In the novel, books that are considered threats to Germany, the Nazi Party, and German national pride are burned in bonfires. This is certainly not the only time in history that books have been burned for their alleged offensive and corrupting ideas. But book burning is not the only way to stop people from reading them. In our society, book banning is a popular pastime. It’s not too hard to predict some of the top offenders over the years, such as Catcher in the Rye (for its language, “loose morals”, and violence) and Harry Potter (for its descriptions of the occult). For a look at the Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century to be banned or challenged, see the American Library Association. Or see the Top 100 Books from 2000-2009. 1. How should society deal with materials that contain offensive or controversial material? Is there ever a good reason for banning (or burning) expressions of ideas? 2. Have you read any of the Top 100 books (from either list)? Can you imagine why it was censored? Does it deserve to be on this list? Are there any other books that should be on the list? 3. Have you come across something that you believe should have limited access of some sort? Why? It is obvious that Liesel treasures her books and her time spent learning to read with Hans. Throughout the novel we get the sense that the narrator, and by extension Markus Zusak, also sees the value of books and stories. No everyone agrees with them, however. Here are a few quotes from the article “Do You Need to Read Books to be Clever?“:
Do books still have value in our society? How often do you, and the people you know, read? Is any of it for pleasure, or is it simply because you have to? Do you think the next generation will value reading? Should books all be in the public domain (so that anyone can read, copy, and distribute them) such as in Google Books, or should writing and publishing continue to be mostly for-profit? How is the way we are changing the access to books changing our approach to, and value of, them? That’s a lot of questions! Choose a few to respond to, and/or add any thoughts you have on this topic of the value of books and reading. Remember: aim for 150-250 words. 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. However, we know differently--there aren't any cowards living at 33 Himmel Street. Consider some of the following questions:
How does it take courage to oppose Hitler and the Nazi Party? How does it take courage to oppose people and/or ideas in your own life? How do the people living on Himmel Street demonstrate courage? Do you consider Rudy to be brave or naive? How about Liesel? Is Max's guilt (about a number of things) more a result of his bravery or cowardice? What is the author's message about bravery and cowardice in this novel? Throughout the novel, there are many acts of love and heroism. Briefly describe the passage that is the best example of one of these, in your opinion, and why.
One of the most striking things about Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief is his choice of narrator. Death, who sees all but remains detached, has a unique perspective on events both local and global. In an interview, Zusak talks briefly about his narrator. Watch the clip at http://gu.com/p/283nd and pay attention especially to his reasoning for Death being the story’s speaker. Then answer 2-3 of the following questions in a total of approximately 150-200 words: 1. What adjectives would you use to describe the narrator? What makes you feel this way? 2. Do you find the use of Death as a narrator too dark? Why or why not? 3. From whose perspective do you wish you could see part, or all, of the story? Which part? Why? 4. What is another book you have read with an interesting narrator? What was it, and how was it engaging and/or unusual? You should be at least halfway through the book by now. At this point, what do you feel is a particularly strong motif in the story? Explain what it is, and give examples. And, if you can, make connections to other stories with a similar motif: How is it dealt with similarly or differently? Which makes a stronger impact on the reader? Which comes across more realitistic? etc. You can have the same motif as someone else, but be sure to give new examples. In the novel, books that are considered threats to Germany, the Nazi Party, and German national pride are burned in bonfires. This is certainly not the only time in history that books have been burned for their alleged offensive and corrupting ideas. But book burning is not the only way to stop people from reading them. In our society, book banning is a popular pastime. It’s not too hard to predict some of the top offenders over the years, such as Catcher in the Rye (for its language, “loose morals”, and violence) and Harry Potter (for its descriptions of the occult). For a look at the Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century to be banned or challenged, see the American Library Association. Or see the Top 100 Books from 2000-2009. 1. How should society deal with books that contain offensive or controversial material? Is there ever a good reason for banning (or burning) books? 2. Have you read any of the Top 100 books (from either list)? Do you agree that it should have limited access? 3. Have you read a book that you believe should have limited access of some sort? Why? |
Ms. RossSome of my favourite reads: The Book Thief, Much Ado About Nothing, Entertainment Weekly (hey, they can't all be intellectually stimulating!). Archives
December 2016
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