Mahatma Gandhi once said “An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so. Now the law of nonviolence says that violence should be resisted not by counter-violence but by nonviolence. This I do by breaking the law and by peacefully submitting to arrest and imprisonment.” Markus Zusak’s novel, The Book Thief clearly demonstrates the positive outcome from acts of resistance through exchanges between characters. For instance, Hans displays resistance through his acts of kindness. In addition, Max’s courageous actions portray defiance. Lastly, Liesel uses the power of books and words to defy the Fascistic beliefs. Through exchanges between characters, acts of resistance against the Nazi regime are performed.
First of all, Hans displays acts of resistance through his kind hearted demeanour. For instance, Hans helps discriminated Jews; as he demonstrates his defiance against the Nazi Regime. Hans gives a Jew a slice of bread, and as he perseveres to continue with his journey to the concentration camps, (a personified) Death describes, “The Jew [stands] before him, expecting another handful of derision, but he [watches] with everyone else as Hans Hubberman [holds] his hand out and [presents] a piece of breed, like magic” (Zusak 394). Like Death describes, Hans impulsively resists the Nazi Party through the act of helping Jews. He provides the man with hope, allowing him to continue with his journey despite Germany’s bigotry.
Likewise, Hans brings happiness to all those around by defying Hitler’s strict system and cheerless Germany through his music. Hans plays an accordion gifted to him by a Jew as stated by Death, “…he [plays] the accordion in the kitchen. A promise was a promise. There [is] music, soup...
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...ook from a fire, during Hitler’s birthday celebration, Death narrates, “Smoke [lifts] from the cover as she [juggles] it and [hurries] away…the sick beauty of nerves proved more shortly with each stride” (Zusak 120). Thus, his impression of Liesel’s act of thievery demonstrates her animosity towards the oppressor. Stealing is her way of getting revenge on her enemy (Hitler), to take back what he destroyed (her family). Undoubtedly, the verbal and physical acts of Liesel Memminger demonstrate her opposition against fascism.
In conclusion, transactions between characters display acts of resistance against the Nazi regime. Zusak uses transaction between Max, Hans and Liesel to display resistance in the story. Silent resistance are used by revolutionaries in order to take a stand against freedom and against human discrimination, as seen similarly in The Book Thief.
Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist during World War II. As a greedy businessman, he was looking to profit from the times. He took over an enamelware factory in Krakow Poland, after Germany invaded Poland in 1939. He used cheap Jewish labor in his factory to manufacture and sell pots and pans to the German Army. By 1941, he had become very wealthy from his efforts. He had power, prestige, and wealth beyond compare – he had it all, and gave little thought to what (or whose) expense he had gained it.
The quote that stuck with me trough the book was one not so much about the emotions that can with the Holocaust, but more of the actions that people at this time must do.
Upon finishing the book, moral questions and concepts face the reader. The obvious one is: How can Werner, a member of the notoriously evil Nazi party, be a virtuous person? According to the book, he is a righteous being: he rids the world of the Sea of Flames and selflessly
Even though Liesel is just a kid and is going through some tough times, it still doesn’t give her the right to steal. Besides, Death claims that you could argue that others have it harder during this time and I agree. If you were a Jew during this time, that was bad news. They were persecuted, hunted, and killed by the Nazis. Liesel, on the other hand, although have lost her brother and may never see her mother again, is not living in constant fear for her life. The novel even states, “anything is better than being a Jew.” (Zusak
...o fulfill his purpose in life made him an easy target and simple to influence. Heinrich found the structure and purpose society told him he needed by “following Hitler with an unwavering loyalty” (250).
Liesel Meminger was a very bright girl that didn’t have the resources to flourish. Her mother must hide from the Nazis because she is a communist and sends Liesel ...
Liesel’s mom leaves her with foster parents because she wishes to protect her from the fate she is enduring. The words Paula, Liesel’s mom, uses go against Hitler because she is a communist which resulted in her being taken away and Liesel to lose her mother and experience the loss of her. This shows Liesel experiences unhappiness because of her mother’s disappearance which is caused by the words she openly uses that contradicts Hitler.
German citizens had to endure a challenging lifestyle, presented by Adolf Hitler, of fascism, the holocaust, Jewish laws and propaganda during World War II. From 1939-1942, Nazi Germany affected the lives of Jews, Gypsies, Slavic people, and other groups living in Germany by getting rid of the undesirables, known as the Holocaust. Only Germans with the look of blond hair and blue eyes were even considered to live, only if he or she had no defects or disabilities, anyone else was sent to and killed in concentration camps. The Book Thief takes place in a town near Munich, Germany during this time of the holocaust. The novel focuses on the lives of the people and how they cope and deal with the immediate effects of WWII. It emphasizes the danger of hiding a Jew in a family’s basement, and how they are constantly paranoid of being caught.
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...
Many people, such as Liesel, conform to societal expectations in public while keeping their rebellion in private most of the time. They do this to survive in a culture that persecutes anybody that they disagree with or disagrees with them. For example, “‘I hate the Führer,’ she said. ‘I hate him.’… ‘Don’t ever say that!’… ‘You can say that in our house,’ he said, looking gravely at Liesel’s cheek. ‘But you never say it on the street, at school, at the BDM, never!’’ (p. 115-116) This was when Liesel found out that the Nazis took away her mother for being a communist and was naturally upset. Her foster father, Hans Hubermann, slapped her for saying that, at
Liesel understand that her mother left by circumstance due to the unraveling war unfolding in Germany, while Hitler was trying to reign complete control over all the political parties. During Hitler’s birthday one of his men gave a speech stating, “.. the evil machinations plotting to infect the motherland with its deplorable ways.” (Zusak 110.) The man refers to the ‘evils’ as,’ kommunisten,’ which is when Liesel starts to understand why her mother had to leave. She starts to put the
Towards friends and neighbours, Hans aids all of those that need it. After Mr. Kleinmann’s clothing store was vandalized, Death, the narrator, observed,“In sloppy lettering, the words JEWISH FILTH were spilling over at their edges.[...]Hans moved closer and stuck his head inside. “Do you need some help?” Mr. Kleinmann looked up.[...] “No, Hans. Please. Go away.” Hans had painted Joel Kleinmann’s house the previous year. He remembered his three children. He could see their faces but couldn’t recall their names. “I will come tomorrow,” he said, “and repaint your door”(181). Despite not knowing them very well, Hans still offers help towards those who have nothing, even if it may affect his own financial situation. As women who had nothing would come up to Hans and ask him to paint their blinds black, he said, ““Frau Hallah, I’m sorry, I have no black paint left,” he would say, but a little farther down the road, he would always break. There was tall man and long street. “Tomorrow,” he’d promise, “first thing,” and when the next morning dawned, there he was, painting those blinds for nothing, or for a cookie or a warm cup of tea”(354). Even though it was against the values of WWII Germany’s society, Hans still felt the need to help anyone, even if they were Jewish. “Papa reached into his paint cart and pulled something out. [...] The Jew stood before him, expecting another handful of
Schindler is the rescuer of an eleven hundred Jewish people and many generations that would spring from them. When coming and offering work and safety as one, it gave Jews a way to escape the horrible realities that the Nazis were inflicting onto the Jewish population. When the Jews in Krakow were being liquidated, Schindler's Jews thanked Shindler, knowing that they found a loophole in the horror story. Schindler knew what he was doing, whether out of his heart or out of the thirst for wealth, he still realized how he was impacting the Jews, even saying, “you’ll be safe working here. If you work here, you’ll live through the war.”
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
A film bursting with visual and emotional stimuli, the in-depth character transformation of Oscar Schindler in Schindler’s List is a beautiful focal point of the film. Riddled with internal conflict and ethical despair, Schindler challenges his Nazi Party laws when he is faced with continuing his ambitious business ideas or throwing it all away for the lives of those he once saw as solely cheap labor. Confronted with leading a double life and hiding his motivations from those allegiant to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, Schindler undergoes numerous ethical dilemmas that ultimately shape his identity and challenge his humanity. As a descendent of a Jewish-American, Yiddish speaking World War II soldier who helped liberate concentration camps in Poland, this film allowed for an enhanced personal