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First Tuesday Book Club: Sentencing 'The Book Thief'

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Marcus Zusak
First Tuesday Book Club: Sentencing 'The Book Thief'

SUBJECTS:  English

YEARS:  7–8, 9–10


People can express their opinions and attitudes in ways other than words.

In this clip, join in the discussion about Markus Zusak's popular novel 'The Book Thief', and explore how verbal and non-verbal cues can add emphasis to your speech.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Have you read 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak? If so, what did you think of it? Did you enjoy it? What techniques can speakers use to reinforce their words? Make a list of your suggestions.
  2. 2.What were Markus Zusak's reasons for choosing his unusual narrator? Why doesn't Michael Williams enjoy the book? Which words and phrases reveal his attitude? What does Judy Nunn find fascinating about the book? How does her body language and tone of voice reinforce her enthusiasm? What are Marieke Hardy's reservations about the book? Which words reveal her views? How does she emphasise these words?
  3. 3.Who do you think presented their opinion about 'The Book Thief' most forcefully? What was it about their speech or its delivery that made it so effective? Compare Michael William's and Marieke Hardy's responses. Do you think Michael Williams phrases his criticism more carefully? Why do you think he is not as openly critical as Marieke Hardy?
  4. 4.Use a video recording device to record your own review of 'The Book Thief', choosing verbal and non-verbal language to convey your point of view clearly. Watch it to review your effectiveness. You might even like to organise your own panel discussion, just like the one here, where you discuss your responses to the novel with a group of friends.



Date of broadcast: 4 Dec 2012


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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