My thought provoking question for the week is...
What do you feel keeps Hans and Rosa's relationship together, when the two of them tend to act sort of abusive towards each other? Was their relationship always this way? As you might have noticed thus far in the novel... Hans and Rosa don't exactly view each other in a positive light and aren't very kind to each other. Maybe I live in an idealistic world, but I'd never treat a lover that way.
Discuss!
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That's a really interesting question. I would have to say that i feel like Hans is almost trapped by his wife and he is scared to leave her. Maybe if Leisel wasn't there by now, Hans could have gathered the courage to leave Rosa. But now Leisel is the most important person in Hans' life, so he will not leave his family.
ReplyDeleteI think that is extremely true that Liesel is the most important person in Hans' life. Another thing that I notice after thinking about it, is that Hans does not have a steady job, and gets a sort of economic security from Rosa, which might be another reason as to why he stays with her.
ReplyDeleteDo you agree?
I would definetly say Rosa wears the pants in the relationship...or "He is the goose head but she is the goose neck..." -My Big Fat Greek Wedding (well the quote was something along those lines, just thought I'd throw another analogy in there). Rosa has such a powerful and assertive personality that which shadow's Hans personality. Hans can't really be wrong, it's either Rosa's way or the highway. I agree that Rosa is the breadwinner and that may be one of the reasons why Hans is staying with her.
ReplyDeleteI, on the contrary, think that deep down, maybe very very deep down, that Hans and Rosa really do love each other. Though they do disagree a lot, neither of them ever mention leaving the other(I think... I could be wrong on that point). Also, why would they continue to bring in foster children to take care of together if they didn't actually want to stay together?
ReplyDeleteI think that in some weird way Hans and Rosa need each other, and that is what is keeping them together. I don't think that their relationship was always this way, I think that at one time when they were young, they were very much in love, but they have grown apart as they have aged. I agree with Hannah that Hans is almost trapped by his wife now, but at the same time doesn't really want to try and get out. I also agree that Leisel is definitely the most important person in Hans life.
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ReplyDeleteI really think that Hans is trapped by Rosa and he is true nice to leave her. Maybe when he was younger it was completely different for the two and maybe he hopes it will be like that again so he is just riding it out.
ReplyDelete@ Maggie: Heh, I love the word breadwinner,, good use of it. Then again, because their personalities are so different, maybe it's that whole "Opposites Attract" phenomenon which they have going on for them?
ReplyDelete@ Emily: You indeed have a very valid point... Women's rights were progressed far along enough in the 40s that Rosa probably had the power to leave Hans whenever she wants to, except she doesn't. And thank you for sparking my memory about how Liesel is not their first foster child that the two of them had adopted. Maybe there's a part of Hans that sees how Rosa can work wonders on children, and that's what convinces him that he can still have a stable relationship with her. Or maybe the two of them taking care of Liesel together helps strengthen their relationship? That's another thing that you could easily argue, if you wanted. :)
@ Alex: It's interesting that you should bring up their youth, and you're probably very correct. Like the book had pointed out before, Hans used to get a lot more work in his painting business, and maybe when the two of them had more money and the war wasn't going on, Rosa wasn't so bitter with her husband. Maybe Hans actually enjoys being trapped. Who knows!
I definately think Hans and Rosa really do love each other. It sort of goes back to that "opposites attract" thing. They're so different, they're able to complement each other. Rosa's agreement to let Max stay with them shows she is a loving person deep down, but since Hans is so openly loving and never agressive, Rosa needs to take the initiative to be the agressive one.
ReplyDeleteThis question makes me think about how completely opposite people fall in love...somehow. The bitterness of Rosa and the sweetness of Hans complete each other. I don't think they could have lived in any other way. The continuous arguing between the two could just be routine for them, in order to escape from the really tough times.
ReplyDeleteVic, the idea you bring up about their arguing being an 'escape' stands out to me a lot, and is probably very true. There are multiple points in history where people would puruse new past-times to make up for what was going on during points in their life, such as movies becoming popular during the Great Depression. Although it's not a mentally healthy past-time, you could say arguing is a past-time nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteOr did I interpret your pouint completely wrong? My mistake if I did.
I think that one thing that is keeping their relationship going is Liesel because I think Hans wants her to have a motherly figure, since her mother left her. I am also curious to know if their relationship was like that before, and if it was I wonder why they didn't split before Liesel came. It could be that Hans is scared of what Rosa might do if he tells her that he a divorce. Good question!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything that has been said, i think that Hans and Rosa need each other while going through these hard times. Hans also does little things for her that save their relationship, even if its something little like when he surprised her with the new carton of eggs. Its probably Hans' sweet nature that keeps them together.
ReplyDeleteI think they are still together because they need the support during this time. I don't think their relationship was always like this, but maybe because of these rough times, they are both stressed and scared which comes across differently for each of them.
ReplyDeleteI think that once these two probably loved each other more than we see today, and I also think that allot of the tension comes from the issues of the government and the strain from that. Neither of them can afford to leave because they need support from each other during this hard time.
ReplyDeleteI think that the war kind of keeps them together. I think that in such a terrible time you have to keep those you have close, and not be caught up in petty quarrels. I also think that no matter how much Rosa doesn't show it, I think that she also cares for Liesel a lot, and that Hans and her share that.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Death is going to describe Rosa's past at all, since so far I haven't learned anything. Hans seems very tolerant of people, though that may make him a too trusting. Rosa is outwardly harsh, but she does love Liesel. Hans is able to see that, so he tolerates Rosa's negativity.
ReplyDeleteI've wondered this a lot too and although it is possible that they're only staying together because of hard times, I think they really do care for each other.
ReplyDeleteEven though they're polar opposites, I think they balance each other. Hans needs some spice in his life. It's not always a good thing to be the kindest person around. And Rosa would be lost at sea without Hans as an anchor. When Hans left for the war and Rosa fell asleep holding his accordion, we can see how empty she feels without him.
I think Rosa and Hans were in love when they were younger but their relationship turned abusive. Their hate built up over the years but they still continue to stay together because they have to. Hans brings home the bacon, and Rosa probably knows that she will not be able to get another husband. And Hans needs Rosa to cook and clean for him and he does not strike me as a person who can fend for himself.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that there's an underlying history between them that we aren't hearing. We get a taste of it when Rosa is hugging the accordion at night, but we don't really know much else about their past. I also think that their children have something to do with it.
ReplyDeleteI think they are together because Hans can see the good in everyone he meets. He is such a nice guy, that I'm sure he expects the best out of everyone, even when they don't show it themselves.
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