Key Examples in The Book Thief
Part 4: The Accordionist (The Secret Life of Hans Hubermann)
Explanation and Analysis—World War I:
In Part 4: The Accordionist (The Secret Life of Hans Hubermann), Max arrives at Himmel Street. His arrival introduces a flashback that emphasizes the two-sided nature of historical trauma:
[Max] asked two questions.
QUESTION ONE
“Hans Hubermann?”QUESTION TWO
“Do you still play the accordion?”[...]
Papa, alert and appalled, stepped closer.
To the kitchen, he whispered, “Of course I do.”
It all dated back many years, to World War I.