The Word Shaker Sparknotes

The Word Shaker Summary and Analysis The Word Shaker is a short story written by Max Vandenburg for Liesel. It begins with a young man that we know is Adolf Hitler. He is desperately trying to find a way to rule the world. An idea sparks inside of him as he observes a mother first scolding her son and then consoling him. He will gain the ultimate control using merely words. Planting seeds and growing forests are used as symbols for propaganda. Word shakers are people who spread Hitler’s message by throwing the words from the trees to the hungry people below. The best of the word shakers are the ones that understand the tremendous power and influence of words and symbols. Liesel is portrayed as a small, skinny girl. She is one of the greatest word shakers and can climb the highest in the trees because she craves the words the most and understands the

The girl soon befriends a man, Max Vandenburg, who is loathed by his country. When he becomes ill, Liesel becomes very upset and one of her tears falls to the man’s face. This teardrop, composed of pure friendship, turns into a seed which is planted and grows in a towering tree. The all powerful Führer, irate at the bond between Jewish scum and a German girl, demands the tree to be cut down immediately. Refusing to let the magnificent tree be destroyed, the girl climbs into its branches. To everyone’s surprise, the tree is seemingly indestructible for even the biggest of soldiers who attempt to cut it down. Then, Liesel’s friend shows up and successfully climbs the tree. He finds the girl high in the branches and convinces her to come down. Once on solid ground, the tree begins to shake and falls to the