Figurative Language In The Book Thief

The Book Thief, Markus Zusak’s 2005 novel, uses various stylistic devices and conventions to portray key ideas of the value of lifе, the beauty and brutality of human nature and the power of words - highlighting not only their ability to be used for good, but also reminding the reader that words can also be responsible for great evil, during the second World War. Through the meticulous use of narrative voice and having Death as the narrator, then incorporating analepsis, prolepsis, motif, symbolism and figurative language, Zusak is able to highlight these key ideas by successfully taking an innovative approach to creating a captivating and complex text.

Zusak portrays the key ideas of the power of words to be used for good or destruction,

Through Death’s narrative voice, he provides an unbiased perspective of the war, he also highlights the beauty and brutality of the human race. Through Death’s narrative voice, Zusak incorporates prolepsis in Death’s asides to foretell Rudy Steiner’s death, making “A small announcement about Rudy Steiner - He didn’t deserve to die the way he did”, describing his death as tragic and how “On many counts, taking a boy like Rudy Steiner was robbery - so much life, so much to live for…” highlighting the value of life. Zusak also incorporates prolepsis through Death’s narration when Death goes to the war fields and collects the souls of fallen soldiers, in his diary of 1942 stating “Forget the scythe, Goddamn it, I needed a broom or a mop. And I needed a vacation.” which shows the destruction of the war and uncountable fatalities as well as an the brutality of man, evident in the carnage. Zusak uses analepsis to take the readers back in time to when Hans Hubermann was a soldier in WWI, where his life is saved when a Sergeant asked for a volunteer to write letters for the Captain, and after a long period of silence “a voice stood out and ambled toward the sergeant. It sat at his feet, waiting for a good kicking. It said, ’Hubermann, sir.’”, which meant Hans stayed and “wrote the letters as best he

Zusak uses intertextual allusion to Mein Kampf, Hitler’s autobiography, to depict how a book which indoctrinated many people and was the cause of great hate and destruction, can be used for good and can save lives, such as when“Max Vandenburg arrived on Himmel Street carrying handfuls of suffering and Hitler’s Mein Kampf”, also showing the dehumanisation of Jews. When hiding in the Hubermann’s basement, Max paints over the pages of Mein Kampf, and writes The Standover Man, a book about Max and Liesel’s powerful friendship, which is symbolic showing that by painting over the pages of Mein Kampf, Max is stealing Hitler’s words and turning ideas of indoctrination and hate into something good, and showing how their friendship is more powerful than Hitler’s words. Through Max’s narrative voice, Zusak shows the power and goodness of Liesel’s kind words against Hitler when he writes The Word Shaker in his sketchbook.

Through the use of narrative voice, symbolism, figurative language, analepsis and prolepsis, Zusak is successful in portraying the key ideas in The Book Thief of the sanctity of life, the beauty and brutality of human nature, and the power of words to be used for great good and to overcome the words of indoctrination and hate. Through Death,