The Book Thief. Portfolio

 

 GUIDELINES

·         Handwritten.

·         Explain the ideas as much as you can by using links, the passive voice and a wide range of vocabulary… While answering the questions, include some examples from the movie.

·         Be careful with your layout. You can improve your work with pictures, drawings…

Summary:

Liesel Meminger is only nine years old when she is taken to live with a foster family, the Hubermanns, on Himmel Street in Molching, Germany, in the late 1930s. She arrives with few possessions, but among them is The Grave Digger’s Handbook-a book that she stole from her brother’s burial place. During the years that Liesel lives with the Hubermanns, Hitler becomes more powerful, life on Himmel Street becomes more fearful, and Liesel becomes a full-fledged book thief. She rescues books from Nazi book-burnings and steals from the library of the mayor. Liesel is illiterate when she steals her first book, but Hans Hubermann uses her prized books to teach her to read. This is a story of courage, friendship, love, survival, death, and grief. This is Liesel’s life on Himmel Street, told from Death’s point of view.

QUESTIONS:

1- Write a one paragraph description of one of the following characters in this movie: Liesel, Hans, Rosa and Rudy.

2- The central question asked here (which has been asked in countless other great works of literature) is how human beings have been capable of such brutality and also have

transcended suffering with acts of extraordinary love and courage.  The film presents the issue of how humans can do the most appalling and beautiful things. Write a paragraph explaining how this point is presented in the story. Give some examples.

 3- The Nazy party used propaganda, including Hitler´s autobiographical manifesto, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), to acquire and maintain control over German society. How is this point shown in the film?

4- What does Hans (Papa) encourage her to read? What role does his unusual dictionary play in Liesel’s learning?

5- Liesel comes to realize that words can be used for good as well as for evil. How have words been used these opposite ways in the film?

6- How do we find beauty during hard times? How does Liesel find beauty? How does this affect her happiness despite such hard times? Can beauty and happiness always be found?

OPTIONAL

 -Liesel´s love of books transform her life and the lives of those around her. What books or films have inspired you- or at least impacted your life in a significant way? Give some examples.