Summary and Analysis
Part 6: The Dream Carrier:
The Schmunzeler
Summary
Rudy comes to check on Liesel to make sure she's okay. He wants her to steal cigarettes from Hans, and when she refuses, he smiles at her and tells her she stinks like a criminal. She feels fine now, though, because for now she and her family and Max are safe.
Analysis
This chapter illustrates that Liesel is moral in her thievery, refusing to steal from Hans. Because Rudy knows that Liesel is a thief, he tells her that she stinks like a criminal, which recalls a moment during the previous chapter when Liesel worries that the Nazi inspecting their basement will be able to smell that they are hiding a Jew. While Rudy is only teasing Liesel, he uncovers one of Liesel's worries — that the outside world will be able to sense the secrets living within the Hubermann home. Finally, this chapter provides Liesel with a false sense of security; Death alludes to the disaster that is yet to come.