Markus Zusak, an award winning novelist, showcases the power that words can have on the environment around the world. In his novel The Book Thief, he shows the reader that even in a time of forlornness that words will always be one of the most powerful weapons that the human race can ever hope to gain. In the book Liesel Meminger, a German girl, is on her way to the small town of Molching, Germany, near Munich, to meet her future foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel soon learns the true power of the written word; the power to destroy society, while at the same time, the power of having a calming influence on people. At the beginning of the book, Liesel cannot read or write. However, when she does learn to read, she is able to have a somewhat calming effect on the people around her, but on the other hand, Liesel uses the power of words as a way to strip away Hitler’s power over the people of Germany. She is able to utilize words in such a way that it abolishes the fear that is constantly looming over Germany during Hitler’s reign, if only for a brief moment.
The Grave Digger’s Handbook is Liesel’s first theft. The theft of this book represents the last time she sees her brother after he died on the train ride to Molching. Werner Meminger, Liesel’s brother, has a coughing fit and when the coughing stops, so does his life. The narrator, Death, comes onto the train and takes his soul as Liesel watches the light fade from his eyes (19-20). At Werner’s gravesite one of the grave diggers drops his book, The Grave Digger’s Handbook (23-24). Because Liesel is illiterate she is unable to read this book which makes it more of a reminder of the last time that she sees her brother alive. Due to her lack of reading skil...
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Through the authors methods the reader is able to infer that books can be a source of both great destruction and tranquility. By juxtaposing two polar opposites the author shows that while these two forces are on different ends of the spectrum they can still occur at the same time. Though these forces are not in harmony they cannot survive without the other. Tranquility can only survive when there was once destruction while there can only be destruction when there was tranquility.
Work Cited
Primary Source
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Knopf. 2005.
Secondary Source
“Adolf Hitler.” “Jewish Virtual Library.” 11 Nov. 2013.
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“The Nazi Regime in Germany.” “Jewish Virtual Library.”11 Nov. 2013.
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In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak the narrator is Death, who shows itself as sympathetic and sensitive towards the suffering of the world and the cruel human nature, through its eyes, we can get to know the heartbreaking story of Liesel Meminger an ordinary, but very lucky nine-year old German girl; living in the midst of World War II in Germany. In this book the author provides a different insight and observation about humanity during this time period from a German view and not an Allied perspective, as we are used to.
1.The Grave Digger’s Handbook: Represents the last time Liesel saw her mother and her brother. It is the first book Liesel steals and reads, and it helps her start reading.
...er, and Liesel becomes a complete book thief. She rescues Jewish books from Nazi book- burnings and steals from the mayor’s library. Liesel is illiterate when she steals her first book, but Hans Hubermann uses her prized books to teach her to read. In the end, Liesel marries Max and moves to Australia. She has several children and grandchildren. Liesel eventually dies in Sydney.
While the story is focused on Liesel, it’s told through the perspective of Death. Death, of course, is what takes your soul from your body and takes you to the afterlife. “It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you…” (Zusak 4). Liesel is just 9 years old at the beginning of the book. After losing her family she feels hopeless. But eventually she is somewhat happy with her new family and Max, who is hiding in their basement. She becomes intrigued by books and writing. One day, she steals and book from a book burning, which was a serious crime in Nazi Germany and she’s seen by the Mayor’s wife Isla Hermann. Isla invites Liesel to her library and that leads to Liesel becoming more obsessed with writing. She eventually comes to realize that along with the hope that the written word brings-the stories Max wrote for her and even her own writing-is also the source of her pain and suffering because of Hitler’s propaganda. This is one of the things that...
One of the most unforgettable genocides to occur was the Holocaust where 6 million Jews along with gypsies, homosexuals, and communists were killed by Hitler’s Nazi regime. It was very common for authors to have their literature’s central idea be about the Holocaust. The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, is about a German girl, Liesel, who lives in Nazi Germany and faces the inescapable pains of growing up in a time of war. Her emotional journey is one that begins with a journey. Zusak incorporates the events that occurred during the Holocaust in the book in order to show the reality that Liesel and everyone she loved had to face.
Liesel steals the books she is ,at the same time, liberating them from destruction. The whole idea of stealing as a horrible thing to do comes into question. Liesel risks death or torture in doing this as well. Her theft is also a self-education and an act of rebellion against the Nazis. Lie...
It was on a train with Liesel’s mother and brother where they were travelling when death made his first appearance in the book thief’s life. He took the soul of her brother and only glanced at the girl truly, not taking real note of her as he did his job. She knew that her brother was dead at that point, but the shock wouldn’t truly take her until she snatched a book from where it had fallen near her brother’s hastily made grave. After he was buried, Liesel and her mother continued on their way, arriving at the town of Molching, where she met Hans and Rosa Hubermann. In the first few months that she had arrived, nightmares plagued her mind, haunting her with images of Werner, her brother, and his cold dead eyes. Hans is the one to comfort her, and because of this she grows to trust in him and truly view him as her father. She enjoys his company as well, for he can play the accordion and is always smiling and winking at her in a joyous way. He also begins to teach her how to read the book that she picked up on the day d...
Death is a very well-known figure that is feared by many in all countries. He is suspected of being cruel, disturbing and all synonyms of horrifying. Death is inevitable and that is the most fearing aspect of his persona. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Death is made to seem or resemble humans. Effectively using the narration role, Death introduces a unique description and definition of colors in which he uses as a tool to effectively engage the readers to the events occurring throughout the book. He also demonstrates him personal and different experiences as well, mostly about soul gathering and the implications of WWII that have affected him. On the contrary to Death’s dead, appalling and scary nature that many interpret him to be during the book, Death shows many emotions and features to his personality that reasoning would declare otherwise. One of those feature would be the colors.
When Liesel first arrived she was mute and terrified of what the future has in store, “She was a girl with a mountain to climb.”(86) She had a lot to overcome; her brothers death, moving into a new home, living with Max, and the war. She had to put her past behind her, fresh start, with a new beginning, and a clean slate. Liesel had to overcome the first day of school and being made fun of for not knowing how to read or write, “In the break, she was taunted. “Hey, Liesel. I’m having trouble with this word. Could you read it for me?” He laughed- a ten-year-old, smugness laughter. “You Dummkopf- you idiot.””(78) Moments after that she beat up Ludwig Schmeikl. She showed him that the words he said to Liesel won’t hurt her, but only motivate her to fight back. Liesel was always motivated to make things right. Whether it was fighting back for herself or fighting of fear with words for other. In the air raid, Liesel used tranquil voice to help show people there was hope. “The youngest kids were soothed by her voice, and everyone else saw visions of the whistler running from the crime scene. Liesel did not. The book thief saw only the mechanics of the words–their bodies stranded on the paper, beaten down for her to walk on.”(381) Liesel read aloud during the air raids and bombing to take people's minds off of what was happening outside. She used her love of words to bring courage to everyone in the
The diversity of people and their feelings and opinions are what creates a well formed, civilized society. Through emotions that people pertain and the unconditional risks that they take, it is what identifies them to be a part of society. Markus Zusak uses Death’s point of view, symbolism, and characterization in The Book Thief to convey that people’s feelings and beliefs during the Nazi’s era are what ultimately reflects its society which in turn allows them to uphold their beliefs against the totalitarian government.
The heavily proclaimed novel “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak is a great story that can help you understand what living in Nazi Germany was like. Throughout the story, the main character, Liesel goes through many hardships to cope with a new life in a new town and to come to the recognition of what the Nazi party is. Liesel was given up for adoption after her mother gave her away to a new family, who seemed harsh at first, but ended up being the people who taught her all the things she needed to know. Life with the new family didn’t start off good, but the came to love them and her new friend, Rudy. As the book carried along, it was revealed that the Hubermanns were not Nazi supporters, and even took in a Jew and hid him in their basement later on in the book. Liesel became great friends with the Jew living in her basement, Max, who shared many similarities which helped form their relationship. Both of
The Holocaust is marked as one of the most horrifying events of the 20th century.The person who was responsible for the Holocaust was Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party. The question is, how, and why was Hitler able to do this? The actual truth behind all this is that, Hitler could make the world his, just by using words. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, it tells a story about a young girl growing up when Nazi Germany was invincible. The author explores some very meaningful, yet, controversial themes for the most part of the novel. Out of all themes, he believes that words hold a remarkable power. He explores how words manipulate, divide, and connect people.
Even though the style of writing is simple and direct, it does a good job conveying the different themes of the story, including the different conflicts between politics and religion, separation of families, death, and etc. The power of words is shown as soon as Liesel learns how to read. Her will for prosperity and curiosity becomes more powerful with every word she learns. She realizes that words, through cruel and wicked manners, can be impact people to force acts of brutality. During the burial of her baby brother, she finds her first book, the grave digger’s manual. Even though liesel couldn’t read at the moment, she knows the memories its words
Death states that, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both” (Zusak 491). This book shows us human doing things that weren’t even imaginable before this point. Many people give into ideas that were lies. But, we also watch a few people go out of their way and sacrifice everything for a man they barely even know. They do everything they can to keep him safe and alive. They work harder, the get another job, and they even steal. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, death examines the ugliness and the beauty of humans.
Set in Nazi Germany The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak, mirrors the discordant reality of this era. The narrative follows the life of orphaned Liesel Meminger and explores the ways in which she remains alive throughout this harsh regime. Zusak expresses the ideas of the power of words, mortality, and inhumanity through the potent literary techniques of symbolism, incorporating visual elements, and employing Death as the narrator. Zusak’s ability to portray these ideas effectively allows the audience to feel connected with the story and its characters.