THE FINAL DANCE WITH DEATH

1. THE FINAL DANCE WITH DEATH Shera Casseus College English 10 March 28, 2013 1

2. LIESEL NEW HOME/ATTITUDE • After the bomb hit Himmel Street, Liesel was taken by custody to find a new home for her. Before they could send her to any orphanage, Ilsa Herman showed up, stating that she’ll take her in. The officers, seeing nothing wrong with that, let Liesel go with Ilsa. While living there Liesel woke up day after day wishing she could go back to sleep to escape the reality of everyone she had loved was dead. Liesel had sunken into depression and never spoke to anymore, even to the point where she doesn’t remember her own voice. However as the days went by, she eventually got better though the pain still lingered at the bottom of her heart still. Chapter 1

3. HOBBIES IN HIGH SCHOOL • Soon after the tragedy and moving in with Ilsa, Liesel attends her last year in high school. She joins the music club and learns how to play the accordion and becomes the best musician in her grade. The only thing Liesel wishes is for her foster parents to see her accomplishments today. However, Liesel just remembers that even though they are gone, she knows they’re watching from a special place Chapter 2

4. LEISEL REUNITES WITH MAX FOR GOOD • Liesel goes into the department store to buy a prom dress and reunites with Max at the cash register, after so much pain and longing, they promised to never separate again. Liesel had told Max about everyone's death on Himmel street. After Liesel’s graduation, Max and Liesel became best friends talking everyday but Liesel developed a crush on max and doesn’t want him to find out. Chapter 3

5. SWEET HOME AUSTRALIA • Best friends Liesel and Max both moved to Australia to move away from Germany with all the pain suffering there. Being in Australia means Liesel struggled to learn the language but it gives new meaning to her live, and all the good things about it. The things she should be grateful for such a Max and Ilsa. Chapter 4

6. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER • Both Max and Liesel become closer and even more that friends and eventually, Max asked Liesel on a date. They both came to Australia to start a new kind of life. And after dating for a year, Max proposed to Liesel and she accepted. Though she was worried about people’s reaction and what they might think about them being 10 years apart. But in the end, she knew that didn’t matter. It just matter if her and Max loves each other or not. During the wedding, Liesel cried because Hans wasn't there to give her away. Even though its consider bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, max went to comfort Liesel telling her that Hans is always there in spirit with her and to never forget it. After the wedding, both Liesel and Max went on there honeymoon to Germany and visit the Himmel street, throwing roses around the house they used to live in. 1

7. HANS, ROSA, WARNER JR. • Who would have known that a year later Liesel would have not one but three children which she named after both her foster parents and her little brother. Liesel just couldn’t pass the chance of honoring her foster parents by naming her children after them much to Max’s approval. on. She had named them after the people she had loved the most in the world , and it reminded her that they were always in her heart. 1

8. BUILDING THE HOUSE ON HIMMEL STREET IN THE HEAT • During the summer, It became a family house of going to Germany for two months. Max decided it would be neat to rebuilt the house that Liesel grew up in and spend every summer there. Even though that house, that street and that country held so many bad memories for Liesel, she still agreed anyways, wanting to make her husband happy seeing how excited he is about this. So each summer, Max, Liesel and the kids would go up but the house and live there. The only thing Liesel enjoyed about the gatherings would be the basement. Max had the workers rebuilt the basement and furnish it. Every time Liesel s down there, ideas come spewing into her head and ideas are jolted down on paper. But when its time to write back in Australia, she cant find the drive nr the passion to do so. 1

9. BECOMING A WRITER • Deep down, Liesel knew she wanted to write about something but didn’t know what. Plus she didn’t think she was capable, she's a musician not a writer. She never even majored in writing so she knew that writing a book about her life story was almost impossible. Max being writer offered to help her get started but Liesel was still that proud little girl from Himmel street, accepting no help from anyone unless it was absolutely possible. Each night when everyone went to sleep, Liesel would go down stairs in the basement and start writing. It started off as just the usual journal entries but then she got deeper into it, adding characters voices and describing the scenery. 1

10. SICKNESS • Liesel has been concerned for Max’s health for quite some time now. He not eating as much as he used to and seems to be getter weaker by the day. Some days he's just too tired to get up from bed and go work. Liesel not knowing what to do takes Max to the hospital where he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The doctor was surprised that he hasn’t felt any pain, but knowing Max, he's a proud man. He wouldn’t have told me or complained if he was feeling any pain. Six months later close to his death date, he continued to get worse to the point where he couldn’t walk anymore. Liesel being devastated kept her kids away from the room on his final night. Max not saying much but holding Liesel in his arms letting her cry and eventually they both fell asleep. Liesel woke up the next morning and noticed Max wasn’t up yet which she knew something was wrong because he's always the first one up. From there on out, she knew he's time has passed. 1

11. FIRST AND FINAL MEETING WITH DEATH • Years later, Liesel is now on that same death bed as Max once laid. She takes her last breath and goes to sleep. As death took hold of Liesel’s soul, he tells her about how he had read the book she made and Liesel was overjoyed that someone read it and liked it. Taking the book in her hands, Liesel grabbed Death hands and walked towards a light. As she drew near, she sees the images of her brother, Hans, Rosa, Rudy, her mother and her father. When death was about to let Liesel’s soul drift away he quickly told her she was the most interesting person he had ever met, and was glad she had survived the bombing on Himmel street. For if she wouldn’t had, she would have never been able to experience what good the world have had to offer. 1

12. Justification • All the plot points pertains to how Liesel had most likely lived out her life. Knowing Liesel is a strong person and a survivor who wouldn’t give up continued to live her life. Markus Zusak includes many messages and themes in this book and the message and theme that follows Liesel the most in this book is “beauty and brutality”. Throughout the book Liesel has kept strong and moved on with her life to obtain a better education doing what she loves, a nice home, a husband, and even her own children. But she has also experienced loss, pain and suffering along with life lessons. What I had written here shows how Liesel would have lived out her life and ,matured to a grown women. 1