Part 8 Chapters 1-8
The first chapter of part eight was about the two men talking with Rudy's parents, while Rudy sat in the living room with his sisters, playing dominos. Rudy initially thought that they came to talk about what happened at school the previous week. It was something he had refused to tell Liesel and did not even talk about it at home. From the kitchen table, Rudy could hear her mother, Barbara's voices, saying "Please", or "Not my boy." However, one of the men kept on insisting, saying "The best scores in class, not to mention his athletic ability." Soon later, Kurt, Rudy's older brother arrived into the room and asked what was going on. One of Rudy's sister, Bettina, said: "There are two monsters. They've come for Rudy." Later when the cot men left, Kurt and Rudy went to the kitchen. Barbara and Alex (father) both looked in shock. Kurt asked them if Rudy was going to be taken away, but they didn't answer. If Rudy had stayed longer by the door, listening to the men's words, he would've immediately volunteered to go. And there would be three possibilities; Alex Steiner wouldn't have suffered the same punishments as Hans, Rudy would have gone away to school, and just maybe, he would have lived.
The second chapter was about the incident that happened at school the previous week, the one which Rudy did not speak about to his family, or even Liesel. He was taken to the nurse’s office, along with two other boys; Jurgen Schwarz, and Olaf Spiegel during class. There were three other people there too, a nurse, a doctor, and the supervising teacher, Herr Heckenstaller. First up, it was Jurgen. His body was examined by the doctor. Then, the other two boys were examined too. When the examination was done, the nurse said to the doctor that it will be a new class of physically and mentally advanced Germans, an officer class. The doctor replied saying he is thinking of at least two of them; the first and the third. The boys didn’t know what they were talking about at all, but knew who they were talking about when it came to “the first”. It was Schwartz, because he was the first to be examined, and was first in line. But when it came to “the third”, they didn’t know, as the order of the examination and line had been mixed up, between Spiegel and Rudy. The day after the coat men came to Rudy’s house, he told Liesel everything about it, even the smallest details.
The third chapter was about Hans and the Steiner family. One Wednesday in early November, a letter arrived in their mailbox, informing Hans that he was accepted into the NSDAP. As the Nazi Party seemed to not want Hans into the group again, from the incident that happened in the past, they were confused. However, there was more to the letter. It said that Hans was to be drafted into the German army. It was a sign that the German army’s growing was in desperation. That was when Liesel came back from Frau Holtzapfel’s with The Whistler in her hand. She read the letter too. Twenty minutes later, Liesel was on Himmel Street and looked up at the sky. She speaks in a whisper, telling Max how the sky and weather are today. Five days, she continued the habit. And five days later, she visited Rudy’s house. Barbara sat at the front step with coverage in her hand and Kurt sat next to her. Kurt explained their father’s going too. Barbara added, saying “When they come and ask you for one of your children, you’re supposed to say yes.”
The fourth chapter was about Hans leaving for training. The night before he left for training, he went out to the Knoller with Alex Steiner. Although he hadn’t drunk alcohol for a decade now, (not counting the glass of champagne) he drank them at the Knoller, and Alex did too. Hans was invited to the stage to play “Gloomy Sunday” with the accordion. When he managed to go home, he slept in the basement. Close to nine o’clock in the morning, Hans woke up to a bucket full of water across his chest and face. When Rosa went back upstairs, Liesel wiped the floor, and Hans asked if Liesel thinks Max is alive. Liesel replies saying that she hopes so. Forwarding to later that day, Hans left the house wearing his hangover and a suit. Alex was not leaving until four days later, and the Steiner family farewelled him on his way, each shook his hand, and Barbara kissed him on both cheeks. Even Frau Holtzapfel even greeted him, not to forget her sarcasm that came along. Once they were on the platform, Rosa embraces him first, burying her head tightly into his chest. Then, Liesel. He asked her to take care of his accordion, and keep on reading in the shelter, whenever raids hit. After twelve days Alex Steiner left, Rudy had had enough and called Liesel. They walked out of Himmel, Munich Street, and out of Molching, and at one point he shouted, “I want to kill the Fubrer!” When it started getting dark, Liesel said she would go back. Rudy stayed, and yelled to her saying if she thinks she’s the only one, but they soon walked back home together. When they did though, Barbara and Rosa were standing on the footpath, looking mad. That night, Liesel saw Rosa sitting on the bed, hugging and burying her head into Hans’ accordion.
Chapter five talked mostly about where Hans is right now, some information about Alex was also told. First off, neither Hans or Alex went to war. Alex, given his expertise in tailoring, was given a job to mend clothes. Hans, on the other hand, was given the job of the LSE, a job that included remaining aboveground during air raids, and put out fires, prop up the building walls, and rescue anyone who had been trapped during the raid. LSE really stood for Leichensammler Einheit―Dead Body Collectors. As the war flew into Germany with more power, Hans would learn that every one of his shifts started in the same fashion, the men would gather at the truck to be briefed on what had hit during their break, predicting where would hit next, and who was working with whom. There would be a lot of work, driving through broken towns, and cleaning up. In late November, he had his first experience in an actual raid. The truck had been mobbed, a fire was burning and buildings had fallen over, making piles of mounds. Hans was in a group of four, that included; sergeant Boris Schipper, Kessler, and Brunnenweg. They were working on putting the fire out for hours. He was rushing from the building when he realized he didn't watch the ground and tripped over. He looked over at what he had tripped over, and it was a dead corpse. It was a young boy, and he laid there faced down. Not far away, they found a woman calling the name Rudolf, and after asking a few questions to her, they knew exactly where he was. They tried to keep her from going the other way. A few more hours later, he was writing a letter to Rosa and Liesel.
Chapter six was mainly about Liesel and Rudy. One afternoon, Liesel lifted the accordion from its case and polished it with a rag. As soon as she pumped one below though, the room felt emptier. She would see the three men (Hans, Max, Alex) everywhere recently. (It was in her imagination.) One of Liesel's favorite distractions at that time was reading to Frau Holtzapfel. They had added Wednesday to the schedule and was now carrying on to The Dream Carrier. She often times gave Liesel tea or soup too. Between October and December, there had been another parade of Jews in Munich Street, and she would oftentimes join the crowd to see if Max was among them. In mid-December, there had been another small parade of Jews and on this specific occasion, Rudy invited her on a plan. Rudy came up to her with two bikes and a small bag. They rode on the bike and pedaled ahead of the parade, and took six stale pieces of the bread from inside the bag. They placed them on the ground and hid behind a Christmas tree nearby. When the Jews arrived, they took the bread, and the soldiers didn't notice the bread. However, they soon noticed them both, and they ran. Liesel was caught up and kicked by one of the soldiers. Approximately forty-five minutes later, Liesel came back to the Christmas tree and found Rudy chewing the leftover bread off the ground.
Chapter seven talked about the sketchbook Max had left for Liesel. It was a few days before Christmas, and another raid had hit in the town of Molching, although thankfully they were undamaged. When everyone gathered in the basement of the Fiedlers', they all patiently waited for Liesel to read the book aloud. Liesel remembered what Hans had told her, right before the train was about to take off that day. She read. At home, Rosa took a knife from the kitchen and went into the living room. Liesel was ordered to follow. Rosa carefully cur open a sewn-up split on the mattress and shoved her entire arm in. She took out Max's sketchbook. She explained that she was thinking to give it on her birthday, but she seemed to be ready. Opening the book, she made her way through the countless sketches and stories, things like Rudy on a dais with three gold medals around his neck. Then came page 117, the start of a new story. To explain the story briefly, it went along like this. Once, there was a man who decided to rule the world with words. His first plan of attack was to plant the words as much as he could. He planted them daily and night, and cultivated them. Soon, it was a forest. He invited people toward him, beckoning them with his finest, ugliest words, each handpicked. The people were all placed on the conveyor belt and ran through a machine that would give them a lifetime in ten minutes. And soon, the demand was at its finest. There came a small skinny girl though and planted her own. Her tree was growing really fast. And so the Fuhrer noticed it in a short time. He ordered an ax and tried cutting it down. He couldn't. He ordered many other men to try and cut it down. None of them could. Until one day, a man came. He took a few nails and a hammer and nailed it into the tree. He made the first few footsteps with them and was soon free to climb it up higher. When he reached the top, it was over the clouds. There, slept a girl. He woke her and climbed down together. However, as soon as she touched the ground, the marks and bruises of the ax showed. Soon, it collapsed. Although the tree could not get rid of all the trees in the forest, it carved a different-colored path into it. It was the word shaker's tree.
The eighth chapter was about the snowy day of Christmas Eve, 1942. Trudy Hubermann arrived at Himmel Street, and the three of them were invited over to the Steiner family. Just before dark, Liesel tells Rudy she has a present for him, but in a different place. Knowing she would later be to hell for being out too late, she guided him to where her present lay. When Liesel reached the destination, it was Alex's shop. They got inside, and the first thing that happened was Liesel tripped on a bump on the floor, a mannequin following her down. (Before they left their house, Liesel told Rudy to bring the key.) A few minutes had passed, and now Rudy tripped. He got a candle from the church and returned. Now, it was time for the present. Rudy followed Liesel to the back of the shop, where there were hanging suits. She looked for the right size that would fit Rudy, and when she did, he changed into the suit. When he was done, she said not bad, but that the shoes and his face let it down. He tripped again, and they shared a laugh. But all he could say laying there, was "I miss him". She replied with "Frohe Weihnachten," meaning "Merry Christmas."
The second chapter was about the incident that happened at school the previous week, the one which Rudy did not speak about to his family, or even Liesel. He was taken to the nurse’s office, along with two other boys; Jurgen Schwarz, and Olaf Spiegel during class. There were three other people there too, a nurse, a doctor, and the supervising teacher, Herr Heckenstaller. First up, it was Jurgen. His body was examined by the doctor. Then, the other two boys were examined too. When the examination was done, the nurse said to the doctor that it will be a new class of physically and mentally advanced Germans, an officer class. The doctor replied saying he is thinking of at least two of them; the first and the third. The boys didn’t know what they were talking about at all, but knew who they were talking about when it came to “the first”. It was Schwartz, because he was the first to be examined, and was first in line. But when it came to “the third”, they didn’t know, as the order of the examination and line had been mixed up, between Spiegel and Rudy. The day after the coat men came to Rudy’s house, he told Liesel everything about it, even the smallest details.
The third chapter was about Hans and the Steiner family. One Wednesday in early November, a letter arrived in their mailbox, informing Hans that he was accepted into the NSDAP. As the Nazi Party seemed to not want Hans into the group again, from the incident that happened in the past, they were confused. However, there was more to the letter. It said that Hans was to be drafted into the German army. It was a sign that the German army’s growing was in desperation. That was when Liesel came back from Frau Holtzapfel’s with The Whistler in her hand. She read the letter too. Twenty minutes later, Liesel was on Himmel Street and looked up at the sky. She speaks in a whisper, telling Max how the sky and weather are today. Five days, she continued the habit. And five days later, she visited Rudy’s house. Barbara sat at the front step with coverage in her hand and Kurt sat next to her. Kurt explained their father’s going too. Barbara added, saying “When they come and ask you for one of your children, you’re supposed to say yes.”
The fourth chapter was about Hans leaving for training. The night before he left for training, he went out to the Knoller with Alex Steiner. Although he hadn’t drunk alcohol for a decade now, (not counting the glass of champagne) he drank them at the Knoller, and Alex did too. Hans was invited to the stage to play “Gloomy Sunday” with the accordion. When he managed to go home, he slept in the basement. Close to nine o’clock in the morning, Hans woke up to a bucket full of water across his chest and face. When Rosa went back upstairs, Liesel wiped the floor, and Hans asked if Liesel thinks Max is alive. Liesel replies saying that she hopes so. Forwarding to later that day, Hans left the house wearing his hangover and a suit. Alex was not leaving until four days later, and the Steiner family farewelled him on his way, each shook his hand, and Barbara kissed him on both cheeks. Even Frau Holtzapfel even greeted him, not to forget her sarcasm that came along. Once they were on the platform, Rosa embraces him first, burying her head tightly into his chest. Then, Liesel. He asked her to take care of his accordion, and keep on reading in the shelter, whenever raids hit. After twelve days Alex Steiner left, Rudy had had enough and called Liesel. They walked out of Himmel, Munich Street, and out of Molching, and at one point he shouted, “I want to kill the Fubrer!” When it started getting dark, Liesel said she would go back. Rudy stayed, and yelled to her saying if she thinks she’s the only one, but they soon walked back home together. When they did though, Barbara and Rosa were standing on the footpath, looking mad. That night, Liesel saw Rosa sitting on the bed, hugging and burying her head into Hans’ accordion.
Chapter five talked mostly about where Hans is right now, some information about Alex was also told. First off, neither Hans or Alex went to war. Alex, given his expertise in tailoring, was given a job to mend clothes. Hans, on the other hand, was given the job of the LSE, a job that included remaining aboveground during air raids, and put out fires, prop up the building walls, and rescue anyone who had been trapped during the raid. LSE really stood for Leichensammler Einheit―Dead Body Collectors. As the war flew into Germany with more power, Hans would learn that every one of his shifts started in the same fashion, the men would gather at the truck to be briefed on what had hit during their break, predicting where would hit next, and who was working with whom. There would be a lot of work, driving through broken towns, and cleaning up. In late November, he had his first experience in an actual raid. The truck had been mobbed, a fire was burning and buildings had fallen over, making piles of mounds. Hans was in a group of four, that included; sergeant Boris Schipper, Kessler, and Brunnenweg. They were working on putting the fire out for hours. He was rushing from the building when he realized he didn't watch the ground and tripped over. He looked over at what he had tripped over, and it was a dead corpse. It was a young boy, and he laid there faced down. Not far away, they found a woman calling the name Rudolf, and after asking a few questions to her, they knew exactly where he was. They tried to keep her from going the other way. A few more hours later, he was writing a letter to Rosa and Liesel.
Chapter six was mainly about Liesel and Rudy. One afternoon, Liesel lifted the accordion from its case and polished it with a rag. As soon as she pumped one below though, the room felt emptier. She would see the three men (Hans, Max, Alex) everywhere recently. (It was in her imagination.) One of Liesel's favorite distractions at that time was reading to Frau Holtzapfel. They had added Wednesday to the schedule and was now carrying on to The Dream Carrier. She often times gave Liesel tea or soup too. Between October and December, there had been another parade of Jews in Munich Street, and she would oftentimes join the crowd to see if Max was among them. In mid-December, there had been another small parade of Jews and on this specific occasion, Rudy invited her on a plan. Rudy came up to her with two bikes and a small bag. They rode on the bike and pedaled ahead of the parade, and took six stale pieces of the bread from inside the bag. They placed them on the ground and hid behind a Christmas tree nearby. When the Jews arrived, they took the bread, and the soldiers didn't notice the bread. However, they soon noticed them both, and they ran. Liesel was caught up and kicked by one of the soldiers. Approximately forty-five minutes later, Liesel came back to the Christmas tree and found Rudy chewing the leftover bread off the ground.
Chapter seven talked about the sketchbook Max had left for Liesel. It was a few days before Christmas, and another raid had hit in the town of Molching, although thankfully they were undamaged. When everyone gathered in the basement of the Fiedlers', they all patiently waited for Liesel to read the book aloud. Liesel remembered what Hans had told her, right before the train was about to take off that day. She read. At home, Rosa took a knife from the kitchen and went into the living room. Liesel was ordered to follow. Rosa carefully cur open a sewn-up split on the mattress and shoved her entire arm in. She took out Max's sketchbook. She explained that she was thinking to give it on her birthday, but she seemed to be ready. Opening the book, she made her way through the countless sketches and stories, things like Rudy on a dais with three gold medals around his neck. Then came page 117, the start of a new story. To explain the story briefly, it went along like this. Once, there was a man who decided to rule the world with words. His first plan of attack was to plant the words as much as he could. He planted them daily and night, and cultivated them. Soon, it was a forest. He invited people toward him, beckoning them with his finest, ugliest words, each handpicked. The people were all placed on the conveyor belt and ran through a machine that would give them a lifetime in ten minutes. And soon, the demand was at its finest. There came a small skinny girl though and planted her own. Her tree was growing really fast. And so the Fuhrer noticed it in a short time. He ordered an ax and tried cutting it down. He couldn't. He ordered many other men to try and cut it down. None of them could. Until one day, a man came. He took a few nails and a hammer and nailed it into the tree. He made the first few footsteps with them and was soon free to climb it up higher. When he reached the top, it was over the clouds. There, slept a girl. He woke her and climbed down together. However, as soon as she touched the ground, the marks and bruises of the ax showed. Soon, it collapsed. Although the tree could not get rid of all the trees in the forest, it carved a different-colored path into it. It was the word shaker's tree.
The eighth chapter was about the snowy day of Christmas Eve, 1942. Trudy Hubermann arrived at Himmel Street, and the three of them were invited over to the Steiner family. Just before dark, Liesel tells Rudy she has a present for him, but in a different place. Knowing she would later be to hell for being out too late, she guided him to where her present lay. When Liesel reached the destination, it was Alex's shop. They got inside, and the first thing that happened was Liesel tripped on a bump on the floor, a mannequin following her down. (Before they left their house, Liesel told Rudy to bring the key.) A few minutes had passed, and now Rudy tripped. He got a candle from the church and returned. Now, it was time for the present. Rudy followed Liesel to the back of the shop, where there were hanging suits. She looked for the right size that would fit Rudy, and when she did, he changed into the suit. When he was done, she said not bad, but that the shoes and his face let it down. He tripped again, and they shared a laugh. But all he could say laying there, was "I miss him". She replied with "Frohe Weihnachten," meaning "Merry Christmas."
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