Entry Four: The Book Thief

Out of all of the choices on the list I chose The Book Thief because it sounded the most interesting and the most familiar. Also my aunt who is a teacher has read it too and she said that I would like the book. Mainly what drew my attention to this book is that the setting is set in Nazi Germany and I have always been interested in books or movies that were during this time period.  Also the title of the book caught my attention because it sounded like there would be conflict with the characters taking books. One connection I have with this novel after reading it is that Liesel and I both have strong morals and we will defend our morals if we have to. Someone that I would specifically recommend this book to is my sister who is in college because she likes to read books no matter what genre or what it's about. Like me, she likes books that are set in other countries.  Also she likes books that are long and are difficult, as well as books that challenge her thinking. I would also recommend this book to students who are in high school because it would be too mature for people who are younger. It would draw in readers who like to think while they read because this isn't a book people can read and not think about, there is too much hurt and loss to ignore. I really enjoyed reading this book and I hope I can find books that are similar.   

Entry Three: The Book Thief

 “You could argue that Liesel Meminger had it easy. She did have it easy compared to Max Vandenburg. Certainly, her brother had practically died in her arms. Her mother abandoned her. But anything was better than being a Jew,” (Part 3, page 161, Zusak).

Throughout the book readers are pulled in by the terrible situations the characters are put into.This quote shows that no matter how bad it got for Liesel it was a lot harder for many other people during this time. Personally, I believe that when people hear stories of loss or of unhappy times they are likely to be pulled in and more interested than hearing a story about someone who has a perfect life. So by making it clear through the words chosen that this character had gone through a lot it makes the readers feel more emotional towards the character which will then hook them even farther.Max had it a lot harder since he was a Jew compared to Liesel even though her brother died and her mother abandoned her.  Liesel did lose her family but many others lost everything including their friends, family, faith, belongings, food and normal life.  This quote is also shows that Max is having a harder time because he just escaped Stuttgart which is his home town and made it to Molching where he stayed with the Hubermanns and Liesel. Also Max has to decide whether he will stay alive and live with the Hubermanns or stay at the Hubermanns and keep them in danger of being caught with him.

Entry Two: The Book Thief

Liesel, Liesel's mom and brother, Hans, Rosa, Rudy.
Liesel wants to read, feel loved, and accepted.
Liesel's mom wants Liesel to be fed and taught well. It must of been very hard to leave her children with somebody else. The book doesn't say why she got to the point of putting her kids into foster care.
Hans wants Liesel to feel loved and wants to help teach her about her new life and to help teach her about school.
Rosa isn't sure if she wants to get close to Liesel and love her.
Rudy is always by Liesel's side and loves her.


Themes that are beginning to appear are the importance of reading and words and how they effect people. Another theme is the importance of Liesel's relationship with Hans.








The book is structured by being first person narrator. The main character is Liesel. It is written by the narrator telling the reader what happens with Liesel but isn't an actual person. The book talks about Liesel and her life and what happens to her.  In the beginning of the book there is a prologue and it talks about the three times the narrator saw Liesel. Then it goes on with the beginning of the story of Liesel going to the foster parent's house.

Entry One: The Book Thief

The major characters so far that I have read about are:
 Leisel Meminger who is the book thief.
 Hans Hubermann who is her foster father and becomes good friends with Leisel.
Rosa Hubermann who is her foster mother and is not very nice.
Rudy Steiner who is Liesel's best friend.


The setting of this book is in Nazi Germany and in Munich, Germany at the time of WWII.
The conflict in this book is death, Liesel stealing books, and moving in to this new place and the relationships she makes with people.


A prediction I have is that Liesel will get caught stealing books by Nazis.
Another prediction I have is that Liesel will get taught how to read by someone.
Another prediction I have is that Liesel's mom will come back for her in the end of the book.


Questions I have:
Why did Liesel's mom give her to foster parents?
How did Liesel's brother die?
Who is the narrator and how does the narrator take/collect people's souls?
Why did Liesel steal The Grave Digger's Handbook from the cemetery if she can't read?


Connections that I have made:
This book is wrote about the same time period Anne Frank wrote her book about Nazi Germany.

Reflecting on my Voice Blog

What specific words/phrases demonstrate your writer’s voice?  How do these words/phrases showcase your personality as a writer?

 

1. “What's up guys!” “I'm back with another dope blogger post.” “It's always better to be risky because you never know what people might think.” “See you next week with another blogger coming at you!”  All of these specific words/phrases convey my unique personality as a writer by using some slang.  I also gave my own opinion and tried to connect with the audience so they feel like they are actually talking to me or listening to me when they read this.

 

What purposeful diction and syntax choices did you make to enhance your writer’s voice?  You must choose to discuss at least one diction and one syntax technique from the list below.  Make sure to include textual evidence from your post where you included the diction and syntax choices you discuss.

1. “I'm back with another dope blogger post.”  This diction quote enhanced my writer’s voice because I used low/informal diction and you can tell if you knew me I don’t use the best vocabulary.  The low/informal diction was “dope” and I used it in a way that would make it slang.  “What's that you ask?”  This syntax quote enhanced my writer’s voice because I used a rhetorical question and it helps the readers feel like they are talking to me.

Suspense

The response I'm responding to is how the author built suspense and was it effective.  The author built suspense in Mockingjay by at the end when Peeta and Katniss got married, it doesn't give much information about what happens with them.  Also it doesn't give much information about how the districts and the capitol function.  It also doesn't say like if district 12 is still the least rich and not enough food.  It also says that Gale disappears into another district and you don't hear anything else about him.

It was definitely effective but I didn't enjoy the way she left the book so suspenseful and unfinished without making a different book.  It was kind of like they just lived happily ever after like a fairy tale.  A week after I have finished my book I was still thinking about the way the book ended and how angry it made me.  I wish the author would've had an ending that didn't have suspense.  I especially wanted her to do this because I usually don't read books and since I put in a lot of time into these books I want a better ending than the one she made.

Mockingjay Post #2 best part/worst part of my book

In the next part I read in Mockingjay district 13 bombed by the capitol, the capitol isn't completely sure that district 13 is there though.  After district 13 gets the all clear to go back to normal Katniss makes another commercial.  During this time the rebels attempt to rescue Peeta and it is a success.  Once Peeta gets to district 13 he meets with Katniss and attacks her. 

The best part of my book is the action and conflict that was going on with the capitol and district 13.  I liked this part because I enjoy conflict.  The worst part of my book so far is Peeta automatically attacked Katniss. I then figured out that the capitol brainwashed him into thinking Katniss was the enemy.  I didn't like this because I want Peeta to attack the Capitol with Katniss.  At that point I began to feel like I wanted the capitol to be destroyed even more than I had before.