the book thief discussion questions answers

• Catalog and Account Guide
• Ask a Librarian
• Website Feedback
• Log In / Register
• My Library Dashboard
• My Borrowing
• Checked Out
• Borrowing History
• ILL Requests
• My Collections
• For Later Shelf
• Completed Shelf
• In Progress Shelf
• My Settings

The Book Thief Discussion Questions

• In the opening of the book when Liesel steals her first book, The Gravedigger’s Handbook , this event can be thought of as the first of many turning points for her. What are some of the others? Talk about each major character and what their turning points are, as well as turning points for the community as a whole.
• Knowing that Liesel is called a “thief,” how does the book complicate our ideas of justice and judgment? Which characters do you view as just/unjust or brave/cowardly, and why? Which events or details most color your perceptions of these characters?
• What choices do characters make about groups they will belong to? What groups do they belong to without choice? What are the consequences?
• Discuss Liesel’s friendship with Rudy. Does she love him in the way he loves her, or is it a child’s love? Do you think he reminds her of her brother?
• Zusak’s books often portray characters with a tendency to fight—including Max and Liesel. Is a child who fights more forgivable that an adult who fights? Why?
• From Hans to Liesel to the mayor’s wife, discuss how some of the characters in The Book Thief deal with their past. Discuss themes of memory and punishment.
• Is Hans Hubermann a courageous man? How does he show courage, or lack of courage?
• Name some acts of resistance in the book, from large to small. What does the author intend with his inclusion of these acts?
• Who has power in this book? How does Liesel gain power, and how does Max? Toward the end of the novel Liesel remarks to herself that words give power. How so?
• Discuss the meaning of Max painting over Mein Kampf . What is he able to express by doing this and by drawing over it, that he cannot convey in person?

Thanks to Facing History and Ourselves for its valuable input on these questions.

Content last updated: October 31, 2012

Powered by BiblioCommons.

BiblioWeb: webapp06 Version 4.13.2 Last updated 2023/08/28 10:01

The Book Thief Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer sections of our study guides are a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss literature.

Ask a question and get answers from your fellow students and educators.

• Browse Questions

The Book Thief

Why does max leave the hubermanns home, who sews in the army, who has power in this book how does liesel gain power, and how does max toward the end of the novel liesel remarks to herself that words give power. how so, what does max paint in the wall of the basement, the book theif, infer how liesel knows the mayors wife saw her take the book from the bonfire, the book thief novel questions, death opens part 1 with a flashback, what is it, in part 6 what is deaths inner conflict, what is death’s perspective on war, what is painted on the basement wall, was rudy 11 in the movie or the book when he met 9 year old liesel because i thought that both of them were 9 years old in both the book and movie when they met., how do you think the heroes (liesel, rudy) in this book learned from each other, how old was liesel and rudy at the beginning of the book/movie and at the end of the book/movie, why did death think it was foolish for the poor to travel to escape poverty, how and why does liesel's brother die, what does a “choir of heavyset helgas” mean, what does viktor chemmel look like, what are most acts of resistance from rudy, are the books that liesel finds real.