Hans Hubermann seems very different then the typical German described in other books I have read about the Holocaust. He does not agree with the things Hitler is saying or doing, he agrees to hide a Jew without question. His biggest conflicts so far have been his son walking out of his life because Hans refused to join the party and Max, the Jew that lives in his basement. Hans junior thinks his dad is stupid for not joining the party when everyone else did and he got into a big fight with his dad and left and never came back. When Hans was younger and first got out of WW1, he had promised his best friends wife that if she ever needed anything, to contact him. 20 years later, the women's son shows up asking to be hidden and kept safe. Hans, being the good man he is, accepted him into his home and tried his best to make him comfortable and safe.
Hans thinks the Hitler regime is stupid and refuses to join his party. He believes there is nothing wrong with Jews because a Jewish man took part in saving his life during WW1. He does the bare minimum to keep the police off his back about not being super supportive of Hitler. He says, "Heil Hitler" whenever nessessary and flies the Nazi flag on the specified days. Hans perspective is unique because he doesn't fall for Hitler's tricks and lies, he sees things the way they really are and doesn't judge without having personal experience with the subject at hand. I really like this character because in that time, spanking a child was a regular punishment, even nuns did it. But, Hans never once hit Liesel and has loved her like his own child from the very beginning. He is like a breath of fresh air for Liesel and she lives in a closed plastic container.
I like how you mentioned how Hans kept his promise to help Max. I think it shows a great deal of character and trustworthiness to keep to your word. And Hans is a man of his word. He has great morals and therefore is not blinded by the lies being fed to the German population. I think Hans cares a great deal about people in general, that's why he was so hurt when his son walked out and why he shows such compassion to Max. He is a good role model.
ReplyDeleteHans is definitely my favorite character in the novel thus far. He stands by his beliefs and honors his promises, no matter how long ago they were made.
ReplyDeleteYou're right in saying that he is a breath of fresh air for Liesel, i would even go as far to say that he was the only thing that gave her hope for her entire childhood.
i agrre that Hans is different than the typical german character but there is more to him than just his loyalty to his own beliefs and moral system. he is a kind, gentle, caring man that meant the world to liesel. he had a way with words and despite his quiet demeanor he was a strong good man that did more for his community than most anyone else simply for the good of the people.
ReplyDeleteI also think that he is not the typical German that is talked about in stories about this time. I think that he may be one of the most genuine characters that I have ever read about. He has experienced some tough times and i think that that is how he got to be how he is. That is how he can have the guts to take in Max i think.
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