Zusak's language is always very powerful, but in this particular scene one line really stuck with me, and that was on page 370 towards the bottom of the page. "Can a person steal happiness?" To Liesel, these books represent happiness, and she has taken a bit of happiness from Frau Hermann, so she believes that she really should not be as happy as she is. I know that I love reading and typically it can make me happy, so in Liesel's life, where books are pretty rare, just one book can bring her so much joy, even at some one else's expense. Although, she felt very guilty for stealing the book and Frau's happiness, that guilt is not enough to overcome the happiness she was feeling.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Stealing Happiness
Ilsa Herman's library had been Liesel's greatest joy for a period of time, so when that joy was taken away from her (along with Rosa's job) she is devastated. She results to stealing books from the library, so she can continue to read. Of course, Frau Hermann is destined to find out one of her books is missing, although she had originally let Liesel have the book The Whistler. I would've thought that Frau's letter to Liesel would have persuaded her to simply knock on the door and ask to spend some time in the library it appears to have had the opposite effect. Liesel is now even more determined to take the books.
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Katherine,
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to read that you say reading the books is what gives Liesel joy in her poverty-stricken life because she has specifically pointed out the fact that stealing is what gives her the most joy in life. (which is why Liesel and Rudy join up with Arthur Berg's gang to steal produce) Stealing for Liesel is not only a source of enjoyment but also survival. The Hubbermans are surviving by the skin of their teeth on watery pea soup with meager portions of meat and potatoes from time to time. Liesel decideds to take matters into her own hands and do the thing she does best. Steal.