Everything is changing. Leisel, Rudy, Papa, Mama, and other characters are changing, and so is the world around them. Let's start with Leisel. After stealing books and fruit, she finally understands her responsibility to return the plate to Ilsa Herman. Furthermore, the scared and stupid girl known at school has finally found her voice during the air raids and the reading sessions with Frau Holtzapfel.
Another person who we see a different side of is Mama. In the beginning of the book, Zusak makes sure that all of Mama's lines include the word Saukerl or Saumensch. However, we witness a beautiful, powerful moment Mama and the accordian.
"The keys were not struck. The bellows didn't breathe. There was only the moonlight, like a long strand of hair in the curtain, and there was Rosa."
I just thought this moment was so meaningful and beautiful. The prolonged silence, and the lovely, thoughtful side of Mama exposed. This moment shows a great change in the usual angry, energetic Mama.
There are other characters that have changed a lot. It almost seemed like Max had taken the place of Papa, when Leisel and Max stay up all night reading and writing. Papa's wink before he leaves for war is described as "...heavier, clumsier. The post-Max version, the hangover version." I think Zusak is mixing everyone up, changing everything to signify the changing world around them. He is also trying to confuse the readers a little to simulate the sadness and confusion of death and wars.
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The Word Shaker
It was just so interesting, the way Max described the story. It reminded me a bit of Harry Potter.
One of the main themes in the series is love. Voldemort is extremely powerful because he uses fear as his weapon. However, Dumbledore reminds Harry that Voldemort can never love anyone, and nobody will ever love him. Unlike Voldemort, Harry's mother was willing to kill herself to save Harry because she loved him so much. So basically, Harry is protected by love and Voldemort will continously try to kill Harry (Unsucessfully) because Voldemort will never understand the power of love.
Hitler is like Voldemort and Liesel is like Harry. In the Word Shaker, Liesel's tree grows taller than all the other because hers is fed through love and friendship. Hitler does not understand why he cannot cut down the tree because he does not understand the power of friendship.
- Jessica
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I love how you compared The Word Shaker to Harry Potter. Now that I think about it, Hitler was like Voldemort. I'm not sure I agree with how you described why Hitler cannot cut down the tree. When I read it I thought that Hitler could not cut down the tree because the tree represented the family and Max, and how Hitler had not quite found out about Max in their basement. Maybe you are correct though since Max and Liesel's friendship really does bloom before Max leaves, and after when Liesel obtains the Word Shaker.
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