Part Nine
Quotations
"It kills me sometimes, how people die." --Death, Part Nine (454)
This quote is a serious play on words that are coming from Death. Since Death is deathless, it's humorous to hear him saying how it kills him. This quote also shows that Death sometimes doesn't expect the unexpected.
"Usually I need to exert myself, to look through the ceiling when I'm inside, but I was lucky in that particular building. A small section of the roof had been destroyed and I could see straight up. A meter away, Michael Holtzapfel was still talking. I tried to ignore him by watching the hole above me."
--Death, Part 9 (470)
--Death, Part 9 (470)
Death, though seen as negative and a taker of souls, has a emotional side to all of his takings. He took Michael's brother that day, but didn't want to look at the sad Michael still chatting to his now deceased brother in the hope that his words can wake him from his lifeless slumber.
"Still, they have one thing I envy. Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die."
--Death, Part Nine (491)
--Death, Part Nine (491)
Humans can die, but Death is deathless so I think this is why Death envies humans. Death has seen so much and touched so many souls that maybe he just wants to die, but he can't since he's Death.
Images
This picture reminds me of the teddy bear that Rudy has in his old toolbox. After the bombings were complete, Rudy and Liesel stumbled upon a wrecked plan in the ground. They soon found what they thought was a corpse until it started to move. Rudy came over to the near death man and placed the yellowish teddy bear on the man's shoulder, and the English man said thanks, but Rudy couldn't understand English. This teddy bear gave that a man a last bit of comfort before he embraced the cold arms of Death.
This picture represents the plane that crashed in Munich that two young children came across after a multitude of bombings came crashing down the previous night. As they went closer to the plane, they found a man in it. Rudy gave this man a yellow teddy bear and this teddy bear was the last bit of comfort in this man's life before he faced Death.
Connections and Historical Context
In Part 9, we meet a soldier that came from Stalingrad, a place that was a major battle site in WWII
At the very beginning of Part Nine, Death talks about Kipferl being left over from Christmas in llsa Hermann's house.
After the bombings in Molching, the found an Ally Plane that has crashed into the ground. There were many examples of Ally planes, but this one happened to crash near the city of Molching
Questions
Do you think that Hans would have died if he didn't swap seats with Reinhold Zucker?
Did Michael Holtzapfel's brother ever have a chance at life after his legs were blown off?
Why does llsa Hermann act so nonchalant about Liesel coming and taking books from her library?
What was Frau Holtzapfel thoughts before she made the decision to go down to the bomb shelter?
My Thoughts and Response
Part 9 of the story was quite dreary, but then towards the end everything started becoming positive and cheerful. I felt quite excited when Hans was going to be able to go home, even though his leg was broken and his life was almost lost. I felt sad for Rosa and Liesel as they had to cope with the thoughts that Hans might never return. I felt sorry for Frau Holtzapfel and the loss of here son; even though she still had one son, any loss is one worth greaving for.
One situation that was a key point in this part was the bombing of Munich on March 9 & 10. Everyone was heading for the bombshelter accept one old woman named Frau Holtzapfel. I felt that she was there expecting for the worst to happen to her, as she welcomed the thoughts of death into her mind.
The only thing that budged her from her never moving pose was most likely the words of Liesel that broke her trance of hopelessness. Another person affected by this event was Michael Holtzapfel and his will to want to live even though he's already experienced a life time of war and death. Both of the Holtzapfels had a moment of self realization during this raid and it changed the outcome of one of their lives forever. I feel sorry for Michael having to face these decisions & thoughts in his still young life, and I feel happy for Frau Holtzapfel realizing that she still has something to live for.
I thoroughly enjoyed this part of the book and couldn't wait to read the final two parts of this great novel.
One situation that was a key point in this part was the bombing of Munich on March 9 & 10. Everyone was heading for the bombshelter accept one old woman named Frau Holtzapfel. I felt that she was there expecting for the worst to happen to her, as she welcomed the thoughts of death into her mind.
The only thing that budged her from her never moving pose was most likely the words of Liesel that broke her trance of hopelessness. Another person affected by this event was Michael Holtzapfel and his will to want to live even though he's already experienced a life time of war and death. Both of the Holtzapfels had a moment of self realization during this raid and it changed the outcome of one of their lives forever. I feel sorry for Michael having to face these decisions & thoughts in his still young life, and I feel happy for Frau Holtzapfel realizing that she still has something to live for.
I thoroughly enjoyed this part of the book and couldn't wait to read the final two parts of this great novel.