I am woman....hear me roar.....
9 years ago
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The destruction of Manderley
How do you view the destruction of Manderley? Is it horrific...or freeing...or justified vengeance on Rebecca's part? Would the de Winters have had a fulfilling life at Manderley had it not burned?
Saturday, July 2, 2011
thoughts
Do you have any thoughts about this book not covered in the following questions? Discuss them here.
Books and accordians
When Liesel reads aloud to the others in the bomb shelter for the first time, a voice inside her says, "This is your accordion." What does she mean?
Liesel and Max
Do Max and Liesel end up married? I thought maybe they did because in it said, "In her final visions, she saw her three children, her grandchildren, her husband, and the long list of lives that merged with hers. Among them lit like lanterns, were Hans and Rosa Hubermann, her brother, and the boy whose hair remained the color of lemons forever." If Max hadn't been mentioned already as her husband, wouldn't she have mentioned him with the others?
Death
Discuss the symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator of the novel. What are Death's feelings for each victim? Describe Death's attempt to resist Liesel. Death states, "I'm always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both". What is ugly and beautiful about Liesel, Rosa, and Hans Hubermann, Max, Rudy, and Mres. Hermann? Why is death haunted by humans?
The Book Thief
The Grave Digger's Handbook is the first book Liesel steals. Why did she take the book? What is significant about the titles of the books she steals? Discuss why she hides The Grave Digger's Handbook under her mattress. Describe Hans Hubermann's reaction when he discovers the book. What does the act of book thievery teach Liesel about life and death? Explain Rudy's reaction when he discovers that Liesel is a book thief. How does stealing books from the mayor's house lead to a friendship with the mayor's wife? Explain how Liesel's own attempt to write a book saves her life.
Rosa
Liesel believes that Hans Hubermann's eyes show kindness, and from the beginning she feels closer to him than to Rosa Hubermann. How does Hans gain Liesel's love and trust? Why is it so difficult for Rosa to demonstrate the same warmth toward Liesel? Discuss how Liesel's relationship with Rosa changes by the end of the novel.
Abandonment
Abandonment is a central theme in the novel. The reader knows that Liesel feels abandoned by her mother and by the death of her brother. How does she equate love with abandonment? At what point does she understand why she was abandoned by her mother? Who else abandons Liesel in the novel? Was she abandoned by circumstance or by the heart?
Guilt
Guilt is another recurring theme in the novel. Hans Hubermann's life was spared in France during World War 1 and Erik Vanderburg's life was taken. Explain why Hans feels guilty about Erik's death. Guilt is a powerful emotion that may cause a person to become unhappy and despondent. Discuss how Hans channels his guilt into helping others. Explain Max Vandenburg's thougt, "Living was living. The price was guilt and shame." . Why does he feel guilt and shame?
Liesel and Max
Compare and contrast the lives of Liesel and Max Vandenburg. How does Max's life give Liesel purpose? At what point do Liesel and Max become friends? Max gives Liesel a story called "The Standover Man" for her birthday. What is the significance of this story?
A Mountain to climb
Death says that Liesel was a girl "with a mountain to climb". What is her mountain? Who are her climbing partners? What is her greatest obstacle? At what point does she reach the summit of her mountain? Describe her descent. What does she discover at the foot of her mountain?
Cowards
Hans Junior, a Nazi soldier, calls his dad a coward because he doesn't belong to the Nazi party. He feels that you are either for Hitler or against him. How does it take courage to oppose Hitler? There isn't one coward in the Hubermann household. Discuss how they demonstrate courage throughout the novel.
Liesel and Rudy
Describe Liesel's friendship with Rudy. How does their friendship change and grow throughout the novel? Death says that Rudy doesn't offer his friendship " for free" (page 51). What does Rudy want from Liesel? Discuss Death's statement, "The only thing worse than a boy who hates you is a boy who loves you" Why is it difficult for Liesel to love Rudy? Discuss why Liesel tells Mr. Steiner that she kissed Rudy's dead body.
Foreshadowing
How does Zusak use the literary device of foreshadowing to pull the reader into the story?
Beauty and Brutality
Liesel Meminger lived to be an old woman. Death says that he would like to tell the book thief about beauty and brutality, but those are things that she had lived. How does her life represent beauty in the wake of brutality? Discuss how Zusak's poetic writing style enhances the beauty of Liesel's story.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Public
By the way, I have decided to change this blog to public so that if any of you want to recommend it to others and bring in new members it is easy to do so.
The Grandmother
The Grandmother is permanently blind, yet Heidi manages to bring her light. Explain the various ways in which she does this. Why do you think Heidi and Grandmother enjoy each other's company so much?
Dete
Do you think it was right of Dete to leave Heidi with Grandfather? Did she have any other choice? what would you have done in her position?
School
Grandfather wishes to keep Heidi at home rather than send her to school because at home "she is safe and will learn nothing evil." What does he wish to protect her from? Is his caution justified?
Fraulein
Fraulein Rottenmeier tells Heidi that she is an ungrateful child because she wants to return to the mountain. Do you agree?
Homesick
Why do you suppose Heidi is so eager to leave Klara and go home? Why does Klara want her to stay?
The household
Fraulein Rottenmeier and Grandmamma have very different methods of running the household. Who do you think is more effective?
Tutoring
How do the tutor's methods of teaching Heidi to read differ from Grandmamma's methods? Why do you think Grandmamma was so successful?
The ghosts
Were you surprised to find out the true identity of the Ghost? Who did you think it would be? Do you believe in ghosts?
Trip to Frankfurt
In a certain way, Heidi's trip to Frankfurt causes many things to change for the better. What were some of the things that changed? What do you think would have happened if Heidi had not gone away?
Peter
Why doesn't Peter get in trouble for destroying Klara's chair? Do you think he deserved to be rewarded?
Heidi's request
When Grandmamma asks Heidi what she would like, Heidi answers that she wants her bed from Frankfurt sent for Grandmother. What did you expect her to ask for? What would you have requested in her place?
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Last Lecture
Did you see Randy Pausch's YouTube video of the Last Lecture? Why do you think his lecture, and the book that followed, struck a chord with so many people?
Self Expression
In the book's introduction, Randy talks about the lecture as a means of expression, and a way to reach his kids: "If I were a painter, I would have painted for them. If I were a musician, I would have composed music. But I am a lecturer. So I lectured." There are so many ways to communicate. What are your own avenues for self-expression?
Childhood dreams
What are some of your own childhood dreams? Have you achieved any of them? Are there some you'd revisit now that you're an adult?
Your mentors
Randy names several people in his life who deeply influenced and shaped him. Who are the mentors you turn to in your own life? What have you learned from them?
The Parent Lottery
What details from Randy's childhood do you think led to the successes he had later in life? Are there lessons in Randy's story for people who've had less fulfilling childhoods, or absentee parents? What advice might you give to those who didn't win the "parent lottery"?
Illnesses
Have there been people in your own life who've faced the challenge of serious illness? What did you learn from them? How has Randy's journey made you consider how you'll approach your own mortality?
Parents
Randy says parents don't realize the power of their words: "Depending on a child's age and sense of self, an offhand comment from Mom or Dad can feel like a shove from a bulldozer." Did you ever feel that way as a child? If you're a parent, do you recognize the strength and impact that your words have?
Love
It is clear in the book that Randy and Jai have a deep love for one another. And yet, like other married couples, they've had to work hard on their relationship. Randy's illness also created additional challenges. In reading about how they've faced the issues between them, what did you learn about getting along with others, about mutual respect, and about the power of love?
Tough Love
Randy credits his professor Andy Van Dam, in chapter 14, with telling him the tough-love things he needed to hear. What was it about Dr. Van Dam's delivery and message that resonated with Randy? Who in your own life has told you things about yourself that made you reconsider your actions or behavior?
Wisdom
What wisdom would you choose to impart to the world if it was your last chance? What are the lessons of your own life that you feel would benefit others?
Friday, March 18, 2011
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