I am woman....hear me roar.....
9 years ago
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Max description
The heroine describes Maxim thus: "His face...was arresting, sensitive, medieval in some strange inexplicable way...rob him of his English tweeds, and put him in black, with lace at his throat and wrists, he would stare down at us in our new world from a long distant past—a past where men walked cloaked at night, and stood in the shadow of old doorways, a past of narrow stairways and dim dungeons, a past of whispers in the dark, of shimmering rapier blades, of silent, exquisite courtesy." Why is this an apt description? In other words, how does it set the tone and foretell the events of the novel?
relationship changes
In what way does the relationship between the young heroine and Maxim change during the months after their arrival to Manderley?
Mrs. Danvers
What role does Mrs. Danvers play in this story—in her relationships to the characters (dead and alive) and also in relation to the suspense within the novel?
Rebecca
What is the heroine led to believe about Rebecca? In what way does the dead woman exert power over Manderley? At this point, what are your feelings about the new Ms. de Winter? Are you sympathetic toward her plight...or impatient with her lack of assertion? Or are you confused and frightened along with her?
Beatrice and Giles
What is the heroine's relationship with Maxim's sister Beatrice and her husband Giles? What about the advice Beatrice offers the heroine?
very different from Rebecca
Both Beatrice and Frank Crawley talk to the heroine about Rebecca. Beatrice tells the heroine, "you are so very different from Rebecca." Frank Crawley says that "kindliness, and sincerity, and...modesty...are worth far more to a man, to a husband, than all the wit and beatufy in the world." What are both characters trying to convey to the heroine...and how does she interpret their words?
True nature
What are some of the other clues about Rebecca's true nature that the author carefully plants along the way?
Costume ball
How might the costume ball—and the heroine's appearance in Rebecca's gown—stand as a symbol for young Mrs. de Winter's situation at Manderley?
Surprise
Were you surprised by the twist the plot takes when Rebecca's body is found...and when Maxim finally tells the truth about his and Rebecca's marriage? Did the strange details of plot fall into place for you?
Maxim's revelations
How, if at all, do Maxim's revelations change your attitude toward him? Did you feel relief upon first reading his confessions? Can you sympathsize with his predicament, or do you censure his actions? What do you think of the heroine's reaction? In her place, how might you have reacted?How does this new knowledge alter the heroine's behavior and her sense of herself?
Blackmail
After Favell threatens to blackmail him, Maxim calls on Colonel Julyan. Why? Why does Maxim act in a way that seems opposed to his own best interests?
Rebecca's death
In the end, what really happened to Rebecca? What is the full story of her death? Is it right that Maxim is absolved of any crime? Was he caught in an untenable position? Was Rebecca simply too evil—did she end up getting what she deserved?
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?
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