Historical Context
From 1939-1945 Germany was at war with the Allied powers (the US, Great Britain, France, and the USSR) in what would come to be known as World War II. Under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer, Aryan German citizens were taught of their superiority over Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and other types of people. As the leader of the Nazi Party, Hitler began the construction of concentration camps and eventually death camps, where undesirable groups of people were sent to work and eventually die. Throughout the war, German also suffered. They faced the looming threat of bombs, dealt with food shortages and lack of work, and were forced to live under a strict regime that the had to follow unquestioningly.
While many German citizens were ardent supporters of Hitler and the Nazi regime, many were not and were under constant pressure to conform or be sent to a concentration camp. Many Germans simply wanted the war to end and to take care of their families. This tense and dreary setting is the backdrop for The Book Thief.
Source:
(2015). World War II: 1939-1945. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II
While many German citizens were ardent supporters of Hitler and the Nazi regime, many were not and were under constant pressure to conform or be sent to a concentration camp. Many Germans simply wanted the war to end and to take care of their families. This tense and dreary setting is the backdrop for The Book Thief.
Source:
(2015). World War II: 1939-1945. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-II
Key Themes, Historical Events, and Time Periods
Time Period: The Book Thief takes place during World War II, specifically between 1939-1943 as Liesel Meminger grows up in a town outside of Munich, Germany
Key Themes: One of the themes throughout the novel is stealing. Even though the book is called The Book Thief, Liesel steals more than just books. Stealing becomes a part of her life as she scavenges for food with her friend Rudy and others. Stealing provides Liesel and Rudy with a sense of empowerment and allows them to take back control. Another key theme in the novel is the many sides of Nazi-era Germans. While many people think that all Germans during World War II were ardent supporters of Hitler's regime, The Book Thief tells a different story, showing that despite support for their country, many Germans simply wanted to survive and take care of their families. Some of the characters even lead double lives, such as the Hubermanns who appear to be Nazi supporters on the outside but actually hide a Jewish man in their basement. Courage is also a key theme in the novel. All of the main characters demonstrate courage at one point or another during the book. For example, Hans and Rosa Hubermann demonstrate courage when they agree to hide a Jew from the Nazi government despite the possibility of imprisonment themselves. Max, the Jewish fist-fighter, also shows courage when he travels to Munich with false papers.
Historical Events: Throughout the book, the main historical event that takes place is World War II. The war acts as the backdrop for the story, affecting every character. While the book does not detail other specific events aside from WWII, it does repeatedly mention Jesse Owens, a gold medal winner in the 1936 Olympics which were hosted in Germany, and Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Rudy Steiner hopes to be the next Jesse Owens and become the fastest runner in the world. However, because Jesse Owens was black, this goal is highly looked down upon by the Nazis. The Night of Broken Glass on November 9, 1938 was when Nazis burned and destroyed hundreds of Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses. The Book Thief makes a reference to this event when showing the abandoned Jewish businesses in Molching and when describing Max's escape from his home during the commotion and violence of this night. The book also briefly mentions the hardships that Russian soldiers faced in throughout the war, the fall of France to Germany, and the chimneys used to burn Jewish bodies in concentration and death camps.
Source: (2016) Themes, Motifs, and Symbols. SparkNotes. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-book-thief/themes.html
Key Themes: One of the themes throughout the novel is stealing. Even though the book is called The Book Thief, Liesel steals more than just books. Stealing becomes a part of her life as she scavenges for food with her friend Rudy and others. Stealing provides Liesel and Rudy with a sense of empowerment and allows them to take back control. Another key theme in the novel is the many sides of Nazi-era Germans. While many people think that all Germans during World War II were ardent supporters of Hitler's regime, The Book Thief tells a different story, showing that despite support for their country, many Germans simply wanted to survive and take care of their families. Some of the characters even lead double lives, such as the Hubermanns who appear to be Nazi supporters on the outside but actually hide a Jewish man in their basement. Courage is also a key theme in the novel. All of the main characters demonstrate courage at one point or another during the book. For example, Hans and Rosa Hubermann demonstrate courage when they agree to hide a Jew from the Nazi government despite the possibility of imprisonment themselves. Max, the Jewish fist-fighter, also shows courage when he travels to Munich with false papers.
Historical Events: Throughout the book, the main historical event that takes place is World War II. The war acts as the backdrop for the story, affecting every character. While the book does not detail other specific events aside from WWII, it does repeatedly mention Jesse Owens, a gold medal winner in the 1936 Olympics which were hosted in Germany, and Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Rudy Steiner hopes to be the next Jesse Owens and become the fastest runner in the world. However, because Jesse Owens was black, this goal is highly looked down upon by the Nazis. The Night of Broken Glass on November 9, 1938 was when Nazis burned and destroyed hundreds of Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses. The Book Thief makes a reference to this event when showing the abandoned Jewish businesses in Molching and when describing Max's escape from his home during the commotion and violence of this night. The book also briefly mentions the hardships that Russian soldiers faced in throughout the war, the fall of France to Germany, and the chimneys used to burn Jewish bodies in concentration and death camps.
Source: (2016) Themes, Motifs, and Symbols. SparkNotes. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-book-thief/themes.html
What Do Teachers Need To Know?
In order to teach this book, teachers need to have a thorough understanding of World War II, its causes and its results. They need to be familiar with German culture (Thematic Strand 1), as well. Teachers also need to know how to properly incorporate this book into the classroom. Because the book is historical fiction, it should not be used as a textbook or the primary source of information. Instead, the book should be used as a tool to enhance the students' learning. Teachers will need to have a good grasp on the South Carolina Social Studies standards, such as...
MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
MWH-7.2 Analyze the ways that the responses of the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy to the economic and political challenges of the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the renewal of international hostilities in the years leading to World War II.
The teacher also needs to know how the book aligns itself with the 10 NCSS Thematic Strands, such as 1(Culture), 3(Individuals, Groups, and Institutions), and 10(Civil Ideals and Practices).
Sources:
(2011). South Carolina State Social Studies Standards. South Carolina Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ed.sc.gov/instruction/standards-learning/social-studies/standards/
National Curriculum Standard for Social Studies: Chapter 2 - The Themes of Social Studies. National Council for Social Studies. Retrieved from http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands.
MWH-7.1 Analyze the relative importance of economic and political rivalries, ethnic and ideological conflicts, social class, militarism, and imperialism as underlying causes of World War I and World War II, including the role of nationalism and propaganda in mobilizing civilian populations around the world to support the two world wars.
MWH-7.2 Analyze the ways that the responses of the governments of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy to the economic and political challenges of the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the renewal of international hostilities in the years leading to World War II.
The teacher also needs to know how the book aligns itself with the 10 NCSS Thematic Strands, such as 1(Culture), 3(Individuals, Groups, and Institutions), and 10(Civil Ideals and Practices).
Sources:
(2011). South Carolina State Social Studies Standards. South Carolina Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ed.sc.gov/instruction/standards-learning/social-studies/standards/
National Curriculum Standard for Social Studies: Chapter 2 - The Themes of Social Studies. National Council for Social Studies. Retrieved from http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands.
Why Should This Text Be Used?
The following website discusses why The Book Thief book and movie should be used in a classroom. It details the different topics that can be taught using this book, such as the Hitler Youth groups in Germany, the importance of propaganda, the Holocaust, and Kristallnacht. The website also provides possible discussion questions that teachers can ask their students about the book and explains how to incorporate the movie into the lessons.
Frieden, J. (2014). The Book Thief. Teach With Movies. Retrieved from http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/book-thief.html
Yoder and Hoover's article explains the importance of using historical fiction novels in the classroom to teach both history and literature. In this article, the authors review Sara Schwebel's book Child-Sized History and detail Schwebel's argument throughout her book. Schwebel argues that while historical fiction is vital to a classroom and greatly enhances, these books should not be taken as completely factual. She explains that students need to analyze and question these texts and think critically about them.
Yoder, P. p., & van Hover, S. s. (2013). Fiction in the Classroom: Literature and History. Theory & Research In Social Education, 41(3), 428-435. doi:10.1080/00933104.2013.815048
Frieden, J. (2014). The Book Thief. Teach With Movies. Retrieved from http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/book-thief.html
Yoder and Hoover's article explains the importance of using historical fiction novels in the classroom to teach both history and literature. In this article, the authors review Sara Schwebel's book Child-Sized History and detail Schwebel's argument throughout her book. Schwebel argues that while historical fiction is vital to a classroom and greatly enhances, these books should not be taken as completely factual. She explains that students need to analyze and question these texts and think critically about them.
Yoder, P. p., & van Hover, S. s. (2013). Fiction in the Classroom: Literature and History. Theory & Research In Social Education, 41(3), 428-435. doi:10.1080/00933104.2013.815048
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Boyd's article explains that historical fiction not only encourages students to read and keeps their attention, but also promotes students' critical thinking and writing skills. Boyd conducted a study in an upper division public communications class to prove his theory about the use of fiction books in classroom and found that his assumptions were correct. To conduct his study, Boyd used books by Carl Hiaasen and Christopher Buckley.
Boyd, J. (2004). A Different Kind of [Text]Book: Using Fiction in the Classroom. Communication Education, 53(4), 340-347.
Boyd, J. (2004). A Different Kind of [Text]Book: Using Fiction in the Classroom. Communication Education, 53(4), 340-347.
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Rycik and Rosler also address using historical fiction in the classroom in their article. They begin by explaining that historical fiction has made a comeback in society and gained more and more popularity. They then proceed to explain why students find historical fiction useful in school lessons. According to the authors, when reading historical fiction, students are able to relate to the characters and get a good sense of life in a different time period and geographic area. The authors also include a useful chart that shows historical fiction novels, their historical setting, a brief synopsis, and ways to apply these texts in the classroom.
Rycik, M. T., & Rosler, B. (2009). The Return of Historical Fiction. Reading Teacher, 63(2), 163-166. doi:10.1598/RT.63.2.8
Rycik, M. T., & Rosler, B. (2009). The Return of Historical Fiction. Reading Teacher, 63(2), 163-166. doi:10.1598/RT.63.2.8
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Freeman and Levstik also address using historical fiction in the classroom. They argue that historical fiction helps students recreate and visualize the past. They insist that when assigning historical fiction to classes, teachers must be willing to help students analyze the texts. The authors explain that teachers need to ask the students if the text is historically accurate and examine why or why not. Overall, Freeman and Levstik argue that historical fiction is a process of interpretation that students can participate in.
Freeman, E., & Levstik, L. (1988). Recreating the Past: Historical Fiction in the Social Studies Curriculum. The Elementary School Journal, 88(4), 329-337. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/stable/1001686
Freeman, E., & Levstik, L. (1988). Recreating the Past: Historical Fiction in the Social Studies Curriculum. The Elementary School Journal, 88(4), 329-337. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/stable/1001686
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