Group 4

[Rebecca]

Does Zusak think of humans good or bad? inspirational or not? 

[Rebecca]

What is his tone towards humanity?

[Rebecca]

[Daisy]

I believe that Zusak thinks of humans are good and bad. Zusak shows us through Deaths point of view that human begins destroy each other,but when he wrote Liesel she brought hope. Hans and Rosa also bring beauty into the world because they welcomed Max with open arms even if they are putting there whole family at risk. Zusak wrote " He watched the next person climb through the ropes.It was a girl." 

[Allison]

Zusak thinks that humans are bad. On page 550 it states "I am haunted by humans". His tone towards humanity is disgusted. In the book it says "i will often catch an eclipse when a human dies. I've seen millions of them. I've seen more eclipses than i care to remember." (11)

[Rebecca]

I think Zusak looks at humanity in a realistic way. I don't think he's either pessimistic or optimistic. He does show the terrible, cruel things in the world, yet he still shows how beautiful people are as well. He shows the death, yet he shows love and friendship. At the beginning of the book, there i a very strong statement "***HERE IS A SMALL FACT*** You are going to die." This shows how brutally honest he is. Then there are moments when you can't help but smile about how beautiful the scene is. Jewish and German people were not supposed to help each other. Jewish people were all supposed to die. They were a sin, yet Liesel didn't seem to care, "And she walked over and hugged him for the first time." This part I could not stop smiling. This is beautiful. I love how Zusak is so realistic. 

[Cindy]

Zusak thinks of humans as both good and bad. Zusak in the end of the novel, on page 550 states,¨I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.¨ Saying this Zusak thinks humans can be at times good and bad. A situation in which Rudy is shown to be good is on page 440,¨HZow things changed, from fuit stealer to bread giver...She heard his stomach growl--and he was giving people bread.¨

[Stephanie]

I think Zusak views humans as bad but sometimes he sees the good in them because throughout the book, he points out the beautiful things that humans do. For example, at the beginning of the book, Liesel is left behind by her mom and she has to face a new journey in a new home, the heartbreak of her brother dying and her mother abandoning her. The beautiful thing throughout that part of the book is that Hans helps her get through it by spending time with her and comforting her when she gets her nightmares. "Trust was accumilated quickly, due primarily to the brute strength of the man's gentleness, his thereness. The girl knew from the outset that Hans Huberman would always appear midscream, and he would not leave." (pg 37)

[Rebecca]

To Allison- This is true, he does seem to be disgusted by humans at certain points, but what about the parts that are completely beautiful? He hints at the beauty in some parts of the texts, its like he's holding on to the beauty in the world because he does not want the world to lose it. For example, when Hans doesn't yell or leave Liesel alone when she wets the bed. "He lifted her gently from the bed and carried her into the washroom."(53) I think the key word here is gently. This shows how he cares about her, and caring is beauty.

[Meredith Teuber]

You are right he does look at Humanity in a realistic way.  There is plenty of evidence for both sides, humans as ugly and humans as beautiful. However, in the end Death actually cries.  He hasn't cried this whole novel.  In fact, he is unable to understand emotion, so he pulls a Christopher and uses colors to try to understand.  So then when Rudy dies, he cries... death experiences true emotion here.  When the author makes death cry on page 531, " Its his only detriment.  He steps on my heart.  He makes me cry." The tears are beautiful and sad for humanity lost.  I believe Zusak is inspired and optimistic.  Humans haunt him because they are unpredictable in their choices, but the sacrifices people make for others makes humanity beautiful, which is why Death is so involved in Liesel's story.