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The relationship between language and culture
The relationship between language and cultures
The relationship between language and culture
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It is quite astonishing how varying combinations of letters and characters have such power. They have moved and shaped the course of history and touched our lives in every aspect. Words can hurt us, they can make us feel love, hate, and any emotion in between. These tiny units of language breathe life into the people and things around us and shall do so for eternity.
The Book Thief is a charming tale that follows the life of a girl named Liesel who discovers the beauty and power of words. Living in a war-torn Germany during WWII, Liesel turns to books as a means of escaping from the harsh reality to a haven of ink and paper. In a rather unconventional comparison, there is a surprising similarity between the thieving German girl and The Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare. The renowned poet knew better than most that words can withstand the test of time and give life in a fer cleverly arranged syllables.
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Liesel acts as Max’s link to the outside world as he remains hidden in the darkness of the basement. During one of their many late night exchanges, Max enlightens Liesel on the power of words in Judaism, “In my religion we're taught that every living thing, every leaf, every bird, is only alive because it contains the secret word for life. That's the only difference between us and a lump of clay. A word. Words are life, Liesel.” This quote expresses language as a source of power to make a positive difference in the world. The Book Thief also conveys a powerful message of the beauty of words and the affect of words on a person. Similarly to Max, Shakespeare knew the power that words possess. The writer expresses this in Sonnet 55, in which asserts the immortality of the poet's sonnets to withstand the forces of decay over
This book resembles Liesel’s empowerment and how she will empower herself in the future through
Part One: The first book that Liesel “stole” was The Grave Digger's Handbook. This is ironic because it was the day that her brother died and it was the last time she saw her mother. Himmel Street is ironic because Himmel= Heaven and Himmel Street did
In The Book Thief, author Markus Zusak tells the tragic story of Liesel Meminger and her experiences in 1939 Nazi Germany. Zuzak incorporates compelling literary devices such as toe curling foreshadowing, personification, and vivid imagery in the form of simile and metaphors to grasp the readers’ interest. Zusak’s use of various literary devices helps to deepen the text and morals of the story, and makes the dramatic historical novel nearly impossible to put down.
2. What is ironic about Liesel’s obsession with stealing books? Discuss other uses of irony in the novel.
Loss can be a heartbreaking experience or just an inconvenience. It is significant in both books because of what the characters loss or what the characters loose. Whether it is a family member or an object, all the losses have some significance to the war or symbolism. In the novel, the book thief Liesel loses her mother. “ There was a chaos of goodbye”(Zusak 25). “The sudden realization that this would all be for nothing - that her mother would never write back and she would never see her again.” (Zusak 99). These two quotes explain Liesel's loss of her mother. When Liesel joined her new family and she never got a letter back, she realized that her old life is behind her and she can never go back to her mother. Her mother is thought to have
The main character Liesel, known as “the book thief” is who Death is looking over. Liesel, her mother, and brother are on a train to Munich. On the train ride her brother dies. She and her mother get off the train to bury him. The first book Liesel steals is from the gravediggers. They continue the journey to a town called Molching, where Liesel will be raised by foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel adjusts to her new home life. Hans teaches Liesel how to read. The war is escalating in Germany. The town holds a book-burning to celebrate Hitler’s birthday. That’s when Liesel steals another book from the flames. Liesel’s job is to deliver laundry to the Hermann family. The Hermanns’ have a library full of books. Liesel is allowed to read them in the study. Meanwhile, a German-Jew named Max needs help, so he seeks out the Hubermanns. Max hides in the basement, so he is safe from the Nazis. Liesel begins stealing books from the Hermanns. The Nazis parade the Jews through the town of Molching on their way to the concentration camp for everyone to see. Liesel is given a blank notebook to write her own story. One night the neighborhood is bombed. Hans, Rosa, and the rest of the neighborhood is killed. Rescue workers find Liesel under the rubble. She leaves behind her finished book, called The Book Thief. Death, who has been watching, rescues the book. Liesel ends up living with the mayor
Words, so simple, yet are the most powerful ways of communication. The weight of words is one of most impactful themes in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, and is felt throughout the entire novel. The Book Thief is a story that takes place during World War II, and follows the Hubermann family and friendships as the Narrator: Death follows them through their journey of Germany in 1939. Hans Hubermann is one of the greatest supporters of words right next to the Book Thief herself, Liesel Meminger. Words are emphasized through stolen books, spoken conversations, and thoughts of the characters. Hans Hubermann backs Liesel’s desire to read through many long nights, protects Max Vandenburg while in hiding, and consistently stands up against the dehumanization
Words have the power to affect people in many ways from empowerment or to taking upon action. Words are able to make huge changes in the lives of many and can make good or bad changes. In history, people used words in both good and bad function from making a promise to a nation or even manipulating multitudes of people within a nation. Words definitely have the ability to take situations a far distance but despite the fact that evil can manipulate the majority of people, individuals too can realize the true actions and evil buried inside the perpetrator. People can be both ugly and beautiful at sometimes with weapons along their sides. A novel called The Book Thief illustrates the power of words in a multitude of ways, showing the potential
The novel The Book Thief is a book about a young girl by the name of Liesel Meminger. Observing the life of this young girl is not easy as this is the time of Hitler’s reign in Germany. In a short period of time, this girl faces many difficulties. More than any child should ever have to encounter. She has to deal with being abandoned by her mother, the death of her younger brother, and relocation to another part of Germany. Immediately when Liesel arrives to Molching, her life is forever changed. She is forced to live with two strangers, now her new mama and papa. Liesel faces much abuse both at school and at home. At school she is made fun of for her illiteracy and at home, mama speaks very rudely to her calling her a swine and other insults.
The power of words can influence many people which results in many characters to be negatively impacted like Liesel. The negative effects of that the theme of the power of words causes Liesel to experience misery throughout her lifetime. Liesel is abandoned by her mother at a young age.
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...
The power of words is accurately displayed in the novel during situations where they are used out of anger. This is illustrated when the author suggests that Liesel is angry at the Fuhrer because he took her mother for being a communist. Furious at this idea, she feels a “slush of anger, stirring in her stomach” (Zusak 115). This causes her to say, “I hate [the Fuhrer],” (115). Due to this, Papa “[slaps] Liesel Meminger squarely in the face,” (116). However, there are more possible consequences for her harsh words. Just that one sentence has the power to have Liesel taken away, along with her whole foster family. Therefore, this proves that even a few words have the potential to create a huge dilemma, especially when said out of rage. Similarly, this is evident when Liesel finds out that the Mayor will no longer be a customer for Mama. After losing their last customer, “the glittering anger was thick and unnerving” within Liesel (262). Upon finding this out from Ilsa
Liesel experiences abandonment throughout her life, and the novel during a suppressed time in World War II Germany. Through her experiences Liesel’s learns to equate abandonment with love knowing that circumstance have forced her loved ones to leave her.
To begin, I personally don’t believe Liesel is wrong for stealing a book from the bonfire because it was going to be destroyed anyways. It shouldn’t harm or have a huge impact on someone else. The book could have been thrown out by someone who did not want it anymore. Her family cannot really afford books and Liesel is
Words are very powerful things, they are not simply just letters written on a sheet of paper; they can inspire, motivate, and evoke certain emotions. Think of your favorite songs and realize that the lyrics can bring joy, happiness, sadness, depression, loneliness, longing, or any emotion imaginable to others based on their own personal experiences. Dave Matthews’ song lyrics for “Funny The Way It Is” are able to capture this phenomenon when he says, “Funny the way it is, Whether right or wrong, Somebody's heart is broken, And it becomes your favorite song” (“Pandora” np). Examples of the pure power of words have been shown throughout mankind’s history. Many great leaders such as Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and even our current president, President Obama, used words to influence, motivate, and encourage their followers in positive ways. Authors in literature have recognized this trend and use powerful sayings or words to intensify their plot and to evoke specific emotions from their audience. “Timshel” or “thou mayest” was a reoccurring word in John Steinbeck’s fictional novel East of Eden, their was a struggle or contemplation of the exact translation that was parallel to the theme of good vs. evil found throughout the three generations of brothers (Steinbeck np). This one word meant redemption, forgiveness, and liberation all at once. Another example of the power of words in literature is in Co...