Read the following text from a historical novel. This excerpt is about life for Jews in Europe at the beginning of World War II.

Question

As the years passed by, the Jews were being terrorized at random throughout the country, and in the spring of 1937, almost to his shame, Hans Hubermann finally submitted. He made some inquiries and applied to join the Party.
After lodging his form at the Nazi headquarters on Munich Street, he witnessed four men throw several bricks into a clothing store named Kleinmann's. It was one of the few Jewish shops that were still in operation in Molching. Inside, a small man was stuttering about, crushing the broken glass beneath his feet as he cleaned up. A star the color of mustard was smeared to the door.
From Markus Zusak, The Book Thief. Copyright 2005 by Markus Zusak
The previous text suggested that Jewish people had many of their rights taken away. How does this historical novel build on or challenge that idea?
it shows what happens to Jewish people who broke the law.
it suggest that most people did not care how Jewish people were treated.
it shows a specific case of a Jewish person being threatened.

Answer 1

The excerpt from "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak builds on the idea that Jewish people had many of their rights taken away by illustrating the terror and violence they faced in society. The act of vandalism against Kleinmann's clothing store, a Jewish shop, highlights the targeted hostility Jews experienced and underscores the normalization of anti-Semitic actions during that time. The presence of a Jewish shop that remains operational, paired with the violence enacted upon it, suggests a precarious existence where survival is fraught with danger.

The reference to Hans Hubermann submitting to the Party indicates the pressure and fear that even non-Jewish people felt to conform to the prevailing anti-Jewish sentiments, suggesting a broader societal complicity in oppressive measures against Jews. Overall, the excerpt reinforces the idea of widespread discrimination and violence against Jews, reflecting the breakdown of civil rights and the normalization of such treatment in Nazi Germany.

Therefore, the correct interpretation would be that it shows a specific case of a Jewish person being threatened, but it also suggests a larger narrative of indifference and complicity among the general population, aligning with the notion that most people did not care how Jewish people were treated.