PART SEVEN
Quotations
- " * * * THE LAST WORDS OF * * *
MAX VANDENBURG
You've done enough."
- Death, Part 7 (398)
Max knows that Hans will do whatever he can to help him, but Max no longer wants to risk putting them in danger even if it means saving his own life. This is a truly selfless act of Max, most of the Jews we've been introduced to wouldn't do such a selfless thing but that is all that Max does.
- "'There were stars,' he said. 'They burned my eyes.'"—Death, Part 7 (378)
Max has been stuck inside that house for so long that he forgot the beauty of the outside world. I think it's beautiful that he finally got to see the stars again.
- "In the basement, when she wrote about her life, Liesel vowed that she would never drink champagne again, for it would never taste as good as it did in that warm afternoon in July"—Death, Part 7 (357)
Liesel wanted to remember that moment exactly like it was. Drinking champagne again would make that moment less special and she didn't want to jeopardize that. It is extremely responsible of Liesel to decide this at such a young age and it makes me respect her so much more than I already did.
MAX VANDENBURG
You've done enough."
- Death, Part 7 (398)
Max knows that Hans will do whatever he can to help him, but Max no longer wants to risk putting them in danger even if it means saving his own life. This is a truly selfless act of Max, most of the Jews we've been introduced to wouldn't do such a selfless thing but that is all that Max does.
- "'There were stars,' he said. 'They burned my eyes.'"—Death, Part 7 (378)
Max has been stuck inside that house for so long that he forgot the beauty of the outside world. I think it's beautiful that he finally got to see the stars again.
- "In the basement, when she wrote about her life, Liesel vowed that she would never drink champagne again, for it would never taste as good as it did in that warm afternoon in July"—Death, Part 7 (357)
Liesel wanted to remember that moment exactly like it was. Drinking champagne again would make that moment less special and she didn't want to jeopardize that. It is extremely responsible of Liesel to decide this at such a young age and it makes me respect her so much more than I already did.
Images
Liesel writing about her life...
That summer a new beginning, a new end. When I look back, I remember my slippery hands of paint and the sound of Papa's feet on Munich Street, and I know that a small piece of the summer of 1942 belonged to only one man. Who else would do some painting for the price of half a cigarette? That was Papa, that was typical, and I loved him. I love reading what Liesel writes about her life, I like seeing it through her perspective instead of Death's perspective. |
Connections and Historical Context
"He waited for the Gestapo, the soldiers, the police — for anyone — to take him away, as he felt he deserved."—Death, Part 7 (399)
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The Gestapo were the secret police of Nazi Germany and wore long black coats.
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"I have no idea where the convoy had traveled from, but it was perhaps four miles from Molching, and many steps more to the concentration camp at Dachau."—Death, Part 7 (389)
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Dachau concentration camp was the first concentration camp opened in Nazi Germany.
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Questions
- Do you think Liesel understands the severity of Papa helping the Jew?
- Do you think Max should've stayed at the house instead of leaving?
- Why did Rudy get disqualified from the race on purpose?
- Why does Liesel's brother only show up at the mayor's house?
- Why did Rudy give Liesel his medals?
- Why do the Gestapo want Rudy?
My Thoughts and Response
I truly thought that Rudy was going to win all the races and it surprised me that he was disqualified. It made me smile when Liesel brought Rudy's medals back and he said, "No, I didn't," and closed the door before she could argue. And when Liesel realized that the mayor's wife knew all about her "visits". I'm glad Zusak chose to add definitions to the story because it adds more to it. When the sirens begin going off and Liesel's reading comes in handy, I couldn't help think about how ironic it is that everyone laughed at her when she read out loud to the class in part one, but everyone appreciates her reading now. Frau Holtzapfel even pays her to read her the rest of the book.
I so admire Hans for helping the Jew and giving him bread. He put his family and Max at risk but he did it out of pure kindness. He had his heart in the right place when he sent Max away, but I wish he hadn't. I'm going to miss Max and I hope he makes it through the rest of the book. When Liesel saw the men in black coats and told Papa that "they" were here, I didn't really think that they were coming because of Papa helping the Jew, but I never expected that they were coming for Rudy! I can't imagine what Rudy could have done for this to happen.