Importance of the street name

[isabelleansberry]

In the book, Liesel ends up living with a family on Himmel Street, which translates to Heaven in English. What do you think was the authors purpose of naming that specific street after Heaven? Was it to be ironic, since so much destruction happened on that street, or was there a deeper meaning to it? How does the name of the street contribute to the importance of the characters and events that occurred there?

[Carolyn]

I believe that the name of the street is meant to be ironic. Not only does it get destroyed, it also isn't necessarily the wealthiest street in Molching, Germany. The people who live on Himmel street seem to struggle money and food wise and live a very rough lifestyle.

[Calliope]

The name is most likely meant to be ironic, since it was a poorer part of Molching, and most residents were struggling to make ends meet, especially during the war. In the book, it even says that the person who named the street had a sense of irony, as everyone led rather simple, hard lives, with some children stealing food during wartime, since they were starving, and only got meagre rations of all goods. And because it was destroyed with only Liesel surviving, it was reduced to a melancholy memory, hardly divine at all.

[Hibah]

Himmel Street meaning heaven in English is ironic to the whole book because in heaven, it is supposed to be peaceful and happy, but this is the opposite of Himmel Street and the book. During the book, Zusak describes Liesel's life as if she were a Jew in Nazi Germany. From losing her real family to losing her foster father to the war, this is the complete opposite of heavenly. The only happiness she finds is when she reads, dropping the problems of the real world and focusing solely on the book.

[Cole Powers]

I agree that it is especially ironic because almost every terrible thing that happened in this book happened on "heaven" street. As Hibah says, the name himmel goes against not just the nature of the street and its residents, but that of the book, a story told by Death himself. It is also consistent with the irony of the Nazis throughout the book, even more closely related if we assume whoever named this street was a Nazi. While Rudy was being examined "Rudy did not feel like he was part of a master race"(Zusak, p414). Earlier, after Rudy and Liesel had experienced the sheer joy of scrounging a single coin from a gutter, the chapter ended with, "The day had been a great one, and Nazi Germany was a wondrous place"(Zusak, p156). All of these things, down to the name of a street, shout one simple thing about Nazis Germany. People loved it. And it was not a wondrous place.

[simonplotkin]

It is ironic for most of the people living there, but for Liesel, it was a sort of heaven. Until the bombing and the death of everyone she knew, it was heaven. Liesel based all of her thieving from there, along with the picnics with her father, and the soccer games. The bombing of Himmel street could be seen as the effect that war has when it gets too close to home. Everything else has fallen and now heaven will fall. It symbolizes even the most innocent of things must be destroyed in the end.

[codytaylor]

I believe the naming of Himmel street is not ironic and is meant to show how the characters perceive it. Sometimes after people die a person will remark "they're in a better place." This happens on multiple occasions throughout the book. Max arrives on Himmel street and even though he lives in the basement, it is a better place than the empty storeroom where he resided for the previous two years. Michael Holtzapfel returns to Himmel street after he has gone to war, and Liesel arrives after she has watched her brother die and mother be taken away. So even though Himmel street is poor and some residents are starving, it is seen as a heaven among the horrors of the world.

[emilybachman]

Although the street could be ironically compared to heavenly, many of the events that happen on Himmel Street give hope, teach, and open up new opportunities for those who reside there."Liesel was exercising the blatant right of every person who's ever belonged to a family well it's all very well for such a person to whine and moan and criticize other family members, but they won't let anyone else do it. That's when you get your back up and show loyalty," (Zusak 291). For Liesel, arriving at Himmel Street seemed like hell, but as readers grow with her throughout the book they watch as her Mama and Papa become the family she never expected. She is taught how to read, write, and do the washing along with all the aspects of a new life in Nazi Germany. Moving on, Zusak states on page 209, "There was nowhere else for Max Vandenburg to go. It was them. Hans and Rosa Huberman." Much like how Cody was saying, Max arrives at Himmel Street and for a short time his life is spared, tucked away into one of the most secret parts of Molching. For Max, house 33 not only provided food, warmth, and a shelter, but it also meant safety and a place to write and create. Himmel Street was home to the birth of new ideas and growth of the characters.

[ethanashbrook]

You can tell that the use of "Heaven" as the street name was really just meant to be ironic. "Whoever named Himmel Street sure had a healthy sense of irony. Not that it was a living hell. It wasn't. But it sure as hell wasn't heaven either." (Zusak 26). The street, of course, was in the poorer part of town. Almost everyone on the block was struggling in one way or another, and most of all, food was a scarce commodity. The factors all contribute to the fact that the name was most likely given ironically.

On the other hand, it could certainly could have been heaven un-ironically for Max Vandenburg. Overall, I find the notion that it was named un-ironically a stretch, but still possible.

[Holly]

On Himmel street Liesel was brought to a new family. Both her and Hans learned to better read and write. She saw Frau Holtzapfel lay down on the street and scream for her dead sons. Her son was hung on that street. Max arrived and departed on Himmel, and bombs were dropped on the street named after heaven. On this street many people were affected in different ways, positive or negative. Like Cody said, its all in the way each individual character perceives it.

[millaberemski]

I think the author most likely named the street Himmel Street to be ironic. Living on Himmel Street was definitely not heaven. Liesel didn't have some of the best times there, as she moved in with strangers and ultimately lost everyone she cared for during the bombing. Her foster parents didn't have the best time either, as Rosa and Hans were constantly yelling at each other about whatever reason. Hans was also sent to war, which was hard on both Rosa and Liesel. Rudy also didn't live pleasantly there, as his father was sent to war just like Hans. Himmel Street was bombed and many people died, including Hans, Rosa, and Rudy. Living on Himmel Street was hell for most of the people, not heaven. Like Hibah said, heaven is peaceful, and living on Himmel Street was anything but peaceful.

[Caitlin]

"Whoever named Himmel Street has a healthy sense of irony. Not that it was a living hell. It wasn't. But it sure wasn't heaven, either." (Ch.5)
I take this as confirmation that the street name was ironic, but relentless a matter of opinion or character perspective.

[taylor]

Many of the responses talk about irony. It was ironic that such a poor neighborhood would be named after a place so rich. However, to the people living on the street it was their own world safe from the war going on outside. To Max the street was a place for him to seek shelter. Himmel street became its own little bubble in floating in the chaos just outside its doors. Towards the end of the story the author wrote something along the lines of, 'no one would want to bomb a street named after heaven.' Himmel street became a heaven to those who where hit by the bombs, carrying them away from the war. Its not ironic that such a street named after Heaven could became a safe place for so many of the characters to seek refuge and comfort during the war.

[sophielowy]

I believe that the author named the street "Himmel Street" to both be ironic and literal. I believe that the way the name is interpreted changes with the point of view. When looking at the street itself the name is meant to be ironic. The street is a common place for death and destruction to wander. So when looking at the street and only viewing the physical damage and death that took place there the reader can definitely see that the name of the street was meant to be ironic. On the other hand I believe that the name of the street can also be literal. When looking at the street through Max's eyes it can be viewed as a literal heaven. For Max, Himmel Street is an escape from the crumbling world around him. Not only does he escape Hitler for the time he stayed there he also inquired life long relationship with the family he lived with. So when looking at the name from different points of view it can be shown that the meaning of the name is ironic yet also literal.

[elizabeth miller]

I believe that "Himmel Street" can clearly be seen as ironic it really is referring to the hope that is given on that street. Liesel moves to Himmel Street at a time in her life where everything seems to be failing her. Her mother gone and brother dead it seems that nothing could get any worse for her. When she meets Hans and Rosa she realizes that she can still be happy. It is on Himmel Street she learns to read, she meets Rudy and Max, and finds a home and a family. While many horrific things happen on the street from heaven Liesel's good memories always outshine the bad. The same can be said for every character living on that street. Another good example would be Max, when he comes to Himmel he is running away from the law and looking for a safe haven. He finds that there. He finds his little heaven in the Hubermann's basement.