Unit 3 Attitudes and Obstacles
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
Big Picture Questions
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Can my attitude become someone's obstacle?
How can someone living through adversity inspire
others to dream, overcome, and achieve?
What influences our attitude?
What characteristics or qualities does a person
need to possess in order to overcome great
hardship?
Do all people possess these qualities or are they
instilled in us?
Is our attitude within our control (our will)?
Agree? Give examples of powerful
words and books
Books and words
have power.
“Imagine smiling after a slap in the
face. Then think of doing it twentyfour hours a day.”
― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
Love is Stronger than Death
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“She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face
and Leisel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner,
soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and
sweet. He tasted like regret in the shadows of
trees and in the glow of the anarchist's suit
collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when
she pulled herself away, she touched his mouth
with her fingers...She did not say goodbye. She
was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his
side, she was able to tear herself from the ground.
It amazes me what humans can do, even when
streams are flowing down their faces and they
stagger on...”
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“He was the crazy one who had painted
himself black and defeated the world.
She was the book thief without the words.
Trust me, though, the words were on their
way, and when they arrived, Liesel would
hold them in her hands like the clouds, and
she would wring them out like rain.”
Terms We Will Focus On
Imagery
 Theme
 Mood
 Symbols
 Character Types
 Irony
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We will also still be identifying examples of:
Characterization, Allusions and Foils
imagery
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The use of vivid or figurative language to
represent objects, actions, or ideas
◦ Imagery gives the reader a mental picture
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Sensory imagery appeals to one or more
of the 5 senses
theme
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A common thread or repeated idea that is
incorporated throughout a literary work.
◦ may be deep, difficult to understand, or even
moralistic.
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Generally, a theme has to be extracted as
the reader explores the passages.
The author utilizes the characters, plot, and
other literary devices to assist the reader in
discovering the theme.
The central theme is often the author’s
purpose in writing the book.
symbol
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A word or object that stands for another
word or object. The object or word can be
seen with the eye but the idea it represents
can not.
◦ For example a dove stands for Peace. The dove
can be seen and peace cannot.
◦ Symbols in The Book Thief
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Books
Swastika
Mein Kamph
Accordian
Cigarettes
The Key
The Duden Dictionary
Character
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the medium through which a reader
interacts with a piece of literature.
a creative author uses characters to assist in
forming the plot of a story or creating a
mood.
attitudes, mannerisms, and even appearances
of characters influence the other major
elements such as theme, setting, and tone.
one of the most important tools available to
the author.
Types of characters
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Dynamic
◦ changes over time, usually as a result of resolving a central
conflict or facing a major crisis.
◦ tend to be central rather than peripheral characters, because
resolving the conflict is the major role of central characters.
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Static
◦ someone who does not change over time
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Round
◦ Any character that has a complex personality
◦ Often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.
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Flat
◦ Any character that has only one kind of personality trait or
characteristic.
More types of characters
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Protagonist -the central character in a story (main character)
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faced with a conflict that must be resolved.
◦ not always admirable (e.g. an anti-hero);
◦ commands involvement on the part of the reader, or better yet, empathy.
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Antagonist - the character(s) (or situation) that represents the opposition
against the protagonist
◦ an obstacle that the protagonist must overcome.
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Stock or Caricature –
◦ conventional or stereotypical through repeated use in stories.
◦ instantly recognizable to readers or audience members
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the femme fatale
the cynical but moral private eye
the mad scientist, the geeky boy with glasses
the faithful sidekick.
usually one-dimensional flat characters, but sometimes stock personalities are deeply conflicted, rounded
characters (e.g. the "Hamlet" type).
More types of characters
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Anti-Hero
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A major character, usually the protagonist
lacks conventional nobility of mind
struggles for values not deemed universally admirable.
Name a character in a movie that was highly flawed
but that you nonetheless, rooted for.
Symbolic
◦ any major or minor character whose very existence
represents some major idea or aspect of society.
◦ In Lord of the Flies, Piggy is a symbol of both the
rationality and physical weakness of modern
civilization; Jack, on the other hand, symbolizes the
violent tendencies (the Id) that William Golding
believes is within human nature.
Remember:
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Literary characters may embody more than one of
these character types at the same time. A dynamic
character may also be the antagonist, and a
protagonist can also be, say, a flat and stock character
(i.e. the one-dimensional hero).
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Here's a very common mistake: while characters
are often round and dynamic, that does not mean
these two terms mean the same thing. The former
refers to a character's complexity, while the latter
refers to a character's development over time.
Students also make this mistake with flat and static
characters.
mood
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The atmosphere that pervades a literary
work with the intention of evoking a certain
emotion or feeling from the audience.
In drama, mood may be created by sets and
music as well as words; in poetry and prose,
mood may be created by a combination of
such elements as SETTING,VOICE, TONE
and THEME.
◦ The moods evoked by the more popular short
stories of Edgar Allen Poe, for example, tend to
be gloomy, horrific, and desperate.
Irony
An intentional contradiction
 The difference between what something
appears to mean and what it really means.
 Normally conveyed through
contradictions between:
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◦ what is said and what is meant
◦ appearance and reality.
Types of Irony
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Verbal irony
◦ the most familiar form
◦ involves speaking words which say something
quite unlike what is meant (e.g., I just love to
write papers)
◦ sarcasm
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Dramatic irony
◦ the meaning of the situation is understood by the
audience but not by the characters
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Situational irony
◦ an outcome that turns out to be very different
from what was expected,
◦ what is expected versus what actually does
Discuss the following quotations together. Create
meaning, connections, questions . . .
1.
***SOME CRUNCHED NUMBERS***
In 1933, 90 percent of Germans showed unflinching
support for Adolf Hitler.
That leaves 10 percent who didn’t.
Hans Hubermann belonged to the 10 percent.
There was a reason for that.
2.
“Looking back, Liesel could tell exactly what her papa was thinking when he
scanned the first page of The Grave Digger’s Handbook. As he realized the
difficulty of the text, he was clearly aware that such a book was hardly ideal.
There were words in there that he’d have trouble with himself. Not to
mention the morbidity of the subject. As for the girl, there was a sudden desire
to read it that she didn’t even attempt to understand. On some level, perhaps
she wanted to make sure her brother was buried right. Whatever the reason,
her hunger to read that book was as intense as any ten-year-old human could
experience.”
Choosing to Participate
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Why do some people standby during times of
injustice while others try to do something to stop
or prevent injustice?
What factors influence decision-making in the
face of injustice?
Under what conditions are most people likely to
feel more responsible for helping others? What
factors reduce feelings of personal responsibility?
What obstacles keep individuals from getting
involved in their communities and larger world?
What factors encourage participation?
1)With a partner review pages 59 through page 80
and find one theme that is illustrated. Find one
quotation that relates to this theme and write a one
paragraph analysis describing the presence of the
theme thus far.
 Possible themes to consider–Death’s observation of
human nature; grief/loss; theft; dream vs. reality; man
vs. death; value of literature, education; loss of
childhood innocence; the power of words; trust;
duality of human nature; contradictory politics
 2) With a partner find one example of writer’s
craft/use of language that you find particularly
effective and powerful. Write down the quotation and
write a brief explanation showing why it works.
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Pt. 1-The Jesse Owens Incident
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Re-examine the Jesse Owens incident
with a partner and answer the following:
◦ What is the author attempting to
demonstrate through this part of the novel?
◦ What theme is being developed?
◦ Make a real-world connection
Pt 1
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Discuss the author’s choice of narrator
◦ Compare the image the author is creating vs.
the traditional idea of death
◦ What point of view is used and why is that
unique?
Why is it ironic that Liesel stole a book?
 Discuss the impact of the setting on the
plot
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Happy Birthday
In this part of the novel there’s a lot that has to do with birthdays–Liesel’s
birthday, Hitler’s birthday, maybe even the idea of birthday in general. Why
the emphasis on birthday, do you think? Consider this passage carefully:
“The dark, the light.
What was the difference?
Nightmares had reinforced themselves in each, as the book thief began to
truly understand how things were and how they would always be. If
nothing else, she could prepare herself. Perhaps that’s why on the Fuhrer’s
birthday, when the answer to the question of her mother’s suffering
showed itself completely, she was able to react, despite her perplexity and
her rage.
Liesel Meminger was ready.
Happy birthday, Herr Hitler.
Many happy returns.”
There’s a lot going on in this quotation. What’s the
significance? What possible meaning and/or connections
can you come up with?
“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he
thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long
into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
The question is raised in the video, “Did Nazi evil such
as these men saw justify the terror bombing of
German civilians?”
Consider the bombing of Dresden. Liesel and her foster
family and friends in Molching are fictional characters,
but they have come alive for us as readers. As you
consider this question, keep Liesel and her family in
mind:
Do you think the Nazi evil justified the terror bombing
of German civilians?
He who fights with
monsters might take
care lest he thereby
become a monster. And
if you gaze for long into
an abyss, the abyss
gazes also into you.
Friedrich Nietzsche