In the chapter "The Ageless Brother," Rosa prays with the accordion, Liesel returns the plate to the Mayor's wife and Liesel's
brother, Werner, suddenly climbs out of Liesel's dreams. Werner up to this point has been a type of conscience for Liesel. When Liesel
reproaches the Mayor's wife, Werner is the one who tells Liesel that maybe it would not be such a good idea. Liesel ends up pushing
Werner down the steps. Werner has given Liesel the option to do what's right up to this point. When Liesel returns the plate to Isla
Hermann, Werner's words were "That's better Liesel" (473). Werner does only show up when Liesel is at the Mayor's home, and Zusak
may have done that because both Liesel and Isla have lost someone who was very close to them. Werner has also appeared in Liesel's
nightmares. When Liesel finally does the right thing of returning the plate to the Hermann's, Werner finally departs from Liesel's dreams.
Werner has seen that Liesel is on the right path of not stealing and other dastardly deeds, so he finally departs, as though he had done his
job.
Daniel, I think that your interpretation of Werner being a soul that has a job to help Liesel stop stealing is interesting, but I would like to respectfully disagree with that statement. I think that when Werner shows up at the Mayor's house, Liesel is thinking about Werner and how she is either pleasing or displeasing him. I think that Werner only shows up when Liesel is second guessing herself or when she knows that what she is doing is wrong. I also think that Zusak puts Werner into the book to show how much Liesel has matured during the course of the book. Werner is basically someone who Liesel wants to please and make happy because he died before he was able to live his life. I think that Werner is in Liesel's thoughts because of how close they were and how sad Liesel is for Werner. Werner is just a way Zusak portrays Liesel's thought process and how Liesel progresses through the story.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with you Daniel, but i thought that the most interesting part of the chapter was the combined vision of her brother, Max, Rudy and Papa. THe vision shows them in the way that was most memorable by Liesel. THey are all people that have influenced her life greatly, but now have been torn away from her. After the vision leaves her she longs to see it again, but they will not come back. She even prays to god that they will come back. Rosa is also praying for her husband, but not for Werner, Max and Rudy.
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