In your groups, create articulate responses to each of the
following questions. You will be presenting your responses in a
friendly competition.
1. Death says that Liesel was a girl “with a mountain to climb.” (p. 86)
What is her mountain? Who are her climbing partners? What is
her greatest obstacle? At what point does she reach the summit of
her mountain? Describe her descent. What does she discover at the
foot of her mountain?
2. In the book there are many, many instances of courage. If you can,
choose which act (and by whom) best illustrates courage? Why is
that the best example of courage? If you can’t decide which, choose
2 and describe what makes these examples of courage.
3.
Liesel Meminger lived to be an old woman. Death says that he
would like to tell the book thief about beauty and brutality, but those
are things that she had lived. How does her life represent beauty in
the wake of brutality? Discuss how Zusak's poetic writing style
enhances the beauty of Liesel's story.
4. Choose one moment in the book and explain why it is the best
example of the duality of humanity.
5. Associate the following characters with the theme they best develop.
Explain how they develop the theme using specific examples from
the text.
Leisal
Max
Rudy
Ilsa Hermann
Hans
Rosa