"Don't die," she whispered. "Please, Max, just don't die."
Liesel and Max have obviously developed a very close relationship, to the point that some people believe that Max has replaced Liesel's beloved brother Werner. The nightmares, the Christmas present, the snowman. However, when Max falls fatally ill, one can only imagine how Liesels feels. She has witnessed the death of her brother, and when Max has become just as important to her, he is on the verge of being taken by Death. When Liesel brought these small items to Max, they seemed a bit random to me. Later, when I read over the chapter again, I realized something similar about all the objects Liesel brought for Max.
"Even with injury, it could still stand up" (323) "
This quote refers to the soldier that Liesel found on the ground. According to her, it was very old, dirty, and worn-down. All of the objects that Liesel gives Max are discarded and unloved. The leaf was left alone in a closet stuck with other junk. The feathers were stuck in the hinges of a door. The ribbon was found in a gutter and the candy wrapper contained a "collage of shoe prints." (322). If any of these objects were laying on the street, I probably wouldn't have noticed it at all. So why does Liesel find it so important to give these useless items to Max?
"Junk?" In her mind, she was sitting on the side of the bed. "This isn't junk, Max. These are what made you wake up."
-I think that Zusak uses these items as a parallel to Max. Because he is a Jew, Hitler is determined to destroy him. Any normal person or Nazi would never help him.
- Similarily, these items (feather, ribbon, soccer ball...) have all led hard lives. They are discarded, constantly stepped on and mistreated. Nobody but Liesel would ever have picked them up. However, they have survived and Liesel hopes that Max can do the same thing.
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I also noticed something interesting about the Liesel's book, The Whistler. (323-324)
" ...the whistler loved talking. He talked to people and fooled them into liking him, trusting him."
... and then he kills them.
When I read that, I immediately thought of Hitler. He used words to gain power. (Another reference to power of words!) His speeches never failed to motivate and inspire people, and that is why he became so powerful. Both he and the whistler use words to trick people into following and liking them. But then...
It leads to the death of many people.
Anyone reading The Whistler would view the whistler as the "bad guy." Then why can't people realize the horrible intentions of Hitler? (rhetoric!)
- Jessica
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While reading about the gifts Liesel selected for Max, I had a similar idea about the items relating to Max himself. Especially the feather, soldier, and leaf. Maybe it was because Liesel had already referred to Max's hair as feather-like, but the image of it being trapped in the hinges of a church door automatically made me think of Max being hopelessly caught by something that is much larger and out of his control. Also, when I read about the how the leaf had by some miracle made its way into the school hallway and into the closet, it made me think of Max's slim chances of making it to the Hubermanns.
ReplyDeleteI also loved your juxtaposition of the whistler and Hitler. I hadn't thought of it that way. It could also be connected to the drawing Max made, calling Hitler a "conductor" who is really able to enchant a group of followers.