Monday, October 5, 2009

Bookies-- to page 238!

We were ambitious this time as so many people (who shall remain nameless) read ahead or wanted to-- but you guys are still behind me. Not for long, though! I'll post discussion questions Wednesday evening/Thursday morning. Until then, feel free to post questions and comments here!

:)
Mrs. P

9 comments:

Roshon said...

Great! I'll get reading soon. :) I should be able to make it to that point, but I'm still making my way slowly through Dune...

Analie

Mrs. Burch said...

It took me a little bit to get into this book. I do think it's a good book . I like the imagery in colors. "If you are optimistic think of it as bronze" in referance to the color coming through the curtains when Max woke up.
I like the comments from Death unless they portray a sad ending for someone.

Mrs. Burch

JAD said...

Hi fellow bookies! Well i have been very busy with a book called Speak from language arts and i have to make a response every few pages so that makes this book a bit longer to read. But i am reading Book Thief and ill make that page goal! Of topic a little if i can. have you guys heard about the new movie Where the Wild Things Are? i so want to watch that!!!!! well see you guys on friday or thursday! bye!!!!

8) Joel

Kaari said...

Ya, it took me a while but I'm done with the pg. goal. I like this amount of pgs. How about you guys?

Roshon said...

I'm almost done. And I liked it too. :) I have a few stickynotes I wish to discuss as well.... ^ ^

Analie

Nathan said...

I am now in possesion of a highly stickied copy of the book theif (and have a surprize for Friday.See you then)
Mrs. P?! I got a book fair studdent crew Email and I did not Even Apply As much as I wish to help, I will be busy yearbooking my tailfeathers off. sorry for any inconvinience this may have caused you.
-Nathan

Unknown said...

I do like this amount of pages. It's good for faster readers, and then you don't have like a TON of stuff you discuss because you read so much, you know?
I just finished the page goals, and I LOVE it!!! This book totally rocks.
-Rachael

Mrs. Hardouin said...

1. I always love a good dose of foreshadowing. It is abundant in this book and it makes it harder for the reader to put the book down (obviously) because you just want to keep finding out what the author is hinting at! :)

2. I am glad to have this question, actually, because I was picking up on "guilt" and was starting to wonder if I was the only one. :) Hans feel guilty about Erik's death because that's a typical response of a returning soldier. A real life connection: my grandfather feels guilty about how his ship survived leaving New York's harbor and his sister ship, carrying all of his friends, was torpedoed in WWII. I do believe that Hans is channeling his negative feelings of guilt into helping Liesel and Max because in a way it makes him feel like perhaps his life was worth living after all. Like he could still make something of himself and let Erik's spirit live through him. Max feels guilt and shame because he left his family behind; this is a different kind of guilt but it's still guilt. This was a great question!

3. The use of Mein Kampf in this story is ironic because the eyes that we are seeing it through (Hans' and Max's) are the very eyes that would view it with hatred. Yet it was a book designed for the Nazis and their followers/supporters so that the hatred could spread for Jews and others that were being discriminated against. Interesting, isn't it? And of course, the very title of the book means "my struggle," which is nothing compared to the struggle of the people that suffered as a result of its publishment.

4. I liked this small section of "stepping outside of the book," so to speak, and realizing, "Oh yeah, Death is the one narrating this. And he has a bit of humor. And he speaks as though he's human." Little snippets like this do give us insight into Death's personality, and in this particular snippet we also got a taste of Max's personality, much stronger and more capable than his physical self at the moment.

5. I agree - this WAS a pivotal moment. Her foster parents decided to allow this Jew into their home, at a time when it is most dangerous to do so. And they showed her that they trusted her and respected her by allowing her in on it. It was a pivotal moment because she truly became one of them and made the decision to keep the man safe and to protect her new family and stand up for them, albeit quietly.

6. This just simply reminds me of the old Christian saying of "turn the other cheek." I don't know why but that's what popped into my head upon reading the question. :)

7. I do love this gift - it's all he could afford, all the energy he could expend, and it meant far more than any other gift she'd gotten. I love gifts like that! :)

I love reading this with you guys; sorry I can't be at the meetings - but I continue to enjoy the book and the discussion with you!

~Mrs. Hardouin

Unknown said...

Happy Late birthday Mrs. Hardouin!
Yeah, we've never had teachers in the book club before (except Mrs. Pulley). I like it, but sheduling is a problem sometimes. But I love the teacher's posts!
-Rachael