THE BOOK
THIEF
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO 2122
NGUYEN KHANH NAM - 11A2
NGO BAO HIEN - 11A2
TRAN NGOC ANH - 11A2
LE THI HUYEN THUONG - 11B1
NGUYEN QUYNH TRANG - 11B1
KIEU NGOC PHUONG NHI - 11B2
GROUP 1 - 11E6
CONTENTS
3
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
ON THE AUTHOR
4
BRIEF INTRODUCTION
5
SUMMARY
7
REVIEWS
8
CHARACTERS AND
RELATIONSHIPS
9
RHETORICAL DEVICES
13
GROUP REFLECTION
16
PERSONAL REFLECTION
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 2
BIOGRAPHICAL
INFORMATION ON THE
AUTHOR
The Book Thief is a novel by Australian
author Markus Zusak.
According
Markus Zusak was born on June 23, 1975, in
unlike anything he had written previously
Sydney, Australia, as the youngest of four
and
was
children of immigrant German and Austrian
his
parents
parents,
Munich
both
involvement
of
with
whom
World
had
War
II
direct
in
their
to
Zusak,
primarily
and
published
told
a
Book
Thief
influenced
by
him
wartime
Vienna.
as
The
about
The
novel
Book
for
was
stories
Thief
in
was
adults
in
native countries. When they initially came
Australia and as a young adult novel in
to Australia, neither parent could read or
the United States, but Zusak doesn’t draw
write
their
such distinctions. “What I wanted to do…
language
and
was write someone’s favorite book,” rather
to
and
than write for a specific audience, Zusak
English,
but
they
master
the
children
to
strongly
encouraged
wanted
them
read
communicate in English from an early age.
revealed in an interview.
Zusak began writing fiction at the age of
Zusak gained multiple awards for The Book
16 and went on to earn a teaching degree.
Thief,
Zusak worked briefly as a house painter,
Honor
janitor, and high school English teacher
(Australia).
before becoming a professional novelist.
Ted Talk,
After
several
Sydney Opera House, which focused on his
novel
-
1999.
Nonetheless,
The
rejections,
Underdog,
Zusak's
was
debut
released
Zusak's
second
in
and
including
and
drafting
through
the
In
called
process
writing
the
Michael
Kathleen
2014,
'The
L.
Mitchell
Zusak
Printz
Award
delivered
Failurist'
and
journey
The
Book
to
Thief.
at
a
the
success
Zusak
third novels garnered several prizes and
resides in Sydney, Australia and continues
distinctions.
with his fictional career followingly.
The
Book
Thief,
which
was
out in 2006, was even more critically and
(298 words)
popularly successful.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 3
BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
1. Social context
2. Motivation of the author
"The Book Thief" was written to depict the
Markus
horrors
army's
immigrants from different European nations
the
who had witnessed World War II. He got the
of
wartime,
persecution
of
the
Jews,
Nazi
and
even
Zusak's
Holocaust, one of the most heinous crimes
inspiration
in human history.
stories
The
work
fiction,
by
Markus
which
Zusak
means
is
that,
historical
while
it
is
sympathy
The
Book
Thief
history.
native
from
the
European
a
story
for
about
the
a
child
marching
who
Jews
felt
and
gave
and
food to one of them who was particularly
attempting
to
weak. And a soldier whipped both of them
represent all of the events that occurred
for their actions. Being affected by his
in the fictional town of Molching, which is
parent's stories, the book is set and told
located near Munich, Germany, during World
through historical real events such as the
War II, from 1939 to 1945. In 1934, Adolf
Holocaust, Jews walking to their deaths in
Hitler,
camps,
in
the
the
Nazi
places,
in
their
Thief
events,
characters
used
period
Book
both
he was a little boy. Markus' mother told
happened
certain
The
were
countries that his parents told him when
him
a
for
from
fiction, it is based on true events that
at
parents
book
party's
leader,
rose
to
Kristallnacht,
Semitism
Liesel's fascination with the book, and a
aggression
policies,
which subsequently led to World War II. At
major
that time, millions of Jews died in what is
book-burning.
now
known
as
the
Holocaust
-
one
of
the
event
in
theme
the
plot
of
the
was
book
and
others.
German
major
burnings,
national power and began imposing his antiand
A
book
the
Nazis'
(135 words)
most horrific event in human history. And
the German invasion of the Soviet Union in
1941, as well as the Allied firebombings of
Munich,
Stuttgart,
and
the
fictional
Molching from 1942 to 1943, had a direct
impact on the novel.
(185 words)
is
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 4
SUMMARY
The
story
is
placed
in
of
Hans was never irritated with Liesel when
World War II. The totalitarianism and the
she had nightmares and peed in her bed
cruelty
of
by
every night; instead, he stayed by her
Hitler,
was
demonstrated
side till the morning, patiently teaching
Fascism,
not
the
context
which
was
directly
led
through the damage that the war caused
her
but via the narration of the Death, an
through the book Liesel stole from the
embodiment
gravedigger together. Hans earns Liesel's
of
destruction
death,
but
the
grief,
stories
and
that
Death
the
trust
as
German
she
alphabet
gets
and
closer
working
to
him
and
tells, stories of the ferocity of what
associates his presence with safety.
humanity has done to his own kind, made
Leisel is disruptive at school and has a
even Death shudder.
proclivity for fighting with boys as a
However, the plot of the story does not
result
describe the bloody battlefields of World
importantly, she becomes a thief. Liesel
War II or the barbaric killing scenes...
occasionally joins a gang to steal food
This is the story of Liesel, an orphan
and other items, but her primary stealing
girl who was adopted in Heaven Street,
love is for books. Realizing the power of
Munich City of Germany. Liesel Meminger
writing and sharing it, Liesel not only
was
sent
to
communist
a
different
father
was
home
of
her
misbehavior.
More
when
her
began stealing the books the Nazis were
and
her
seeking
deported
to
destroy
but
also
her
own
mother couldn't afford to care for her.
story. Liesel takes another book from the
Liesel's younger brother died abruptly on
flames as the community organizes a book-
a train to Munich on the way to her new
burning to commemorate Hitler's birthday.
home. She and her mother left the train
After
to bury him, where she stole her first
Hubermann, Max Vandenburg, a 24-year-old
book, The Gravedigger's Handbook.
Jewish
When she moved into her new home, she met
government,
her
a
family's doorway. Hans owed a favor to
wife
the fighter's deceased father, so he kept
new
painter
parents:
and
Hans
accordionist,
Hubermann,
and
his
receiving
boxer
letter
being
chased
decided
to
show
the
up
is
both
and
always
suffered
nightmares,
fighters
turns
which led them to become friends.
telling
down
Liesel
every
time.
stories
in
Hans
the
began
had
lost
their
were
wants to steal a kiss from her, but she
him
and
and
the
discovered they had a lot in common: they
Owen
Liesel
at
Nazi
a blonde-haired boy living next door who
Jesse
basement.
by
the
Max
about
the
regarding
Rosa. Liesel had a strong bond with Rudy,
crazy
in
a
Max
fist
families,
basement
after he discovered she couldn't read and
was
plagued
by
brother's death.
nightmares
over
her
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 5
Liesel was enraged since her family is
SUMMARY
already struggling to make ends meet,
while
the
Hermanns
seem
to
have
everything. Liesel begins taking books
from
the
Hermanns'
aid
of
Rudy.
predicament,
library
Frau,
wrote
with
the
noticing
her
a
the
note
in
a
dictionary, inviting her to enter the
front door as well.
Liesel
and
Rudy's
family,
refuge
her
in
shortly
days,
family,
were
the
forced
these
they
to
find
basement
rather
had
with
to
Fiedlers'
after
and
along
joyful
leave
Max
behind. Max decided to leave as well,
and he was arrested.
Liesel and Rudy had been looking for
Max
since
enraged
parade
he
departed.
after
but
Hermann
Leisel
witnessing
unable
appeared
to
at
Max
save
was
in
him.
Liesel's
a
Ilsa
front
door a few days later and handed her a
black diary in which she might write
the
words
of
her
own
narrative.
Liesel's neighborhood got blasted one
night
while
editing
and
her
the
she
was
book.
other
neighborhood
in
the
Hans,
residents
were
all
basement
Rosa,
Rudy,
of
the
murdered.
When
the workmen carried her away, she left
her completed book, "The Book Thief,"
behind. Death, who has been watching,
saved
the
book,
and
it
was
at
this
point that he learned of her life.
Max
came
to
Molching
after
the
concentration camps were liberated and
found Liesel. They cried and embraced
one
other.
Liesel
grew
up
and
relocated to Australia, where she had
a family and lived to old age. When
Death
showed
arrived
her
to
the
claim
book
her
she
soul,
wrote
he
all
those years ago and they had a long
conversation about it.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 6
REVIEWS
John Green, the New York Times Book Review
May 14, 2006
The
Australian
brilliant
adult
and
writer
hugely
novel
is
Fortunately,
Markus
ambitious
startling
this
book
in
isn't
Zusak's
new
young-
many
ways…
about
Death;
it's about death, and so much else… In "The
Book
Thief,"
sometimes
where
an
fighting
act
in
everything
Germany.
battling
of
all
is
Sounds
we
is
see
complexity…Indeed,
down
are
survive
weakness,
its
upside
to
in
Zusak's
Nazi
tasted,
visions
are
heard, death has a heart, the strong do not
survive, and your best chance of living may
be a concentration camp. The entropy of this
world is near complete…Some will argue that
a
book
so
difficult
appropriate
for
and
teenage
sad
may
readers…
not
But
be
it's
the kind of book that can be life-changing,
because
without
amorality
order,
and
"The
ever
denying
randomness
Book
the
of
Thief"
essential
the
natural
offers
us
a
believable, hard-won hope…”
HorseLover3000, The Guardian
Phil Constable, Knopf
Mon 17 Mar 2014
March 2006
'It is not the kind of story that has you
The author, Markus Zusak, draws on the real-
crying:
life
the
sadness
of
Liesel's
story
creeps up on you'
“I
found
this
experiences
of
his
own
family
to
compellingly describe the other side of the
eye-
war story… The Book Thief cleverly inverts
opener….It is not the kind of story that
the commonly accepted position of history. It
has you crying one moment and laughing the
leaves us asking who writes the history and
next.
how accurate the history books really are…
The
book
sadness
a
bit
of
surrounding
an
Liesel's
story creeps up on you, until suddenly you
The
realize that it was like this for so many,
qualities of language, as seen in Hitler’s
and
rhetoric, and its redeeming qualities…
how
serious
it
was,
and
is….In
novel
emphasizes
both
the
destructive
In
reflection, The Book Thief leaves behind a
his use of imagery and language, Markus Zusak
sense of guilt, in some ways. Because it is
has created a highly accessible vehicle for
the
some
British
bombs
that
are
falling
in
complex
issues.
us
in
the
Germans during the war but does not excuse
leave
soaked in tears.”
the
reader's
cheeks
empathizing
the
unfamiliar
and
of
puts
Germany, the British who kill so many in
story
position
He
with
any of the appalling behavior. We are left
happy,
sad,
and
satisfied
with
a
job
well
done.”
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 7
CHARACTERS
Death: Death is the narrator of the story.
Rosa Hubermann: Liesel’s stepmother. Rosa,
Being chosen to become the book’s point of
unlike her husband, comes across as icy and
view, Death is initially sardonic, with a
irritable
darkly wry sense of humor. Although named
reveals
Death, he is not scary and does not give
she
off
proved
dreary
through
other
energy
Death,
at
all.
readers
characters’
can
souls,
Conversely,
see
and
through
also
their
at
first.
that
despite
is
However,
her
compassionate
by
her
the
gruff
and
treatment
story
demeanor,
sympathetic,
of
Liesel
and
readiness to take in Max.
Max
Vandenburg:
The
Hubermann’s
secret
loss and misery caused by the war.
lodger. Max is reserved and cautious when
Liesel Meminger: Liesel is the protagonist
he comes to the Hubermanns' house to hide.
of
As he gains strength in both mentality and
the
story,
unbreakable
a
lovely
desire
language.
She
struggles
in
difficulties
has
life,
did
girl
and
been
through
many
not
soul.
cynical,
distrustful
an
reading
but
brilliant
with
for
all
of
those
extinguish
Liesel
grows
her
from
character
physicality,
he
expresses
his
intense
hatred for Hitler, which motivates him to
stay
alive
undeniable
in
any
that
circumstances.
among
all
It
of
is
the
a
characters, Max is the one who understands
into
Liesel the most. He and Liesel truly become
someone who adores her family and friends.
not only friends but also soulmates.
She
personal
Rudy Steiner: Liesel’s best friend. He and
moral code by the end of the book, and she
Liesel get along swimmingly, and he has a
is not reluctant to step herself at risk
surprising
to enforce it.
compassion.
Hans Hubermann: Liesel’s stepfather. Hans
Liesel and is always by her side.
is a patient and kind man, who first wins
Some
the trust of Liesel. Besides, He is the
Ilsa
one
Holtzapfel,
really
who
does
have
accompanies
a
strong
Liesel
all
the
time
and helps her to realize her true favorite
and
develop
committed
to
her
soul.
helping
Hans
and
is
also
other
amount
Moreover,
characters
Hermann,
Frau
Robert
of
he
empathy
is
are:
in
love
and
with
Alex
Steiner,
Holtzapfel,
Michael
Holtzapfel,
Frau
Diller,…
(404 words)
protecting
others.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 8
RHETORICAL
DEVICES
Foreshadowing:
is
a
literary
technique
used by Zusak in The Book Thief. Zusak
includes a list of events that occur in
each
section
beginning
example
of
of
of
the
each
story
at
section.
foreshadowing
the
Another
is
when
he
provides a list of events to notify the
reader
of
what
is
about
to
happen.
Death, the narrator, used foreshadowing
to allude to events that occur later in
the
narrative.
“Hans
Death
Hubermann
once
was
says
not
that
granted
membership in the Nazi Party. "Not yet,
at least." It is foreshadowed that Hans
The
language
novel
is
devices
and
writing
style
traditional
being
used
with
of
the
literary
masterfully
in
various places.
Narrative
Choosing
a
distinct narrative perspective is one of
the aspects that has contributed to the
success of The Book Thief among readers.
Death, a peculiar character, and other
narrate
first-person
the
story
and
in
both
third-person
perspectives. Knowing that Death is the
major
narrator
of
this
story,
many
people assume Death to be the main cause
of loss in the story because Death is an
embodiment
of
devastation.
responsible
death,
Humans,
for
all
of
grief,
and
however,
are
the
cruelty
depicted in the novel. Death shuddered
at the horrors he told, stories of the
cruelty with which humanity has treated
his
own
kind.
join
is
the
material
expected
Nazi
to
Party
piques
be
forced
later
readers'
on.
to
This
interest
and
draws their attention to the approaching
events. There are several moments in the
perspective:
characters
Hubermann
As
a
result,
Death's
emergence as a narrator is a mocking of
novel
where
the
foreshadowing
interested
specific
narrator,
to
in
Death,
keep
the
plot
thematic
the
and
reader
to
notions.
uses
advance
"Difficult
times were on the way. As in a parade".
This feature was used in this context to
demonstrate
that
"bad
times"
were
on
their way, "like a parade." This refers
to
the
period
when
the
Nazis
began
capturing an increasing number of Jews.
Later in the novel, the Germans forced
the
Jews
to
march
in
a
"parade-like"
formation on their journey to Dachau, a
concentration camp. Another one is that
the author mentioned Himmel Street many
times
throughout
“Whoever
named
the
Himmel
story,
Street
saying
certainly
had a healthy sense of irony. Not that
it was a living hell. It wasn’t. But it-
human perseverance in beginning the war
machine.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 9
RHETORICAL
DEVICES
Personification:
device
used
Another
literary
in
The
Book
Thief
is
personification.
The
description
of
some areas has become more accurate and
vibrant as a result of personification.
The
author
typically
employed
an
inanimate object that is personified in
the
narrative
attributes
by
and
adding
qualities
to
human
it
to
create an image or to help produce a
mood.
For
instance,
"Even
the
clouds
were trying to get away". Clouds are
incapable of "trying to go away" since
they
are
non-living.
However,
the
author used this concept to emphasize
to
the
reader
how
dreadful
something
must have been for the clouds to wish
to
flee.
The
word
Communist
is
personified in Liesel's memory early in
the book. She remarks that though she
cannot understand the word Communist,
she can “smell it and taste it,” and
knows
it
“(wears)
suits,
uniforms.”
This imagery takes the concepts out of
the abstract and helps the reader and
characters
grasp
the
immense
impact
that words and ideas can have on the
-sure
as
hell
wasn’t
heaven,
either.”
Himmel Street was demolished and proved to
be anything but divine, even though Himmel
means
"heaven."
This
is
how
the
author
foreshadows this awful incident, to convey
to
readers
how
dispersed
the
world
world. Personification aids the reader
in
understanding
story,
relating
occurrences,
a
it
and
portion
to
of
the
real-world
potentially
understanding the issue better.
was
during World War II. Foreshadowing is used
by Zusak to offer the reader a feeling of
what is to come.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 10
Symbolism: Another major literary device
that
frequently
novel
RHETORICAL
DEVICES
is
appears
symbolism.
throughout
One
of
the
the
most
important symbols in The Book Thief is
books,
especially
scene.
The
the
book-burning
book-burning
scene
is
significant to Liesel, but its symbolism
extends
beyond
her
it
a
foremost,
other
book
is
story.
symbol
burnings
First
of
that
and
the
many
occurred
in
Nazi Germany. The term "book burnings"
is
a
bit
of
an
exaggeration.
As
the
story implies, not only books are being
destroyed, but also art, pamphlets, and
everything written by a Jew or speaking
favorably
about
burnings
are
Jewish
not
people.
directed
These
against
a
particular author or even a single idea,
but
rather
at
the
collective
body
of
creative and intellectual activity of a
wide
group
than
censorship
bigger
of
people.
than
or
This
is
protest,
books.
bigger
and
Jewish
it's
books,
according to the Nazis, represent Jewish
people. The destruction of these texts
represented their ultimate purpose, the
annihilation of the Jewish people. The
crematoria,
people's
or
chambers
remains
notorious.
The
where
were
Jewish
burnt,
novel's
are
book-burning
reminds us of those crematoria and keeps
us
from
becoming
too
comfortable
with
the plot. It also serves as a reminder
that
Nazi
comprised
propaganda
both
the
strategies
destruction
and
dissemination of material.
"A
voice
played
the
notes
inside
her.
This, it said, is your accordion". The
accordion
represents
Liesel's
life.
It
connection
with
Hans
feels
he
her.
when
During
accordion
also
plays
the
many
things
represents
and
the
the
in
her
joy
she
accordion
for
bombardment,
represents
hope
the
and
comfort to Liesel. Second, when Liesel
discovers the accordion among the ruins
of Himmel Street after Hans' death-
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 11
RHETORICAL
DEVICES
-it is a sign of immense loss, but it
Or
also contains much of her tale. It is
metaphor to express Liesel’s excitement
yet
about mentioning her father.
another
indication
of
the
novel's
“Papa
was
an
accordion!”
is
a
claim that literature, music, and other
"His tie is a pendulum, long dead in its
arts can bring solace in times of severe
clock".
adversity.
employing
appearance by contrasting his tie with
symbolism on the reader is that we can
an inanimate item such as a clock. By
perceive,
to,
stating that his tie is "long dead," he
was
suggests that it has been dormant for an
the
The
and
effect
perhaps
feelings
of
even
that
relate
Liesel
This
statement
indefinite
reader's
just stating that the tie was still, the
of
that
experience to a new level.
of
time.
Rudy's
experiencing at the time. It takes the
understanding
period
portrays
Instead
of
author utilized a metaphor to make the
description more "fun" or fascinating to
Metaphors: Metaphors are one of the most
read. It has an effect on the reader in
common literary devices used in novels,
that it makes us envision his tie in a
and The Book Thief is not an exception.
different way and does not bore us to
On
death.
page
Himmel
378,
it
Street
was
written
window,
he
“From
wrote,
a
the
stars set fire to my eyes.” A metaphor
is a term that characterizes someone or
something by referring to something that
is
thought
to
have
similar
traits.
In
this case, fire is used to emphasize how
bright the stars reflect in Max’s eyes
as
he
has
seen
the
outside
world
for
quite a long period.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 12
Simile:
Throughout
the
novel,
there
are
several
similes.
“Red
marks
like
footprints, and they burned.” This is a good example of a simile since it
compares Mama's spoon marks on Liesel's back to footprints. This is when Liesel
is struck with a wooden spoon by her foster mother. Figurative language, such
as simile, is extremely helpful in understanding what the character is going
through. As in the statement "Red markings like footprints, and they burnt." if
you've never been hit with a wooden spoon, you probably wouldn't notice that
the red scars it leaves are similar to footprints. This synopsis simplifies the
book and provides the reader with a clear picture of what occurred in the
novel.
"The trees standing like emaciated statues." The author effectively conveys the
trees'
terrible
weakness
and
thinness
by
comparing
them
to
malnourished
statues. This could be due to a shortage of nutrients and water for the trees.
But, whatever the reason, the reader is aware that the trees do not appear to
be large and full. The effect on the reader is that it helps us to view what is
going on in the text visually via the eyes of the character or narrator without
the imagery being too obtrusive.
(1410 words)
RHETORICAL
DEVICES
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 13
REFLECTION
At
first,
it
was
a
struggle
for
us
to
ascended
to
power
began
implementing
and
German
decide on the group’s book as there were
his
multitudes
across
The events in the books were either exact
all genres. We wished to find a book that
replicas of the Holocaust or similar to all
is humanistic, educational, and historical
the
rather than just a normal romantic fiction
invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 and
novel.
the
of
We
interesting
did
not
choices
decide
on
any
book
anti-Semitism
and
things
that
Allied
happened:
the
fire-bombings
of
Stuttgart,
1942
she had seen a movie about World War II
Markus Zusak, was greatly influenced by his
which
parents' experience with the Holocaust. His
meaningful.
for
the
based
outstandingly
Fortunately,
film,
on
we
a
found
“The
moving
when
we
out
that
No.1
and
searched
it
book
is
1943.
based
fictional
Munich,
phase when someone in the group said that
was
the
German
sources until the final week of the first
and
and
aggression.
The
on
the
Book
Molching
Thief
in
author,
information
of
his
was
parents and that of the world and books.
International
One of Zusak’s parents' childhood stories
Bestseller” book named The Book Thief by
was
Markus Zusak. It revolves around literacy
down the street, to the concentration camp
and
in
power,
as
Liesel
learns
to
read,
about
a
Dachau
group
as
of
well
Jews
as
the
being
marched
foster
family
explores words with Max, and even paints
housing a Jew in hiding despite the risk of
over sections of Mein Kampf; love and hate
death. All of these had become the basis
in human nature, as we see acts of genuine
and
kindness toward the Jews, particularly in
humanity and philanthropy, which symbolized
hiding
everything
Max,
and
also
acts
of
horror
and
recurring
torment from the Nazis So impressed were we
horrible
by such an impressive message that the book
author.
theme
for
beautiful
about
humanity
and
the
novel
-
everything
according
to
the
conveyed that we decided to choose this as
our official source for the book report and
The bombing of Munich on March 9 & 10 could
do thorough research. The Book Thief was
be regarded as one of the climaxes of the
written to depict the horrors of war, the
book, and it was also our favorite part.
Nazi
the
Everyone in the town was rushing for the
brutality and kindness of human beings, and
bomb bunker at that time, except for one
even the holocaust, one of the most heinous
elderly woman named Frau Holtzapfel. We had
catastrophes in human history.
the
army's
mistreatment
of
Jews,
impression
that
she
was
there
anticipating the worst to happen to her,
It is set in Germany during World War II
and that she was welcoming the notion of
and the Holocaust, during which six million
death coming around the corner. The only
Jews
thing that budged her from being petrified
were
killed
by
the
Nazis.
In
Adolf Hitler, the Nazi party's leader,
1934,
was most likely
the words of Liesel that
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 14
Nonetheless,
nothing
things
of
as
we
note
was
happened
transpired
at
moved
the
highlighted.
but
all
towards
it
felt
with
as
zero
A
end,
lot
if
of
nothing
accomplishment.
The climax was not as riveting as expected
due to slower-paced character development and
the
characters,
Hans
was
except
for
Rudy
stereotypical
and
and
maybe
lacked
characteristics. In addition, their ways with
words
and
personality
exaggerated,
it
were
seemed
dramatized
as
if
and
they
were
written to appear different from others. The
twist
and
pivotal
point
did
not
lie
in
excessive unexpected death but the fact that
the author decided to exclude the end of the
war and left the readers dangling after over
500 pages. But again, this might just be a
reminder of the tragic reality.
Every
small
detail
in
the
story
plays
a
crucial part in highlighting the theme of the
story
as
well
exploring
the
characteristics
of each character. In the story, what makes
us quite frustrated and wondering: “Should it
be done differently?”. In the last section,
the fates of many of the characters in the
novel are revealed, though the fates of the
two
seemingly
Liesel
and
crucial
broke
her
person
trance
affected
of
by
hopelessness.
this
event
was
most
Max
event,
notable
remain
the
a
characters
mystery.
climax
is,
The
of
-
most
course,
Another
Rudy, Hans, Rosa, and many of the residents
Michael
of
Himmell
Street,
who
die
in
their
sleep
Holtzapfel and his desire to live though he's
when the bombs fall. Death - the narrator has
already
given
experienced
a
lifetime
of
war
and
foreshadowing
details
or
outright
death. Both of the Holtzapfels experienced a
mentioned this tragedy before, and we are at
moment of self-realization during this raid and
least
it changed the outcome of one of their lives
hand, it’s not at all clear what will become
forever. We feel terrible for Michael, who is
of
still young, having to confront these decisions
everything from her past life. As for Max, we
and
Frau
see him with the other Jewish prisoners on
Holtzapfel, who has realized that she still has
their way to Dachau, which certainly doesn’t
something to live for. Also, in this detail, we
offer much room for optimism. We adhere to
can
the
thoughts,
see
that
and
Liesel
we
are
calms
happy
and
for
comforts
her
sure
of
Liesel.
Rudy’s
She
stance
has
that
just
at
lost
least
the
practically
something
be
tremendous value in the novel, suggesting that
ineffectual
words are among the most powerful ways in which
ourselves, we cannot be sound asleep knowing
people
brilliantly
that
written and wittily narrated, there are a few
vain
disappointments to this novel that are worth
definitely help.
mentioning.
The
first
being
few
chapters
were
the
but
considering
endeavor.
characters’
a
simple
future
more
book. We can see how words and stories hold
Despite
upcoming
other
neighbors during the air raids by reading her
given
their
On
concrete
connect.
about
death.
their
As
enduring,
the
suffering
should
audiences
has
reassurance
gone
can
in
most
(1021 words)
enthralling and flew by relatively quickly.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 15
PERSONAL
REFLECTION
Lê Thị Huyền Thương
Throughout
the
accomplishment
of
this
reading
report
alongside
my
fellow
teammates, I personally have acquired a
great deal of knowledge and skills as well
as identified my shortcomings.
What
is
worth
mentioning
is
the
acquisition of both academic and social
information derived from engaging in the
completion
of
this
process.
In
my
experience,
my
comprehensive
reading
proficiency
has
noticeably
accelerated
after
finishing
the
book
itself
and
completing
each
phase.
After
briefly
scanning through the book to understand
the overall subject and historic context,
I then went back for another round in the
search of outstanding details that are
eligible
for
our
products;
thus,
the
emotions
of
characters
and
literary
devices can be fathomed to their fullest.
Additionally, by the completion of phase 1
and 2 - which includes the author’s and
socio-economic background of the novel, I
could obtain a closer an insight into a
regime in the contemporary history - Nazi
Germany.
Nevertheless, there are a few things that
I wish to adjust as well as advance in the
future and upcoming projects. The most
crucial
things
are
my
time-management
skills
and
concentration
span.
To
elaborate,
the
lack
of
certainty
and
procrastination hampered my capability to
recognize and fulfill the segment assigned
as productive as possible. Likewise, my
ability
to
multitask
also
requires
improvements. As in this report, every
member has to participate in every part,
each needs to shift attention quickly and
integrate a range of duties. Hopefully,
these flaws of mine did not affect the
outcome of this project.
To recapitulate, I am grateful that I am
able
to
partake
in
such
a
rewarding
assignment that not only urges me to
secure
unfamiliar
knowledge
but
also
enables me to discern my deficiencies.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 16
War.
Throughout
the
marvelous
journey
within the book, I became more and more
open-minded about the fire of kindness
among humans and the devastation of War
on human relationships. Alongside this,
my reading skills and other academicrelated skills have improved marginally.
To be honest, conquering this book with
such abstract knowledge and contents was
no easy task, it required me to have a
solid reading comprehension foundation.
Acknowledging that, I strived to improve
my
reading
skills
by
utilizing
successfully the techniques of scanning,
skimming and many other skills I have
learned. Also, my writing skills and
researching
skills
have
noticeably
improved
since
there
are
a
lot
of
questions in the questions template that
demand me to research profoundly as well
as demonstrate proficiently my language.
Nguyễn Khánh Nam
Partaking in this reading project with my
fellow friends has given me a lot of
realization
about
myself
as
well
as
meaningful lessons regarding teamwork and
many other skills.
First of all, this reading project indeed
has helped me gain more insights and
perspectives into topics that I have
never approached before. Never have I
thought that there is one day I would
become an avid reader of a 600-page long
books whose content revolving around the
Nazis and the cruelty of
However,
there
are
some
of
my
shortcomings
that
really
reduce
my
productivity that I have to adjust. One
is
my
procrastination.
To
be
really
honest, I am the person who loves running
the deadlines, especially on the night
before the submission date. However, this
has taken a toll on my health recently
and I really need to allocate my time
more
efficiently.
Second,
after
this
reading project, it dawned on me that I
have to cultivate more love into books. I
used to think that reading books was
merely a waste of time, especially in the
times of advanced technology. However,
reading books is one of the optimal ways
to augment reading comprehension skills
and I realized I have been passing on
these opportunities all the time.
In short, this reading project has helped
me realize a lot in terms of my strengths
and
weaknesses.
What
I
feel
really
grateful
for
is
that
I
can
have
a
stronger bonds with my fellow friends in
11 English 6 whom I really appreciate in
this project.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 17
PERSONAL
REFLECTION
Trần Ngọc Anh
By
carrying
out
this
“Book
Report”
project
with
the
cooperation
of
my
groupmates,
I
realized
my
own
shortcomings and improved some of my
skills.
First to say, the story “The Book Thief”
raises not only my sympathy for the
characters but also my knowledge about
one of the remarks in human history World War II. The stories also set the
background in the Holocaust. Through the
background, I can enhance more knowledge
about the wars and how the people living
in that period struggled in their lives.
Besides, I feel particularly empathetic
with Liesel - the protagonist of the
story in the aspect of her relationship
with Rudy and other teenagers, and also
her enormous fondness for reading and
languages. The story is proof of the
power of words, just as Yehuda Berg
claimed:
"Words have energy and power
with the ability to help, to heal, to
hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate,
and to humble." The only thing that I
think the
story lacks is more description of the
background of Max Vanderburgh and also
the after-story of Liesel.
On the other hand, I have improved much
of my teamwork and soft skills throughout
the
process
of
accomplishing
this
project. By designing into 3 phases with
each’s deadlines, I and my teammates had
to tackle the task and work together to
meet the deadlines. Another indispensable
skill that I have improved a lot through
the portfolio is the time-arranging skill
because I have to estimate and adjust my
personal timetable to accomplish each
deadline on time.
Overall, I find accomplishing this Book
report
rewarding
since
it
helped
me
improve several skills. Also, it is kinda
enjoyable because it was challenging at
first and then went out as expected
thanks to my and my teammate's efforts.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 18
Nguyễn Quỳnh Trang:
After finishing the whole arduous yet marvelous journey with my peers in the making
of this book report, I realized that I was wrong.
When I first heard of the so-called “book report”,
I immediately thought of some
tedious tasks involving reading some thousand-page long novels and writing a
plethora of essays. To be honest, at first I was quite afraid since I have never
been an avid reader of books. Also, I virtually had no beforehand experiences when
it comes to researching and writing essays about books. On top of that, what I was
scared of the most is that I don't have any particular knowledge about World War II
or historical events.
However, had it not been for the book report, I wouldn’t have any chances to turn a
new leaf. When my teammates first introduced “The Book Thief” as well as the
meanings behind this book, I was so impressed by the messages it delivered that I
decided to read it without hesitation. The more I immersed in the book, the more I
understood about the Nazis, Holocaust, the power of words, the human naturer of
love and hate, and most importantly, the meaning of literature. Also, the more I
researched about the historical backgrounds, the more I understood and felt
sympathetic with the characters in the whole novels for their sufferings. Along
with that, there are many skills I have gained in this project. By designing and
sketching the group's portfolio, powerpoint and images, I have learned to use AI
and Canvas - a really helpful platform for graphic designers. Also, my reading
comprehension related skills and vocabulary range have augmented as I had to do a
lot of research as well as understand the context of the novel. I have also learned
a lot from my teammates who have a totally amazing mindset and background
knowledge.
After all, this semester's reading report was a game-changer for me. There are some
worries and frustration at the beginning, but in the end I have learned a lot.
PERSONAL
REFLECTION
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 19
Ngô Bảo Hiền
Thanks
to
the
launch
of
this
book
report
project, I have had time to revise some of
my skills as well as acquire more knowledge.
My
reading
thinking
skills,
and
especially
reading
critical
comprehension,
saw
a
leap after this task. On the one hand, when
reading books, I have the tendency to read
continuously and hardly take any close look
into
the
hidden
meaning
of
meaningful
details of the books. Moreover, sometimes I
do not understand a part of the story and
instead of gaining insight into it by doing
research,
I
automatically
skip
it.
Doing
this book report, on the other hand, gives
me
a
chance
reading
to
style
carefully
and
get
rid
by
making
do
much
of
me
this
read
research
careless
the
book
about
its
content, underlying meanings.
Now, I not only can comprehend even hard-
therefore,
to-read books but also know how to apply
history dating back to that times such as the
some
Nazi,
academic
reading
skills
in
reading
novels, stories. Although some of my skills
I
the
understand
Soviet
Union,
more
about
history
the
social
background.
have improved, I realize that I still have
some weaknesses that I want to adjust. One
To
of
starting,
them
is
my
focus
ability.
“The
book
conclude,
although
doing,
and
the
process
completing
this
of
book
thief” is quite a long novel and since I
report is a hard process, I really appreciate
cannot pay attention to it for a long time,
this task since the book report helps me to
it takes me a considerable amount of time
gain more knowledge and improve many skills
to complete reading the book. As a result,
by forcing me to confront my flaws.
the deadlines of tasks that my groupmates
gave me make me struggle to finish it on
time. Additionally, I not only realize more
about
my
weaknesses
but
also
gain
more
knowledge. The context of “The book thief"
is the World War II - a real past event;
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 20
Phương Nhi
Throughout the process of doing the book report, I have encountered numerous problems.
To commence with, our group has encountered the most challenging mission which is to
select a good resource with appropriate content. We finally came across a wonderful book
named «The Book Thief», however, the hard part lied in the part of the summary. Since
our chosen book was a little bit longer than last year, it was tiring to comprehend the
whole book to sum up the vital information precisely but also get the total gist of the
whole book for the summary. Although it is not my first year participating in this
project, I still spend little time actually analyzing information conveyed through the
words and apparently have my reading skills formed by daily use on the Internet and some
short articles, so a summary is a little bit out of my comfort zone. And, it was quite a
struggle for me since in some parts where the author used difficult vocabulary or
literature devices that I did not know and it took me such a long time of researching to
get the words. Although it was my second attempt to closely analyze the story as I have
done in this report, I still overcame certain obstacles along the way. It was my first
time ever witnessing that term, and analyzing it is even more challenging. I, then,
decided to ask my friends and read through some reference sources, which definitely
familiarized me with the concept, and started to work on my answer using my own idea.
In terms of my book report's development, I'm happy with how far I've come. What I mean
is that I am proud of myself for being able to complete each phase on time, contributing
to the group work and to a high standard. Unlike the previous year, when I almost always
rushed my report when there were only one or a few days until the deadline, this year I
was able to better manage my time and disperse my work. The portfolio impressively boost
my reading skill and critical thinking skill since the process now not only requires me
to read but also to interpret every information I received. I, indeed, am grateful that
I have had a chance to read such an amazing story and understand the period of World
War. Nonetheless, I believe I could have done a little better in terms of summary
because it always seems like I have missed out on crucial detail that could shed some
light on the whole book. But other than that, I am certainly happy with my group’s
report and the efforts I have put into it.
Regardless of the difficulties, I still want to keep producing these portfolios since
they benefit me in a variety of ways. Doing these reports is a lot more fun than taking
tests, and it allows me to enhance a number of abilities while also learning more about
the concept of book writing. Furthermore, the fact that the assignment was split into
phases is appealing to me since it enables me to effectively manage my time and avoid
needing to rush the work.
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 21
READING REPORT PORTFOLIO | 22