Part 3: Mein Kampf

The Way Home

Wow! Part 3 seems like it is going to be really good! I love how Papa says "I don't need to trade any more cigarettes, do I? Not when you're stealing these things as fast as I can buy them." He doesn't seem annoyed that Liesel stole it, but more taking it as a joke. I am really dying to know what it is that Papa saw in the book. "His voice was like a fist, freshly banged on the table." That is one crazy analogy. A freshly banged fist and a voice. It must have been really powerful. 

Why is this their SECRET? "This is our secret, this book." One word in that sentence really stood out to me. Can you guess? You're probably wrong. "our" is what stood out. Why? It stands out because it shows a strong relationship. Would Mama ever say that? No. At least I don't think...

Ok, now onto the last three sentences. "We'll give him seven months. Then we come for him. And oh, how we come." So, Death is narrating. We saw in the past section that he said we will give Liesel ten minutes, but that didn't work. Is this going to be the same?

Each word fell away at its edges. It broke off and formed the next.

That is cool. I can just imagine a word, falling at the edges and the edges growing into another word. That is so cool! That gives me such a cool visual, I never knew words were so powerful! I can imagine how much time Zusak put into this.

The Mayor's Library

"Someone had seen her" That one thought made a little girl scared of her own shadow. I don't see what she fears, because she don't totally understand politics, so she wouldn't know what to worry about. Plus, ONE person saw her, not a group. I wonder what will happen when she has to face her.

I love how when she is carrying the laundry, she KNOWS that Rudy would expect a kiss for his services. Knowing that she knows that is just so funny! Oh! I also saw some alliteration." Liesel walked on the left, Rudy the right. Hmm. I wonder why Zusak did that...

Wow! That was what she was "worried" about? I could just imaging the look on her face when she went into the library. When she left and ran back, I had no idea what she was going to do. Then, I was so surprised when she said Thank You.

Liesel's blood dried inside her.

Liesel must have been scared out of her skin. I can just imagine, and it is gross, blood drying inside someone from being so scared. That is just a horrible, but good, visual. I wonder how Zusak thinks of all these cool phrases. Hmm.

Enter the Struggler

A change of scenery? Yay! But, wow. A guided tour of suffering? That is so sad! "He is starving. He is afraid." Why? Why did Hitler make Jewish people suffer in this way? "Ignore the itchy feet. Don't scratch the soles. And don't move to much." That is basically saying: HARD, HARDER, HARDEST. Could you imagine doing that food super long periods of time? I would DIE!

"He felt like a man in a paper suit." Yikes! I hate that feeling when you are sitting in a library and you drop a book. It feels like you could have just awaken the dead. Or that feeling when you finally get a little child to go to bed and fall asleep and you run into something right outside the door and make a sound as loud as a hurricane. I bet that is how "Max" is feeling in this section.

He had eaten only the foul taste of his own hungry breath...

Wow! What a powerful sentence. I love the word choice of "foul". Zusak could have said bad or gross, but he chose foul. Why? Do you think that it works?

The Attributes of Summer

1. Advancing through The Shoulder Shrug every night. - It seems like this nightmare/ reading thing has become a routine!

2. Reading on the floor of the mayor's library. - Wow! that is GREAT! I can't believe Liesel is reading on her own. It is so nice that she is allowed to do that. But what happened? Johann Hermann must have been more than just a friend. But who?

3. Playing soccer on Himmel Street.- I love the description: the rush of boyish breath. Ew, but that is a great phrase. I can just hear the stampede of children, running to get the ball. I can't believe Tommy Müller is actually scared of bony, starving Liesel! 

4. The seizure of a different stealing opportunity.- A seizure! That is a really powerful word. I love how it used! I can't believe they are stealing! They must be really hungry. And throwing up for good luck? Gross!

Back to Amper River really quick. "Does this mean I don't get a kiss for teaching you?" Really Rudy? You weren't going to get one anyways, so just shut up! I can't wait to see if one day, when Rudy asks a similar question, Liesel will actually kiss him. That would be hilarious! 

You can't eat books, sweetheart.

You can't eat books, yet Liesel gobbles them up, reading them over and over! Arthur seems like a bit of a jokester. That, or he is really stupid in pointing out the fact that you can't eat books. Reallly? 

The Aryan Shopkeeper

How rude! I bet Liesel and Rudy will get revenge on her in some way, I am just not quite sure, yet.

Anyways, what is even grosser is that they took turns sucking on it. Absolutely disgusting! Ew! Gross! 

...With red tongues and teeth...

So, the candy was red. Hmm. Wonder why. I can just imagine two eleven year olds, walking down the street with candy stained lips and tired cheeks, from sucking the hard candy.

The Struggler, Continued

More visits from who? Hans? Walter Kugler seems like a brave man, saying "I could be you." How could you say that to your friend? The extra contents of the gift. Well that is nice! He must me getting ready to leave. Papers? Just one word can change you life. 

The smell- no, the stench- of guilt

I hate that smell. When you know you aren't supposed to do it, but you do it anyways. Only because someone else says it is ok. Yikes! I would hate to be in Max's position right now.

Tricksters

How mean! Poor Otto Sturm! But, I do have to say, good strategy on Liesel and Rudy's part. That is nice that they decided to share it with Arthur. I guess. They aren't totally immoral. Really? Interesting.

Reading the part about the farmer and the ax had me on the edge of my bed, where I was reading. I love the phrase "Metallic knot" I would have never put those two words together, but it works really well.

Wait! Arthur died! How old was he? Why was the sky yellow and rotting? By the way, yellow and rotting is very powerful. Why did he die with two stolen apples in his pocket? I bet that was to show even when dying, he was still stealing.

Don't think for a second that the priests would get food if there wasn't enough to go around at home.

Well, what if that was the family's way of asking for forgiveness from God? I wouldn't be so quick as to saying that now, Rudy. If someone had heard him within context, he could get in a lot of trouble.

The Struggler, Concluded

Wow! We are almost done with this struggle to stay alive! Wait! Is he going to Liesel's house? Hmm. What does Hans Hubberman have up his sleeves? Who is Max? We only know the basics. He is a Jew and he just shaved. That is about it. Oh! And he is pretty good at staying still for long periods of time. 

"They looked at each other." House vs. Max. Who will win? This seems really intense. I mean, what if it is the wrong house? That must be supper stressful. 

The house was pale, almost sick- looking, with an iron gate and a brown spit- stained door.

It has to be Liesel's house. It just has to! Who else would have a spit- stained door? But, why? Is Hans Hubberman behind this? Why would he want to help a Jew? That would just make matters worse!