, when Hans being sent there is punishment for helping the Jewish man, “She wondered how many of those letters like that were sent out as punishment to Germany’s Hans Hubermanns and Alex Steiners–to those who helped the helpless . . . the worst possible jobs would be given to the worst possible people” (418). This would not make you proud of your father, you know that he is going to be sent somewhere were he will be killed, as punishment for helping the Jewish man on the street.
Kathleen is right that he is symbolic in this story for the hate of the Nazis. I think Hans Jr is showing everyone, how the Nazi’s really were, how they acted at home and with their family. He is there as a symbol for all Nazi’s real life, their home life. Hans Jr shows how the Nazi’s would try to get more and more people to join the Nazi party any chance he had. Hans Jr shows how no matter where they are, or who they are with they will follow Hitler blindly at any cost, and this is exactly what Hitler wanted.
I disagree with Kathleen on the fact that Hans Jr. would be proud to have known that his father was accepted by the Nazi Party and sent into war "for helping the helpless." I don't think that Hans Jr. would have been very pleased to know that his father was sent into the war as punishment for helping a Jew. Kathleen points out that Hans Jr. doesn't like or approve of Jews and shows this by saying, "It's pathetic-how a man can stand by and do nothing as a whole nation cleans out the garbage and makes itself great" (105).
I do agree with her, though, when she said the Hans Jr. was a symbolic figure to represent the hatred of the Nazis. He shows the reader how the Nazis felt toward the people who opposed the Nazi party or hadn't joined yet even if they were their own family. While Hans Jr and his father are talking about why Hans hadn't joined or hadn't been approved, Hans Jr. calls his father a coward (105). I think that maybe this is what a lot of the Nazis thought of the people that hadn't joined or were against the Party. I think that the Nazis wanted as many people as possible to join even if they didn't agree with the way Hitler was running things at the time. I think that Hans Jr was a huge symbolic figure even though he was one of the minor characters we see in this book.
I agree with Kiera M P about Liesel’s brother helping her to develop her interest in books and words. As she points out, had he not died, she would have never stolen her first book. Another thing I would like to point out is that Liesel’s brother is present at the time that she puts down Ilsa Hermann with words. In the book, it says, “she summoned them from someplace she only now recognized and hurled them at Ilsa Hermann” (262). This is the first time she discovers the true power of words, and uses them offensively. Her bother then shows up and tells her to stop. “She shoved the boy down the steps, making him fall…Her brother, holding his knee, disappeared” (263). This shows an aggressive, almost mean side of Liesel. Later in the book when she attempts to apologize to Ilsa, her brother is again there. He urges her to knock this time, and it also states that his knee is “healing nicely” (370). The last time that we see Liesel’s brother is when she is returning a plate to Ilsa. “Liesel did not look back, but she knew if she did, she’d have found her brother at the bottom of the steps again, his knee completely healed” (472-473). I think that throughout the book, as Liesel becomes more mature, her brother’s wound heals. It starts with her beating down Ilsa (and her brother), then gradually learning to forgive Ilsa and let go of her brother. Although she never listens to her brother, he still helps her change.
I agree with ashley, that Hans Jr. represents the hatred of the Nazis. It gives a very personal view on how the Nazis felt. It also gives a fair look into the mind of a Nazi.
"It's pathetic- how a man can stand by and do nothing as a whole nation cleans out the garbage and makes itself great." (105)
I also believe that hans jr. represents the struggle inside Hans. Hans jr. is his son so there has to be a part of Hans that wants to join the Nazi cause, he did after all sign up for the party and was rejected.
"So have they let you in yet?" Hans Junior was picking up where they'd left off at Christmas. "In what?" "Take a guess - the party." "No, I think they've forgetten about me." (104)
I also agree with both Ashley and Stephen on what Hans Jr. All Hans Jr. cares about is abusing his father about his disloyalty to the Nazi party. The party itself would do the same. Hans Jr. does the exact same thing as any other Nazi would do to Hans. This shows how much power the Nazi party has over its people. Its people are so loyal that they would treat their own father poorly. This shows that the Nazi party believes that its people’s priorities should be loyalty to their country, then the family. This one minor character gives us all this information about Nazi beliefs and you could gather all of this from a few pages Hans Jr. was in.
“Hans jr. is his son so there has to be a part of Hans that wants to join the Nazi cause,” (Stephen). This is so true. Most fathers and sons have very similar beliefs because the son develops most of their opinions off of their father. So at some point Hans Jr. learned from his father that the Nazi party is okay. Hans must of thought in the past or still thinks that some part of the Nazi party is okay. Thus the reason why he tried to sign up.
An additional major minor character is Ilsa Hermann. She played a big role in Liesel’s life. She welcomed her into her house and gave more of an opportunity to read and learn new words.
When she fired Rosa Hubermann, Liesel couldn’t believe it. She stormed back up and told her off. Ilsa then learned to stop her constant mourning. As Liesel ‘secretly’ stole books from her library, Ilsa was gaining the courage to step out of the house. As I said in The Power of Words, the words of Liesel strengthened Frau Hermann.
Ilsa was also the opportunity for Liesel to do some more stealing. She would leave the window open for Liesel to sneak in. Although, as stated in her letter, “my only hope is that one day you will knock on the front door and enter the library in a more civilized manner.”(369). I believe Ilsa missed Liesel’s company.
Ilsa Hermann was in fact the character in the book that we view as a pathetic woman that over came her struggle of letting go, which Liesel was in the same position.
Even though I belive it is true that "Most fathers and sons have very similar beliefs" as Branden H said, I do not think that Hans and Hans Jr. are anywhere near the same thought process when it comes to the Nazis. I doubt that at any point, Hans Sr. had ever agreed with Nazi politics. " You have always been against him." (105) This coming straight from the mouth of Hans jr. "As a teenager [Hans Jr.] was aware that his father was called that Jew painter for painting jewish houses." (pg. 104) So even as a kid, Hans jr. had a father who treated Jews like Germans. No, Hans Jr. had "been Fuhrered" (103) and I'm betting he had a personality that blossemed when there was hatered to be directed. I'm betting he flowered after he left home.
Hans Sr, on the other hand, had had his life saved by a Jew. "He...appriciated fairness. He couldn't join a party that antagonized people in such a way...it was a conscious deisision not to follow Hitler." (180) He did not support the party. Hans even says that he's "made many mistakes in [his] life, but not joining the Nazi party is not one of them." (104) It is implied that Hans only joins the Nazi's to get work, to stay afloat. I belive the only reason he joined was to save Rosa and Leisel. People will, after all go to great lenghts to save their family.
I agree that Ilsa Hermann is a big minor character in this novel. At first the reader sees her as just the mayor's wife that Rosa Hubermann does washing and ironing for. Later, we again see her starting to play a bigger role when she invites Liesel into her library.
I agree with Kathleen A that Ilsa Hermann was "a pathetic woman that over came her struggle of letting go." I think that Kathleen made a great point that Ilsa and Liesel shared a similar struggle. Ilsa was struggling with her son's death and Liesel was struggling with her brother's death. When Ilsa gives Liesel the journal, she tells her, "Don't punish yourself, like you said you would. Don't be like me, Liesel" (524). I think that Ilsa Hermann didn't want Liesel to end up like her and be punishing herself all the time. Together, I think they realized that they couldn't hold on to what they had lost forever. Ilsa Hermann was a huge character that was a big part of Liesel's life and story.
As many people point out, Ilsa Hermann is a very important minor character. One thing I would like to point out is how she appeared when Liesel stole The Shoulder Shrug. The whole scene makes it seem that the person who saw Liesel steal the book was going to use it against her, and even Liesle was nervous to pick up the washing from the woman.
“***A FEW SMALL PIECES OF RECOGNITION***
1. The shadow’s identity and
2. The fact that it had seen everything” (121).
This passage from the book makes it seem like whatever is going to happen next will be bad. It makes the mayor’s wife seem like she will turn Liesel in. Instead, she invites Liesel into her Library, where Liesel discovers an even greater love for books and is exposed to the power of words. As Kathleen A stated, “Ilsa was a pathetic woman,” but we must not forget that she chose to expand Liesel’s knowledge of books, rather than to relinquish it.
I agree with Marisa B. Ilsa Hermann “chose to expand Liesel’s knowledge of books, rather than to relinquish it.” Except I think extinguish would be a better way to express it.
“***The Letter***
Dear Liesel,
I know you find me pathetic and loathsome (look that word up if you don’t know it), but I must tell you that I am not so stupid as to not see your footprints in the library. When I noticed the first book missing, I thought I had simply misplaced it, but then I saw the outlines of some feet on the floor in certain patches of the light.
It made me smile.
I was glad that you took what was rightfully yours. I then made the mistake of thinking that would be the end of it.
When you came back, I should have been angry, but I wasn’t. I could hear you the last time, but I decided to leave you alone. You only ever take one book, and it will take a thousand visits till all of them are gone. My only hope is that one day you will knock on the front door and enter the library in the more civilized manner.
Again, I am sorry we could no longer keep your foster mother employed.
Lastly, I hope you find this dictionary and thesaurus useful as you read your stolen books.
Yours sincerely,
Ilsa Hermann”(369)
Ilsa Hermann allowed Liesel to continue stealing books from her which expanded her knowledge of books. She furthered it more when she gave her the dictionary.
Ilsa Hermann and Liesel’s Papa both helped Liesel with her knowledge of books. Ilsa was the supplier and Papa the teacher.
It seems to me that Ilsa Hermann desired to have a closer relationship with Liesel in which she could come through the front door. Yes, she was pathetic and loathsome but it was her desire to be comforted in some kind of a relationship with Liesel.
madeline s p I do believe that you have the right idea.Ilsa Hermann did in fact realize what was going on with the books. But when you read the letter it almost opens a new discussion to. What it seems to do is
show us that these minor characters are major pieces to unfinished puzzle.By allowing Liesel to continue her book thievery what shes really doing is educating the children of tomorrow and saving the today.Each book is a piece of their culture that the two women love. When this letter is written their then a mutual system in which they work together to save their cherished literature. But the question is when all this is going on is Ilsa allowing theviery for her,the books, or Liesel. Because if its for one and not all then wont in someway they all suffer because their not supported as a whole.So are they all supported? or are they going to break apart. Will the Book thief lose her items that were stolen.But another question is were the books really stolen
I agree with the idea (too many names to list) that Hans Jr. represents the hatred of the Nazis, and Hans Jr. is a minor character with great importance.
"You've never cared about this country," said Hans Junior. "Not enough, anyway" (105). Hans Jr. has the mentality that all the Nazis had at the time for all those who were not part of the Nazi party - that you were "either for the Fuhrer or against him" (105). Hans Junior disrespected his father because he was not "for" the Fuhrer.
"It's pathetic- how a man can stand by and do nothing as a whole nation cleans out the garbage and makes itself great." (105) Hans wasn't arguing with just his son - he was agruing with Nazi Germany.
I want to get back on the topic of my favorite minor character Ilsa Hermann. I agree with Jeff when he is saying that the letter opens a new discussion. This letter does show that Leisel and Ilsa share the pursuit of knowledge, they both have this huge obsession with learning. That is why I think that Ilsa is so supportive of Leisels thievery. Ilsa lets her steal the first book from the fire knowing that she should not have, Leisel could get into a lot of trouble for stealing. Like Madeline said, “Ilsa Hermann desired to have a closer relationship with Leisel in which she could come through the front door. Yes, she was pathetic and loathsome but it was her desire to be comforted in some kind of a relationship with Leisel.” Even though she thought that she was worthless, she wasn’t. She had a real friendship with the young girl. Friendship is the one thing that will help you out when nothing else can, even though it was with a young girl. Ilsa lost that friendship, and now she has nothing but her large book collection. It is the only thing that still keeps Leisel and Ilsa connected. I think that Ilsa wants her friendship back with Leisel that she will do anything to keep even a fraction of it. So to answer Jeff’s question, “were the books really stolen?” No they weren’t stolen, the books were given because they are a sign of the remaining fraction of friendship that Ilsa and Leisel have.
Ilsa Hermann does play an important role in the novel through ways such as friendship, like Samantha stated, but I think her true importance reveals itself when “she [reaches] into her bag and [pulls] out a small black book” and she encourages Liesel to write a book of her own when she claims she is not going to read one any long (523). If Mrs. Hermann had not “knocked at number thirty-three and [waited] for a reply (523), The Book Thief would technically not even exist. Ilsa Hermann is able to promote what comes to be a passion of Liesel’s, subconsciously allows an important story be heard, and saves Liesel’s life.
Although Ilsa Hermann may be a minor character, she proves to play a major role throughout The Book Thief. Ilsa is also the one who lets Liesel “steal” her books. These ‘stolen’ books along with Liesel’s skills seem to work various small miracles throughout the novel: they help Liesel learn to read more successfully, later soothe the nerves of people in the bomb shelter as Liesel reads out loud, and allow Frau Holtzapfel to enjoy different stories such as The Whistler while her sons are off at war, and provide a fun night-time activity for Liesel and Rudy to enjoy. As Liesel steals from the Hermann’s library, Ilsa’s secretive toleration of this ‘crime’ allows vital sections of the novel unfold.
Samantha H I would have to say that you struck on perfectly almost all through your post.Thats what I meant but I just didn't quite word right. Also that was my thoughts on the book stealing. They never were stolen, they were allowed to be taken which in turn is selflessness from another person allowing special item to be saved. So no they were not stolen.
Grace H you to put out an idea. This one however I didn't see right away when reading the book.Ilsa Hermann gave the book to Leisel to write and read with. But when doing so she also shifted another moment in time. By giving that book she almost made the book thief not really a physical thief but a mental. She allowed the knowledge that the Germans destroyed to be kept safe and passed off through this little girl. Along with this though Your thoughts are completely right Grace.
Many people have said that they think that Hans Jr. “represents the hatred of the Nazis” and I agree with that statement, but I have another thing to add to that statement. I think that part of the purpose of this book was to give the reader a different perspective on the holocaust: a German perspective. Part of the purpose of this book was to show the part of the holocaust that most people don’t hear about, for example, nice Nazi’s. Both Hans and Hans Jr. are Nazi’s and they exemplify polar opposites in personality. The fact that Hans Jr. represents the hateful side of the Nazi’s has been supported plenty, but I would like to point out that Hans Hubermann is also a Nazi in this story, however, he is not your stereotypical Nazi. He cares about Jews. He risks his life and the lives of his family to hide a Jew in his basement. In The Long Walk to Dachau, Hans stands out as a kind and caring Nazi. On page 393, it says, “ he would surely fall into the German gutter and die. They would all let him, and they would all watch. Then, one human. Hans Hubermann.. . . Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic.” This accurately shows that the stereotypical idea of a Nazi is not always correct. This shows that not all Nazi’s “had the Fuhrer in their eyes.(392)” Small characters like Hans and Hans Jr. are used in this book to portray opposites in character in order to make a point to the reader.
Many people have said that they think that Hans Jr. “represents the hatred of the Nazis” and I agree with that statement, but I have another thing to add to that statement. I think that part of the purpose of this book was to give the reader a different perspective on the holocaust: a German perspective. Part of the purpose of this book was to show the part of the holocaust that most people don’t hear about, for example, nice Nazi’s. Both Hans and Hans Jr. are Nazi’s and they exemplify polar opposites in personality. The fact that Hans Jr. represents the hateful side of the Nazi’s has been supported plenty, but I would like to point out that Hans Hubermann is also a Nazi in this story, however, he is not your stereotypical Nazi. He cares about Jews. He risks his life and the lives of his family to hide a Jew in his basement. In The Long Walk to Dachau, Hans stands out as a kind and caring Nazi. On page 393, it says, “ he would surely fall into the German gutter and die. They would all let him, and they would all watch. Then, one human. Hans Hubermann.. . . Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic.” This accurately shows that the stereotypical idea of a Nazi is not always correct. This shows that not all Nazi’s “had the Fuhrer in their eyes.(392)” Small characters like Hans and Hans Jr. are used in this book to portray opposites in character in order to make a point to the reader.
Christine brings up an excellent point. Showing the opposites between two characters, and explaining the perspective form Nazi’s in a reasonable manner. I think it’s important that Christine mentioned the part in her comment about “nice Nazi’s”. From what we’ve read in the chapter where Hans gives a piece of bread to a Jew, we see him as the only character in the book that cares for all those Jews walking down Munich. And although that is what we read, although that is how we see it, Hans isn’t the only Nazi who shows a respectful side to the Jews. I’m convincing myself to believe that the people of Germany, the people of Munich, surly feel the same way that Hans Hubermann did on that day of the parade of Jews. These citizens must have a side to them in which does show sorrow to the Jews walking as a parade because they’re people just like us who would feel the guilt and feel the courage to walk up to them and help them as much as they could. But because they’re led by Hitler, because they are controlled, these people would face consequences similar to the one Hans did. People fear punishment, and that’s why we learn right from wrong. All these citizens of Germany are “nice Nazis” and not just Hans Hubermann. I believe that if they had an option to help, they would do so without any thought to it.
Ryan P said, "[Germans] must have a side to them in which does show sorrow to the Jews... because they’re people just like us who would feel the guilt and feel the courage to walk up to them and help them as much as they could... they are “nice Nazis”" Yes they may have a nice side to them, and I'm sure that had they not been brainwashed they would feel terrible and be ashamed of their actions. But does this make them nice people? True, they may have a nice side. But there is an undeniable fact: they did not act upon it. Most of them did nothing to help the Jews.
There are many nice people who are nice and good to people they like. They may not be nice and good to people they don’t like. They may not really care about people they do not know. These people probably do not make a conscious decision not to care, they just don't. The point is it's easy to be nice to people you like and that are nice to you. But when you are told that a group of people are detrimental to your well being- in this case, your jobs, your government- well, it's easy not to like them.
I think that's what happened to these Germans. In another topic, someone said "the majority of the German people needed all of their strength and resources just to keep themselves alive and safe." So even the ones that do care were too preoccupied with staying alive and keeping the Nazis off their back to help anyone else. It was only a very few who had the courage and who cared and who could give a spare thought to helping someone. The Hubbermanns are strange in the way they care for people but they defiantly do more than their share. Foster parents and a Jew. They are an anomaly.
But being truly nice I think is more than just having a kind thought. It’s acting upon that thought. So many of the Germans may have been nice enough people, but they were not nice in the truly nice sence.
Although I do believe that the Nazi were major minor characters in The Book Thief I feel that most people have failed to see that the Nazi are more than just a group. This is how stereotypes occur because people fail to see that not every person in the group has the same motivation. In this case Kathleen says that Hans Jr. is considered a symbolic figure of all Nazi’s hatred. I do see that Hans Jr. is a hateful towards Jews and non-party members but hate is not what the Nazi party was all about.
After WWI Germany was in a horrible state, they suffered from depression, poverty, and the shame of losing the war. The Treaty of Versailles stated that Germany was at fault for everything that occurred in WWI and that they had to pay for all the damage that was done. People were desperate and they needed a hero and for them it was none other than Adolf Hitler. He helped Germany and its citizens back on their feet. Hitler’s party, the Nazi promised that Germany would not and should pay back any debts from WWI with other countries. Another ideology the Nazi had was the Aryan race was the best. To be considered the best is something that most people strive for. There were more incentives for being with the Nazi party and people really thought that they were making the right choice to a better future for themselves and their country, but when they joined not everything was what they thought it to be.
Even though the Nazi contributes to The Book Thief, I believe the story contributes more to show that not all Nazi were in the party because they hated Jews. There is the Nazi Hans Hubermann who shows readers the compassion and is a “nice Nazi,” as Christine M points out. Hans doesn’t really want to join the party which shows when he says, “Mistakes? I’ve made many mistakes in my life, but not joining the Nazi Part isn’t one of them. They still have my application – you know that – but I couldn’t go back to ask. I just . . .” (104). Hans becomes a Nazi as his punishment like Alex Steiner but all the same they still are Nazi. Even though they are Nazi it does not mean they are hateful and violent because Hans is very kind and not resentful towards Jews. The Nazi in The Book Thief are not all full of hate and in real life this was also true.
In a response to Alex M’s post, I’m with you up to a point I guess. I disagree with this statement: “But being truly nice I think is more than just having a kind thought. It’s acting upon that thought. So many of the Germans may have been nice enough people, but they were not nice in the truly nice sense.” Ok, what would have happened to the Germans if they did stand up to the Nazis? I know that it’s the right thing to do or whatever, but they had their families to think about. What would have happened to their families if someone kept trying to be rebellious? I guess that we’ll never really know what was going on through the Germans heads as they watched the rows and rows of innocent Jews pass through the streets, marching to their deaths pretty much. Maybe someone would have stood up right there if they didn’t have a wife and children waiting for him to come home that night.
I really liked Whitnee N’s post. I think that it is important to the story that there are “nice Nazis” shown (like Hans). They help show that not all Nazi’s were killing machines. I also think that the “nice Nazis” help the story show another side of Germany that most people won’t ever see. Whitnee said, “This is how stereotypes occur because people fail to see that not every person in the group has the same motivation”. Not all Nazi’s are governed by pure hatred. Some became Nazi’s in hopes to make a better Germany in the future. Some did it to protect their families. The Nazi party and the minor characters in it add to The Book Thief to help see the party in a different light.
I think the minor characters help Liesel to understand humans as who they are and not just what they appear. Like when she helped Ludwig out of the crowd and practically saved his life. First of all she learned that through hatred only more hatred and destruction is spawned. After all, Ludwig was jurt by his own people when they say they will be there for each other cause they are the ultimate race, it's some what ironic. Also, she notices how they were brought together by the hatred because it battered them both and they actually apoligised for what she said to him.
"I really liked Whitnee N’s post. I think that it is important to the story that there are “nice Nazis” shown (like Hans). They help show that not all Nazi’s were killing machines. I also think that the “nice Nazis” help the story show another side of Germany that most people won’t ever see. Whitnee said, “This is how stereotypes occur because people fail to see that not every person in the group has the same motivation”. Not all Nazi’s are governed by pure hatred. Some became Nazi’s in hopes to make a better Germany in the future. Some did it to protect their families. The Nazi party and the minor characters in it add to The Book Thief to help see the party in a different light."
Lucy H
I too thought that this view was a good idea.We always see the bad side of Nazis and their brutality, thats what world war 2 was. We never here about the heroes though.
All the attention is payed on the house wives and brave jews. None though is ever given to those who were also Nazis as well as haters of their job. We here some, but we never get much word of those who would die just bring news to a family member who he was working with. Or the man who was Hitlers right hand who was safe guarding little children.I seemed to think that this side of the story was refreshing.
The Nazis were a huge part of this novel, even if they were not necessarily main characters. I liked what whitnee said about the Nazis being all seperate entities, that "not every person in the group has the same motivation". It's true that the Nazi party were full of cruel ideas and intollerable morals, but there were also many who were attempting to help.
I have to disagree with Lucy H's thoughts on German uprising. If one German stood up to Hitler, he would probably face death for him and his family, but there is much more that one can do. For example, Hans Hubermann was not Jewish, but he still attempted to help in any small way he could.
A great minor character is Frau, she saw Liesel steal a book from the fire, yet tells no one. Although many consider her to be a rude and unimportant character, this shows that many of the minor characters of the book help to shape the ideals that Liesel adopts and learns for later parts of her life. Because Frau invites Liesel to read to her, Liesel learns that there is good in everyone, even if many people think otherwise.
Devon S F
I do agree with Megan that Frou Ilsa Hemann is a very important minor character. And I really like what she said next. Megan said, "Because Frau invites Liesel to read to her, Liesel learns that there is good in everyone, even if many people think otherwise." I completely agree, but I don't think that it's just Ilsa. I think that every character teaches Liesel that there's good in everyone. For example, the first I can think of would be Rudy. At first he seems wierd (after the Jesse Owens incident) and a bully (after the snowball in the face that he gave Liesel the first time they met. However, he turned out to be the best friend she could have wished for. Next is Max Vandenburg. At first, all Liesel saw was a dirty Jew who had twiggy hair, slept for three days, and who Liesel was taught by all of Nazi Germany to hate. By the end, however, Max had proved himself to be a wonderful storyteller, fist-fighter, friend, and most importantly, a human. Another character who helped Lielel learn to find the good in people is Ludwig Schmeikl, the boy Liesel beat up for insulting her reading. They eventually settled their differences when he broke his ankle at the book-burning. When she rescued him, he apologized for making fun of her, and she realized that there was a good person on the inside. Probably one of the best example of my argument is Rosa Huberman. Although her mouth may be volitile and vulgar, she shows Liesel she really is capable of love the night Liesel finds her asleep, bent over her husband's accordion. Even Frau Holtzapfel, the notorious Huberman door-spitter, asks Liesel to read to her, making Liesel realize that all Frou Huberman needs is a friend. And lastly, although it's hard to see, even death shows Liesel that there's good in him when he comes to pick up her soul and gives her the book. So all or most of the minor character end up showing Liesel to find the good in people.
I guess that it is true that one person can make a big difference, even if they and their families do die in the act.
I agree that Frau is a very important character in the book. She teaches Liesel some important life lessons. Megan H said, “Although many consider her to be a rude and unimportant character, this shows that many of the minor characters of the book help to shape the ideals that Liesel adopts and learns for later parts of her life. Because Frau invites Liesel to read to her, Liesel learns that there is good in everyone, even if many people think otherwise”. The minor characters definitely prove to be important in the book through the things that they teach Liesel.
Minor characters are inspiring sometimes to the main characters. Like when Hans was still in World War 1, he made a friendship with a german Jew who died in battle. He would later repay that friend by decling the Nazi Party and helping out his friend's son one day.
In a way, you can say the minor characters act like a catalyst in the story. Liesel I think also saw that the Nazi party was formed by hatred and there was no real unity when she helped Ludwig out of the mob when he was left for dead. Or how Max's friend helped him escape and risked everything for him. How about the mayor's wife? She helped Liesel fully embrace books and see their power with the library. Even when they don't effect the characters in a positive way, they still shape them. Like when Han's son told him he was a coward and said Liesel was reading trash, it inspired him to perfect his plan to save Max. Minor characters can have the smallest part, but they're never insignificant to the story, because they help shape it.
Shannon is right. All of the characters, minor or not, shape Leisel into the woman that she becomes. The minor characters help her gain the most important skills you need in life. Ilsa taught her about reading and literature, and she also helped Leisel perfect the art of stealing. “***a small suggestion*** or maybe there was a woman on Grande Strasse who now kept her library window open for another reason–but that’s just me being cynical, or hopeful. Or both” (328). The kid that Leisel beat up, that character taught her how to stand up for herself and others when no one else will “She stood up and took the book from him, and as he smiled over his shoulder at some other kids, she threw it away and kicked him as hard as she could in the vicinity of the groin” (78). Rosa taught her how to be strong and independent. Hans Jr. taught Leisel about the ignorance and hate of the Nazis. They all helped her become the person that she needed to become. All of the minor characters were meant to portray the same message, but in different ways. There is still love left in the world, even in these harsh times where everyone is surrounded by hatred, death, and evil, there is a ray of hope and change.
Minor characters do make a difference like Shannon stated, “Minor characters can have the smallest part, but they're never insignificant to the story, because they help shape it”. The main focus of The Book Thief is Liesel’s story but in her story includes minor characters Hans, Rosa, Max, Ilsa, and many others. Going with what Samantha H said the minor characters were like a “ray of light”. They all contributed to helping Liesel learn and get through so many situations. The minor characters are people that readers can relate to someone they know in real life. I think this is what makes minor characters more interesting because even though people usually relate to the main character the other characters are like people in their lives. Without minor characters, main characters cannot tell their stories.
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