In the twentyfirst and twentysecond chapters of the book thief, liesel makes a secret pact with her foster father over the second book she stole and discovers who the shadow was watching her when she stole it. When hans discovers that liesel cannot read, he teaches her using her book and liesel becomes an obsessed reader. It seems the mayor s wife is very trusty, seeing she saw liesel steal a jewish book and merely let liesel read some of her own. Finally, mama made her go to the mayor s house to collect the wash. Becoming unlikely friends with the mayors wife ilsa affords liesel the opportunity to read the books in the mayors massive library. She instead, sneaks into the house and steals the book. The next time liesel visits the mayors wife, frau hermann, she. It is the gravediggers handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery.
I feel that this side bar was meant to erect a sudden burst of pity, but though the book thief is set in the time period of the holocaust, it does not often beg of sympathy for jews, as one might expect it to, being a holocaust book and all. The book thief spoiler alert liesel meminger has been dealt a hard life. During a nazi speech where the locals are forced to burn books in a bonfire, liesel recovers one book for her and the mayor s wife ilsa hermann witnesses her action. Primary characters liesel meminger is the book thief. I get the distinct sense that zusak is hinting towards a more conflicting relationship between liesel. Liesel s words hit the mayor s wife hard because of her fragile state. If ilsa hermann, the mayor s wife, wouldnt have seen liesel steal the book, liesel wouldve never been invited to ilsas library. In markus zusaks book, the book thief, liesel has to face many obstacles in order to see that she just.
Liesel meets frau hermann, the mayors wife, while picking up and dropping off the. What happened the 1st time liesel went to the mayor s house after the bonfire. The next time liesel goes without rudy, though, and frau hermann makes her wait. From hans to liesel to the mayors wife, discuss how some of the. Liesel identifies the person with fluffy hair who saw her take the book as the mayors wife, ilsa hermann, and begins avoiding the mayors house on her rounds. From hans to liesel to the mayors wife, discuss how some of the characters in the book thief deal with their past. Grieving the death of her brother and the loss of her mother, liesel takes time to adapt to her new surroundings. Along the way, liesel is witness to the atrocities of war, heartbreaking events, love, loss and other lifechanging events. Liesel identifies the person with fluffy hair who saw her take the book as the mayors wife, ilsa hermann, and begins avoiding the mayors house on her rounds picking up and delivering washing. Rudy goes with her though he doesnt know why shes afraid.
The book thief by markus zusak book club discussion. Soon she is stealing books from nazi book burnings, the mayor s wife s library, wherever there are books to be. She cared for liesel and wanted to give her the book she was reading. A few weeks later, liesel returns to the house to pick up the washing. The mayor s wife eventually leaves her husbands library. What did liesel give to max in the book thief answers. If there was one thing about liesel meminger, her thieving was not gratuitous.
The character of ilsa hermann in the book thief from litcharts the. Part three, of the book thief, introduced liesel going to the mayor s house to read, even though at first she avoided the house at all cost. Meanwhile hans hides the jewish max vandenburg, who is the son of. Frau hermann also gives liesel a journal to write her story in, what becomes the book thief, and is there to take liesel into. The mayors wife frau hermann saw her take the book. The promise keepers wife in markus zusaks the book thief. Most noticeable is frau hermann, the mayors wife, who lives in a cold. Through much of the novel she remains a mysterious figure with her fondness for nazi bathrobes and. Liesel stole books from the snowfire and the mayors wife, ilsa herman. Hans promised not to tell mama and liesel promised to keep a secret for him. The book thief tells the story of a young girl, liesel, growing up in germany during wwii. Summary liesel stole another book from the bonfire. The mayors wife was just one of a worldwide brigade.
Liesel believes that the mayors wife hadnt, in fact, seen her take the book and is relieved. When rosa makes her go there for the washing, frau hermann says nothing to her. Liesel becomes anxious and paranoid because ilsa hermann, the mayors wife, had seen her steal the book. She is 9 years old at the beginning of the story, when after the death of her brother she is taken in by the hubermann family. Summary liesel avoids the mayors house at all costs because she suspects that the mayors wife saw her steal the book from the bonfire. Liesel knew the mayor s wife had seen her steal the book and was afraid to go to her house to collect the wash for mama. How does stealing books from the mayors house lead to a friendship with the mayors wife. Though the mayor s library in the book thief was literally magical, it certainly felt magical to liesel. Liesel stole books from a grave digger, a bonfire and the mayors wife, ilsa herman. Liesel is ecstatic at the beauty of seeing so many books at once. Liesel is the book thief referred to in the title because liesel is fascinated by the power of words.
A week later, rudy brings liesel to the mayors home and points out a book that has seemingly been placed intentionally on a closed window. Liesel worries about delivering the washing to the mayors wife, and wonders what kind of punishment she will receive for stealing. Later in the book rudy and liesel would go to farms and steal. In the previous chapter, liesel removes the book from under her shirt before she and hans get home because it was too hot. As the two leave on bikes, liesel turns around and sees the mayors wife ilsa hermann standing in the window motionlessly waving to her. When he discovers she stole a second book, he doesnt threaten to tell mama but excites her with the thought of reading it together. So begins a love affair with books and words, as liesel, with the help of her accordianplaying foster father, learns to read. Although she was ignored by the workmen, liesel realizes that one person saw her steal the book. Aside from that, poor max needs some more food and better lodging.
She lives at 8 grande strasse and gets to know liesel because rosa does the mayor s washing and ironing. Liesel avoids the mayors house at all costs because she suspects that the mayors wife saw her steal the book from the bonfire. As a result, the mayor of molching writes an editorial urging townspeople to prepare for hard times. Ilsa hermann is the mayors wife, and liesel gets to know her by dropping off and picking up laundry from her house. What is the relationship between ilsa hermann and liesel. Get free homework help on markus zusaks the book thief. Liesel does not think that frau hermann, who seems distant, has seen her steal a book from the mayors library. Liesel during air raids would read these books that she stole from the mayor s wife to the kids and adults in the basement shelter. In which room of the house is liesel hiding in during the final air raid. This quote also shows how a lovely, developing relationship can. She is paranoid that the mayor s wife saw her stealing the book.
What does ilsa herrmann the mayors wife show liesel. After the death of her brother, she is put into foster care by her mother. Once a reluctant soldier during world war i, he is a house painter and accordionist. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the book thief. Liesel does not think that frau hermann, who seems distant, has seen her steal a. The book thief part three summary and analysis gradesaver. Liesel s evil words were both hurtful and surprising to ilsa hermann. The mayor s wife said nothing about the book and liesel thought she had gotten away with her crime. Liesel character since the beginning of time, people have used bravery to continue fighting in order to overcome the hardest things in life.
Unlikely as it may seem, she goes on to form a close relationship with her foster father as. Narrated by death, the book thief is the story of liesel meminger, a nineyearold german girl who is given up by her mother to live with hans and rosa hubermann in the small town of molching in 1939. She has fluffy hair and walks around in her bathrobe during the. Liesel is relieved when ilsa, noticing rudy, merely takes the laundry and says nothing. If ilsa hermann, the mayor s wife, hadnt seen liesel steal the book from the fire, she might never have invited liesel into her library.
Not much information is given about the book, except that it has a jewish antagonist, which was why it was at the book burning. Many of the people living in molching believe that frau hermann is. Shes really afraid to deliver laundry to the mayors house on grande strasse. She introduces liesel to her library, and both gives liesel books and allows. The book thief cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. You know, the one i stole from the fire that night. Then she returns with a stack of books, and liesel is suddenly terrified, but she cant help following the mayors wife into the house. The film is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by markus zusak and adapted by michael petroni. Markus zusaks the book thief, set in germany during world war ii, follows young liesel meminger as she struggles with the loss of her mother and brother and must go to live with foster parents, hans and rosa hubermann. The mayor s wife had seen liesel steal the book from the fire, so liesel was afraid the lady would call her out for stealing. The mayors wife shows liesel the library because she knows how much liesel loves books what message does this send. What is the relationship between ilsa hermann and liesel meminger.
Liesel sees three books that remain mostly intact and she steals a blue book called the shoulder shrug. The book thief what does ilsa herrmann the mayor s wife show liesel. Liesel believes that hans hubermanns eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels closer to him. Ilsa hermann, isa hernando, ilsa meminger, frau diller. Meanwhile, liesel, because she is angry with the mayor s wife for taking away rosas clothes washing job, returns the book given to her by the mayor s wife. Books aside, liesel s relationship with ilsa is complicated, but, we have to say, the woman proves to be a true friend. Liesel knows the mayors wife saw her stealing the book, and shes paranoid. I hope her natzified husband does not get involved in this. She puts it under her shirt even though it is still hot. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Liesels mother accompanies her to a foster home in molching, germany, where she gives the girl into the care of hans hubermann, a housepainter, and his wife, rosa. What does rudys father alex steiner, do for a living. Liesel steals the book, the complete duden dictionary and thesaurus. She lives at 8 grande strasse and gets to know liesel because rosa does the mayors washing and ironing. The way home and the mayor s librarythe small chapter, the way home, shows the trust liesel and papa have created between each other. In the last chapter, liesel went to do the laundry as usual but when she arrived at the mayors house, she didnt go in because she knew ilsa, the mayors wife, was the one who saw her steal. After much timekilling, liesel knocks on the door of the mayors house. Liesel believes that the mayors wife hadnt, in fact.
At first she pretends that no one is home at the mayors house, but rosa makes her go back. Ilsa herman becomes a very important figure in liesels life. What is the title of the book liesel steals from frau hermanns library while max is sick. Many of the people living in molching believe that frau hermann is insane. Meanwhile hans hides the jewish max vandenburg, who is the son of a deceased friend that saved his life in the war, in the basement of his house and liesel becomes his friend. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
When liesel finally summons the courage to go to the mayors house, frau hermann invites her into the library, where liesel marvels at the room. Rosa forces liesel to deliver laundry to ilsas home, and so she goes with rudy. A few weeks later, liesel returns to the mayors house to pick up laundry. Liesel loves books and she couldnt imagine having a whole room of them to herself, so when the mayor s life showed her their library it felt like a magical dream. Get an answer for why does liesel steal books in the book thief. Character list and analysis ilsa hermann the book thief. What does the mayor s wife do every time liesel comes over. Rudy accompanies liesel, confused at her hesitation. When liesel goes to the mayors house, she gets invited into the library, liesel marvels at the room filled with books.