They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Contact us Her illiteracy is a form of powerlessness, as the story reveals later. She was adopted by the Hubermanns when her brother dies, her biological father left them because he was a Communist, and her mother was forced to send her to a foster home to avoid Nazi persecution. I wonder what would happen to Liesel if her adopted parents, Rosa and Hans, did get sent to a concentration camp? Liesel twice asks Max if MKPF, which he has by his bedside, is a good book. Analysis In this chapter, the dynamic between Hans and Rosa Hubermann is explored. Introduced by Death as "The Book Thief," Liesel is nine at the beginning of the novel, when her younger brother dies and she is given up by her mother to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann in the small town of Molching. Death describes Rosa as a good woman for a crisis: when she knows that there are now bad times she gathers herself and sheers up everyone who was near her, who she loves very much. The story flashes back to World War I, when Hans was a 22-year-old soldier fighting in France. Much later she has got a strong personal moral code and is not afraid to enforce it even at the danger to herself. He told Eriks widow that if she ever needed anything, she should look him up. Privacy Policy, https://bookanalysis.com/markus-zusak/the-book-thief/characters/. Last Few Days At Turnberry; The School OfOpportunities! Max's father who served in World War I with Hans. Rudy is always trying to impress Liesel, but he never has any luck. Free trial is available to new customers only. Max said goodbye to his mother and the rest of his family, and followed Walter to the empty storeroom where he would hide for the next two years until Walter brought him the copy of MKPF with the false identity card, the map, and the key to Hans Hubermanns house. Papa would say a word and the girl would have to spell it aloud and then paint it on the wall, as long as she got it right. She is very calm, kind and good-hearted woman. We're nervous. Tact had never been Rosa Hubermann's strong point. Liesel's six-year-old brother who dies at the beginning of the book. Rosa Hubermann is a woman with a fiery attitude, who is the foster mama of Liesel Meminger in the book "The Book Thief". Sometimes Death is compelled to take action in sympathy with the human story. She sees that he is reading Mein Kampf, and she wants to ask about it but can't find the words. But she's also probably super-stressed and scared out of her wits. He has good strong moral and ethical principles and he doesnt like deviating from them. When Liesel disobeys or upsets Rosa, Rosa is quick to give her a Watschen, a beating. Markus Zusak wrote The Book Thief to show the hardship people encountered during World War II in a small town in Germany. Rudy is quite the physical embodiment of the perfect Aryan specimen with his blond hair, blue eyes, and athletic and intellectual talents. She is very calm, kind and good-hearted woman. It was sometime in February, according to the story when Liesel turned ten. Rosa is Hans' wife and Liesel's foster mother. Rudy insists on helping her, so Liesel makes him fetch, The Hubermanns are frantic trying to decide what to do with Max, and. The perspective continues to widen in this section as Hanss backstory is explored and we learn more about why Hans is so willing to take risks to help Jews. Alex refuses to let Rudy be inducted into an Army training academy and is punished with conscription. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. A skilled house painter by trade, Hans is horrified by the Nazis' persecution of the Jews, and he brings scrutiny to himself by painting over anti-Semitic slurs on Jewish-owned homes and businesses. Its another significant instance of duality as Max transforms the pages from something negative to something positive. Unlike her husband, Rosas first appearance is that of a cold, sharp-tongued, and impatient woman. They compare nightmares, and Liesel decides she is old enough to cope with hers without Hans staying with her anymore. Liesel often sits with him, both of them quietly reading.Sometimes Max quizzes her on words, and she paints them on the wall, practicing. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. He is dirty, hungry, and almost incoherent with grief and guilt, and while she is curious about him, shes also hesitant to approach him. . Death, however, tells us that Rosa, surprisingly, has a very big heart, and does, in fact, deeply love both Hans and Liesel.. She also cares for Max when he is ill, and she holds Hans's accordion at night praying for Hans's, and everybody else's, safe return. One day Walter offered to find, once intended for Werner. Both are troubled by their pasts in their sleep, and this shared experience creates a bond between them. Rosa and. Also unlike Arthur, Viktor is very domineering and cruel to the others; he savagely beats Rudy for his insolence. She cares for Liesel. However, Rosa genuinely starts caring for Liesel. Discuss how Hans channels his guilt into helping others. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, The Book Thief: Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. You write that Rosa is strict, but loving. She is a squat woman with a rough exterior, who calls Liesel a Saumensch, a female swine, and Hans a Saukerl, the male equivalent. Rosa and Hans make Liesel deliver food to Max in the basement. Out of every scene and character where a decision needs to be made, Hans Hubermann is faced with the hardest. Almost unconsciously. The story reveals through her treatment of Liesel and willingness to take in Max, however, that beneath her tough exterior she is in fact kind and caring. Rosa possibly couldve became the way she is from some unpleasant childhood experiences, ranging from abuse to neglect. Whoever the author.Discover new and exciting books to dive into with our Book Explorer Tool. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. She stole books from a gravedigger, a bonfire, and later the mayors wife, Ilsa Herman. Struggling with distance learning? Liesel asked him "'Hitler takes Poland,'" he answered, and Hans Hubermann slumped into a chair. The paper landed on the table, but the news was stapled to his chest. She does so alone and without Rudy. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Chazelle, Damien ed. Thank you for taking the time to reply and answer my question Mrs. D. I think that Death tells the story in a very unique way. "The Book Thief Characters". Struggling with distance learning? Read more about the responsibility of the living to the dead. Rosa could also be miserable because Hitler has risen into power, and Rosa might not think that he has anything to contribute to society. (LogOut/ 2. the biggest initial impact on Liesel because of her cursing. She often releases her anger on Hans or Liesel, normally for no real purpose. Liesel is traumatized by her brother's death, but Hans proves to be a calming foster father; with his help, she learns to read and soon finds comfort in the written word. One way was continuing to play Eriks accordion, and another was helping the Jews around him who needed help as they started to be persecuted under the Nazis. Death dryly comments on some of the devastation of World War II, such as the Jews incinerated in Nazi extermination camps and the poorly-armed Russian soldiers being slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands on the Eastern Front. At first in The Book Thief, she seemed to be a mean and abusive woman. Death expresses tiredness and remorse as the novel progresses. Rosa Hubermann, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: Arrival on Himmel Street, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: Growing Up a, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Woman with the Iron Fist, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Kiss (A Childhood Decision Maker), Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Jesse Owens Incident, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Other Side of Sandpaper, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Smell of Friendship, Part 1: The Grave Digger's Handbook: The Heavyweight Champion of the School-Yard, Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: A Girl Made of Darkness, Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: The Joy of Cigarettes, Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: The Town Walker, Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: Hitler's Birthday, 1940, Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: 100 Percent Pure German Sweat, Part 2: The Shoulder Shrug: The Gates of Thievery, Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Attributes of Summer, Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Struggler, Continued, Part 3: Mein Kampf: The Struggler, Concluded, Part 4: The Standover Man: The Accordionist (The Secret Life of Hans Hubermann), Part 4: The Standover Man: A Short History of the Jewish Fist Fighter, Part 4: The Standover Man: The Wrath of Rosa, Part 4: The Standover Man: Liesel's Lecture, Part 4: The Standover Man: The Swapping of Nightmares, Part 4: The Standover Man: Pages from the Basement, Part 5: The Whistler: The Floating Book (Part I), Part 5: The Whistler: The Gamblers (A Seven-Sided Die), Part 5: The Whistler: The Whistler and the Shoes, Part 5: The Whistler: Three Acts of Stupidity by Rudy Steiner, Part 5: The Whistler: The Floating Book (Part II), Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Death's Diary: 1942, Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Thirteen Presents, Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Fresh Air, an Old Nightmare, and What to Do with a Jewish Corpse, Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Death's Diary: Cologne, Part 6: The Dream Carrier: The Schmunzeler, Part 6: The Dream Carrier: Death's Diary: The Parisians, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: Champagne and Accordions, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Trilogy, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Sound of Sirens, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Sky Stealer, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: Frau Holtzapfel's Offer, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Long Walk to Dachau, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: Peace, Part 7: The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus: The Idiot and the Coat Men, Part 8: The Word Shaker: Dominoes and Darkness, Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Thought of Rudy Naked, Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Promise Keeper's Wife, Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Bread Eaters, Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Hidden Sketchbook, Part 8: The Word Shaker: The Anarchist's Suit Collection, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Next Temptation, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Cardplayer, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Snows of Stalingrad, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Ageless Brother, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Accident, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: The Bitter Taste of Questions, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: One Toolbox, One Bleeder, One Bear, Part 9: The Last Human Stranger: Homecoming, Part 10: The Book Thief: The End of the World (Part I), Part 10: The Book Thief: The Ninety-Eighth Day, Part 10: The Book Thief: Way of the Words, Part 10: The Book Thief: Ilsa Hermann's Little Black Book, Part 10: The Book Thief: The Rib-Cage Planes, Part 10: The Book Thief: The End of the World (Part II), Epilogue: The Last Color: Death and Liesel, Epilogue: The Last Color: Wood in the Afternoon, Epilogue: The Last Color: The Handover Man. One of Frau Holtzapfel's sons. She is a bit abrasive and insulting, both to Liesel and Hans. Although the book contains all the hateful ideology that has made him a prisoner in a strangers basement, Max replies that it is the best book ever because it saved his life. Liesel believes that Hans Hubermann's eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels closer to him than to Rosa Hubermann. She is a complicated character, a paradox. Erik saves Hans' life by volunteering him for a writing assignment on the day he and everyone else in his regiment are killed in battle. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Rosa is Liesel's foster mother. Rudy is motivated throughout the novel by his love for Liesel; at one point he retrieves Liesel's book from the icy cold river and asks her for a kiss. Max apologizes that he doesn't have a present for her. But after years of losing business because of his sympathy towards Jews, Hans relented and applied to join the Nazi party. People on the street start to gather around until Rosa curses at them. Death describes her as a "perpetual survivor," and Liesel survives Hitler's reign while many of those whom she loves perish as a result of World War II and the Holocaust. At night, Liesel continues having nightmares about her dead brother, while Max has nightmares about Hitler and the family he left behind. Liesel's best friend. At the time it seems nobody thought anything of his being Jewish and he was treated as anyone else would be. . They arrive at Himmel Street and the Hubermanns appear. Rosa Hubermann. While not a character in the novel per se, Hitler's propaganda and its consequences -- the war, the Holocaust -- functions as the novel's central antagonist. Thank-you for writing such an entertaining post. Why? Because he is afraid Hitler will find out. They could be your favorite for adding depth, being funny, or just about any other reason. Alex is Rudys father. Max rips out the rest of Mein Kampf and starts painting it white with Liesel, and asks Max to teach her to do push-ups. Liesel turns twelve, and Hans and Rosa give her a book, but Max has no present for her. He was accepted by the Hubermanns, Liesels foster parents, and hidden in their basement. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Out of all the characters that the Idea Hive class has read about, which one of them is your most favorite, and why? Arthur gives the two a bag of chestnuts before leaving town. He is replaced as leader by a new boy, Viktor Chemmel. Refine any search. Ilsa and her husband take Liesel into their home after Hans and Rosa are killed. When Max arrives on the scene, we, and Liesel, see a very different side of Rosa. 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