SUMMER 0F 1942 IN NAZI GERMANY.

"The Floating Book"

    The floating book is a section in the book, where Rudy shows his friendship to Liesel by jumping into a river to go after a book for her. Rudy shows loyalty by risking his own life to jump into the water for a book. "The Whistler" this was a book that Liesel was about to finish. He obviously is a good friend by knowing that Liesel loves books and was still reading that one. Or it was because it was Rudy's fault that the older boy Victor through the book in the water? I think it was a little of both Rudy must care about Liesel a lot or is it because after wards he says, "how about a kiss Saumensch?" (Zusak,303). Rudy and Liesel will be friends for awhile, at least from what we know now they seem like they'll be friends for a life time.

      Liesel and Rudy have grown up a lot since the beginning of the book. At first they were just young kids playing, then they started plotting and stealing together. Now they are always together when ever they can be, Liesel's starting to like Rudy as more than a friend. She thinks about him a lot and dreams of kissing him. She won't admit but sometimes lets it show. Rudy loves Liesel and has for a very long time as the book says, "He must have loved her so incredibly hard." (Zusak,303). I think they grew we all do change, grow, and experience new things. They are both growing and so is their friendship they are expeincing all kinds of changes, and so is their relationship. It will contiune to change with them all long as they stay friends.

     Can relate because me and a girl named Angel Collins, we've known either since fourth grade. we've been through so much over the years we have even became completely different people. Time can change people, relationships, and even our personalities. If your friendship is true and you can tolerate each-other I think your making life long bonds. That is the best kinds of bond cause not only is someone always there, but there never leaving.

Max's Life Story.........

     Max Vanderburg is the young Jewish man, staying with the Hubermanns'. Upon his arrival Max and Liesel become very good friends, sharing stories, past experineces, and present problems. Max and Liesel have alot in common, I think thats why they get along so good. Max has been staying with the Hubermanns' for a few months hidden away in the basement, hidden from the world, and most of all hidden from his self.
    Max begins to write his own life story, just as he did in the "Standover Man" he is tearing the pages from Mein Kampf, and painting over them. Then Max lets them sit for awhile till they dry. Then he begins to write his life story, his story is not a funny one, it is not very complicated, and its diffinatly not "sad". His stroy is about being a survivor. As he is writting about his life the book takes a turn, instead of writting his stroy he begins to draw, he draws his feeling the way he feels now and the book just feels right. Max is working on the book to give to Liesel one day after he can come out of hidding, when she can understand.
    One night while Max is working on the book he falls asleep but always keeps the book by his side. Liesel comes down the stairs to find Max hunched over on the floor sleeping with the book by his side. "and curiosity got the better of her" (Zusak,278). She picks the book up careful to to distrube the sleeping "Jew", she begins looking through the pages, Liesel was scared because of what she saw in Maxs' book. In Maxs' book he had been drawing very graphic pictures about the Furer, she didin't exactly comprehend what the pictures were. Either way she had been very frightnened and decided not to read the book at all any more.
      For this assignment I'm supposed to write about my own life experience that relates to Leisel's story but my life comes no where close. I can tell you about a time when i was younger and my best friends dad came and hid from the police in our basement. He stayed down there all night and day, never come up for food or day light. He would always mumble weird things like, "it's the night shift their after me". This scared me so I was scared to go down to the basement, but I was always sent to check on him. One one occasion I went down to the basement and I was looking all over for him, he was nowhere to be found. Finally he comes crawling out of our crawl space in the back of the basement. The look in his eyes scared meso bad I spilled water everywhere and ran up the stairs we made him leave after that. I guess the moral of my story I know how the Hubermans' felt hidding someone to help them but putting your own life in danger. Is it worth it? In my case no in there's, well that depends on the person.
   

“The Standover Man."

      Liesel and Max Vanderburg are spending alot of time together. They have alot of things in common, the both have nightmares, they both are kind of lost, and they both love to read. Max has been staying with the Hubermans' for a few weeks now, he stays in the basement. He helps liesel read and write, they are friends. Liesel was scared of him at first but now she sees' they are alot a like.

"The Stand over Man"

      On Liesels' birthday Hanns' and Rosa have very little money and can't afford a present for her but she does not care. Then Max gives her a book it's called, "The Stand over Man". It's a book about Liesel and Max about their friendship. Max made the book from the pages of Mein Kampf,(My Struggle) an autobiography based on Adolf Hitlers' life and "struggle." Max rips out the pages and paints over them in white then he takes a small black paintbrush and draws and writes his story.

      The book starts off by saying, "all my life I've been scared, of men standing over me"(Zusak,224). The book tells about Max and Walters' friendship when he was younger. It then goes on to say that "years later he had to hide. I tired not to sleep, I was afraid of who would be there when I woke up". (Zusak,225). He was lucky cause when he was hiding he was always awoke to his friend, Walter. In Maxs' book he goes on by saying that when he was hiding he dreamed of a certain man and traveled to find him (Hanns Huberman). Like I told you earlier about Max and Liesel having things in common, one of those things is they're night terrors. In  Maxs' book he describes staying in the basement and having night terrors and waking up to a girl standing over him to say, "tell me what you dream of."  They told each other of their dreams and because of this they became friends.
      The conclusion of the book is Max saying the best stand over man he's known was not a man at all, hes' saying it was Liesel. Basically Max and Liesel become good friends they start sharing their past life experiences and of course they're night terrors.
      I think the significance of this book is Max and Liesels' new found friendship it part of him that he's giving to her, and kind of telling his story. Max is opening up to Liesel I think as the book goes on Liesel and Max will become friends and like family. so keep reading and I'll let you know.

                         Works cited
Zusak, Markus. "The book thief". New York. :Alfred A.
     Knopf,2005.Print.

"The Struggler"

• A guided tour of suffering. To your left, perhaps your right, perhaps even straight ahead, you find a small black room.    

In it sits a Jew.
He is scum.
He is starving.
He is afraid.
Please- try not to look away. (Zusak.138)
   It all starts years earlier with Hans Huberman. This dates back to world war I, Hans' was 22 years old fighting in France. most men in his platoon were ready for the fight. Hans was diffrent he was not egar to fight, in the army Hans didn't stick out at either end. He was not running into battle head on, but he was not hiding in the platoons.
    Hans was serving for about 6 months when he got to France. Hans liked very few things but he loved music,this attacked him to older man, about a year older. A German Jew named Erik Vanderburg, the two became good friends maybe because niether of them wanted to fight. They preferred rolling cigarettes and shooting craps. Erik Vanderburg taught Hans to play the accordion, a friendship built on gambling, smoking, and music.
    "I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They're not, they're running at me."
    Soon Erik would be found on a hill in several pieces. This was the first time Hans escaped Death. He owes his survival to Erik Vanderburg. That morning before the men were leaving for battle the Sergent came in asking who had good penmanship. Erik Vanderburg nominated Hans. So the Sergent choose Hans for the task. Hans considered his self lucky since he wrote letter as good as he could, while the rest of the men went into battle. None came back.
    After leaving the Army and upon his return home he tracked down Erik Vanderburg's family. Erik's wife told Hans to keep Erik's accordion. He told her that Erik had saved his life..... He told her he's a painter by trade, and if there was anything she needed, he slid her a piece of paper with his name and address. He seen a young child on her lap, Erik had never mentioned a son.
     Twenty years later on June 16, 1939, just over 6 months after Liesels' arrival, an event occurred that changed their life's. A regular day as any other Hans left the house at 7 for work, upon his arrival he was approached by a stranger. The stranger asked "would you be Hans Huberman"? Hans relies, "yes". The man then asks "are you a man who likes to keep a promise'? Hans in return answers, "yes."
    The man is Walter Kugler, he is a childhood friend of Max Vanderburg. Max is Erik's son.He is in a dark storeroom sitting and patiently waiting. Weeks had went by, then another, until he had lost count. How long had he went without food? When was his friend coming back? Taking our story back a little further Walter had given Max a book "Mein Kampf" (meaning my struggle)_a book written by Hitler as Max started his journey he opened the book, on the inside cover was taped a key, and an identity card. Walter also brought food and a few other items.
     After Walter left Max started his journey now he waits in an empty dark storage room. When finally Walter returns this time with a map, and a ticket.(stuttgart to Munich to pasing. Walter also gave Max a razor, spoon,scissors, and shaving cream. As Max sat in the dark he shaved his face and all his hair. He left the storage room a new man. He was now a "German" man, Max is now on the train the ride is soon coming to an end. Now just blocks to his destination, he walks till he comes to Himmel Street. He continues walking down the block this is it "33". He walks through the iron gate holds the key in hand. Turns the handle in strolls in.

    Lisels looks and standing in the kitchen of the Hubermans is a man He says only a few words, "Hans Huberman"? Then "do you still play the accordion"? Hans tells him of course I do.
If you haven't realized by now Max is Hans's Hubermans friend from the wars son. Walter Krugler is Max's old frind from scholl and they're all helping Max escape and hide from the German Nazi's.


Works citied
Zusak, Markus. "The book thief". New York. :Alfred A.
     Knopf,2005.Print.

"I HATE THE FUHRER"

1940 Book Burning

     The book thief, Liesels' and Hans' conversation, the church, and burned books. "On the night when Liesel Meminger got her second book at the "Heil" Hitler 1940 celebratory fire in town square (this was a "celebration" to Hitler and a big fire to burn everything considered anti Germany)."Liesel is part of the Hitler Youth, and they are marching at this celebration.
   During the ceremony Liesel reaches into the fire and steals a book, at this point she's still not a very good reader but her want to read is pushing her to excel in something she thinks is so hard. Hanns' asks her what is in her shirt and she was sure someone had seen her take it. She is ashamed to admit what she had done but couldn't wait to start reading.

Liesel &&Hans sit at the church

   After the burning her and Hans' gather on the church stairs, Liesel has been writing her mother notes and faithfully checking the mailbox everyday for a reply, (she has even stolen money from Rosa, to buy stamps). Everyday there is no response from "mama", so Liesel and Hans start talking Liesel says to Hans "Is my momma a communist"?(Zusak,115). Hans' tells her he doesn't know he never met her mother. Liesel asks "did the Fuhrer take momma away"?(Zusak,115).
   Hans could not lie to her again so he told her they "might" have but he doesn't know for sure. Liesel filled the with anger shouts "I HATE THE FUHRER" (Zusak,115). Hans' responds by slapping her in the face, and telling her you don't say that ever again and especially not to anyone else. At this thime in history ANY one man, woman, or child that disrespected the Fuhrer was sent away and considered scum just like the Jews, politician's, and Gypsies.

"Heil" Hitler

   I think that by Hans' slapping her in the face was a good move because if she had repeated that to the wrong person her whole family could be sent away. Hans kind of reminds me of my grandfather the way he sacrifices his own things for Liesel like selling his cigarettes for a book. Liesel had something to open for Christmas and even though Hans sold his cigarettes it seemed worth it to him to watch his daughter open a present on Christmas day. Han's is a good respectful man he is caring, stern, but most of all kind of like a best friend to Liesel.

BL0G #3: LiESEL, DEATH, COLORS, MELINDA, AND GRAY

  

    My blog is on Liesel and Death. Liesel is the main character in "The Book Theif", and Death is narrating the whole story. Liesel is a young lady who lost her brother and mother and lives with a foster family on Himmel street. She wants to learn how to read but doesn't know who to ask.

    Death is very busy at this point in history but notices Liesel, notices her colors, and

notices her want to learn. Death sees and vacations in colors, every time he's seen Liesel he reflects it in colors. The first time black, then white, and red. He See's the color of the sky, and relates it to the event which in Liesel's case was her brothers' death.

    This stuck out to me, I thought it was very ironic that Death sees' in colors(of the sky). When i have a bad event in my life I usually also relate it to the color of the sky that day, or the color of a shirt I was wearing when an event happens. For example when I was nine I got my first pair of roller blades not skates but "Big girl" blades.... That's what I called them, I put them on and started skating all around the house. Then I fell on the lawn mower and broke my tail bone, that day was red. I remember because I also got a new shirt that day and can you guess what color it was? I'll give you a hint it rhymes with head..... Yep Red.
    I think the reason I picked this topic for my blog was because I think I'm a little like Death he's doing the job he has to. No one else will and even tho it's not the most admirable job it's his job he really can't take a vacation so he vacations in color. Color is neither bad nor good, color has no actual emotion it just associates with it. Color does not judge its everywhere in everything. It also has no emotion yet is always know to be emotional.

Melvin Ivie

    BLACK, GRAY:  My colors, I've seen many colors used them in many ways and used to always associate it with a day, emotion, or event. I stopped thinking in colors and using them as kind of a way to get away. My experience started early morning April, 2007. My Grandfather became very ill (Liver Cancer). Black that day was black, my grandpa was very sick I woke up and he was gone so I started my routine got ready for school. I was outside waiting for my bus and I said to myself "today is a black day". I said this because it seemed the sky was black just around my house. Something told me there was a problem like "Deja Vou" I skipped school and went to my grandparents, thats when I got news that not only did my grandfather, my hero, my motivation,and my only real love in this colorful world had the C word (Cancer), but he couldn't undergo Kemo he was just to sick.

     Gray, this color means so much more to me than black, when the sky was black my papa as I called him was still able to look up at the sky in wonder. Gray though gray triggers sadness, anger, loneliness, isolation and so much more. On April 24th 2007 just three weeks after we got the bad news, I cut my third period art class to go outside and smoke a cigarette I noticed the entire sky was gray and not the kind of Gray that invites rain or bad weather. It was the kind of gray that can change a life. I knew what had happened the weekend before this gray sky I asked "papa" what his favorite color was (even tho all my life I knew it was Red), he said Gray and I asked "why gray, gray isn't really even a color"? He said because when the day is gray the sky is gray and eyes are gray, you my be very sad but soon you realize that I will no longer be looking up in the sky, I'll be part of that sky. My grandfather Melvin Leroy Ivie, passed away April 24, 2007 at 10AM. The day was gray, the feeling was gray, but most important that one part of a bright blue sky was gray.

Mygrandfather and I

      So now maybe you can see why I picked such a diverse topic because any one can write about the sky and day being gray, but how many of us can say they lived that gray day and woke up tomorrow to see a new canvas of bright blues, pinks, and oranges. How many people can actually say they lived a gray day? I believe I did and I believe my grandfather does......