Monday, May 4, 2009
Book Thief Discussion Question #2- Beauty and Brutality
Near the end of the novel, as Leisel's life is at an end, Death says that he wants to share with her the beauty and brutality of humanity, but she has already lived it. How do you think this story shows the beautiful side of brutality? Can one exist without the other?
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4 comments:
I admit, I got this one mostly from the discussion section from the back of the book.
I think that while one can probably exist without the other, neither are as noticeable on their own. A beautiful act, such as Leisel's kissing Rudy, or the mayor's wife allowing Leisel to steal her books, stands out in brilliant relief against the grey backround of the world around them. Leisel's life was full of brutality, and yet she and her family chose repeatedly to add the beauty of their love, morality and kindness to the world, rather than succumbing to the ugliness, a choice that is even in itself beautiful.
Sure beauty and brutality can exist separately, but I agree that they are less noticeable alone. I think people are more appreciative of the beauty and happiness in life after they have experienced brutality and sadness. If someone never experiences the negative, they can never see how amazing the positive really is.
I had to think about this one. I think they are two parts of the same thing, like good and evil. They just need each other to exist. This book was full of both.
I agree with Chantal - I don't think one can exist without the other, and it is in the face of each that the other shines.
We see the true beauty of humanity as Rudy hands the dying enemy pilot a teddy bear or how Liesel finally kisses Rudy.
And the brutality is at it's height of visibility in the face of a 24-yr old Jew in the basement writing stories, or the snow falling in the house where a son tells his mother his other son was killed at War, and Liesel reading to the people in the bomb shelter.
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