The Book Thief had been recommended to me multiple times before I finally found and decided to pick up the book from my classroom library, desparately in need of a new book after Elegance of the Hedgehog.
I now understand why it was so recommended.
In the book, Liesel Meminger is a nine year old girl in the 1930s in Germany, as Hitler rises to power. She makes the journey with her mother and brother- who does not survive the trip- to be given to a foster family. She arrives with only one memory to hold onto of her brother- The Grave Digger's handbook, a book Liesel found in the snow by her brother's graveside. Though Liesel cannot read, the book holds an importance...a last connection with her real family.
The foster mother, Rosa, is definitely a piece of work. The narrator tells the reader that she loves Liesel, though without that spectation the thought would barely occur to us. She is loud, cold, unfriendly and impatient. She forces Liesel to call her "mama" and Rosa's husband Hans "papa."
Though calling Hans "papa" is absolutely no trouble for Liesel.
It interested me how Hans is such a nicer, more fun and fatherly character. The male characters in relationships often show the softer side. Liesel seems to be living a scenario that I've seen occur multiple times in books.
My theory is that women hold on to emotion for a lot longer than men (this isn't the case with everyone, please don't mistake ths for being sexist!!!), making them a lot more complicated. Or atleast their minds. Men seem- in books- to be able to get past and let go a lot easier than their mates.
Is this an assumtion that authors, over so many years, have made? That men have specific strengths, such as this, that women struggle with? I think this is somewhat reality...while a lot of it is written to stay within the zone of the average character structures.
While I tend to enjoy literature that breaks these "rules," I am thoroughly enjoying The Book Thief.
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First, I loved the Book Thief. Second, Guys are a bit more forgiving at times. Third, This doesn't necessarily make one or the other more complicated it just means they have more to deal with at any given time, holding on to things and all
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tomin, great writing.
ReplyDeleteinteresting thoughts. i think popular society often wants us to think of women and men as exactly the same, which is different than equals. does that make sense? i think women and men are equal and both have different strengths and weaknesses. it's interesting to think about, especially in light of any kind of male/female relationship, be it parent, friend, etc.
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