Quotes From Max Vandenburg
Description for Project: Select a character from the book. Then select 5 quotations from the text that you feel reveals the character’s personality. You must explain what each quotation/sentence tells you about the character. You must also tell which page the quotation/sentence came from.
Character: Max Vandenburg
1. Quote: “Would you do something for me, Liesel? You told me all about the goal, but I don’t know what sort of day it is up there. I don’t know if you scored in the sun, or if the clouds have covered everything. Could you go up there and tell me how the weather looks?”
What it tells about the character: This quote tells that Max asks for very simple things, and they will make him happier. He could’ve asked for something more, such as more food, and Liesel probably would’ve done it for him. Instead, he just wants to know how it is outside to better understand Liesel’s story.
Page #: 249
2. Quote: “In the blue corner, “ he quietly commented, “we have the champion of the world, the Aryan masterpiece – the Führer.” He breathed. “And in the red corner, we have the Jewish, rat-faced challenger – Max Vandenburg.”
What it tells about the character: This quote is from when Max is pretending he’s fighting Hitler. It tells that Max knows that if he was actually in a public fistfight with Hitler, people would treat Hitler as something powerful and Max as something ugly because he is Jewish. This says that Max understands what the public thinks about him. It also says that Max would want to fight Hitler, as he is opposing Max.
Page #: 251
3. Quote: “I’m so selfish. Leaving people behind. Coming here. Putting all of you in danger… I’m sorry. Do you believe me? I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”
What it tells about the character: This tells that Max cares about the people he left behind, and that he feels terribly guilty that he did so. It also says that he feels guilty that he’s staying with them and putting them in danger. Because he feels so guilty, it tells that Max is a person who cares for others a lot and can hardly stand putting people in danger.
Page #: 218
4. Quote: “I’m sorry,” he confessed to Hans and Rosa on the basement steps. “From now on I will stay down here. You will not hear from me. I will not make a sound.”
Papa apologized. “It’s quite pathetic. I realize that.”
“Better than nothing,” Max assured him. “Better than I deserve – thank you.”
What it tells about the character: This quote tells three things about Max. First, it tells that he is a rational person. He understands the severity of the Hubermann’s situation, and the consequences if someone found out he was hiding there, so he won’t make any noise. Second, the quote tells that Max does not think much of himself, since he said that the basement was better than he deserved. It is possible that the Nazis’ persecution of Jews has made him actually believe that Jews are scum. Lastly, it tells that Max is thankful. Even though he is forced to stay in a cold, cramped basement, he is grateful that he has a place to hide.
Page #: 207-208
5. Quote: “Often I wish this would be all over, Liesel, but then somehow you do something like walk down the basement steps with a snowman in your hands.”
What it tells about the character: This tells that Max values Liesel a lot as a friend. Despite the face that Max is in a horrible situation, he gets happiness from Liesel because of her crazy ideas, such as brining snow in the basement. It says that Max wishes that he was not in hiding, but Liesel makes it bearable.
Page #: 313