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Synopsis of the book Thief
Analysis the book thief
Synopsis of the book Thief
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To what extent is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak worthy of being deemed ‘Great Literature?’
The Book Thief is a relatively recent fictional novel written by Markus Zusak which tells the story of Liesel, a young German girl, and her life throughout the Second World War. Wrought with tragedy, the narrative is told from the point of view of Death, offering a unique insight into human life. Despite how contemporary the novel is, it has received droves of critical acclaim and is often considered to be one of the best books of modern times. But can it be considered ‘great’ literature?
There is often debate about what ‘Great’ literature actually is, which is important to consider. For the most part, however, based upon the canon, great literature
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However there are many issues with the canon as, although it provides a foundation of what ‘great’ literature actually is, it is widely outdated and is therefore not representative of the rapidly evolving writing styles of present day authors, as well as the habits of readers and the types of novels they enjoy. It becomes even more irrelevant when the fact that ‘great’ literature will not be the same for everyone as different people will have different opinions about whether or not a piece of work can be considered ‘great’ literature.
The Book Thief shares a lot of themes with many classic literary novels and indeed those which are relevant to all society. Death is present both in the physical sense of the end
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Because of this, the novel has not yet been proven timeless and if its popularity or critical acclaim dies within the next few years it could not be considered ‘great’. Regardless many of its themes are those which are likely to have timeless relevance to society such as war and love, which it also shares with the novels that are generally assumed to be ‘great’ literature, implying that it possesses timeless characteristics as well as the fact that various other aspects suggest that it should be considered ‘great’
The world of English Literature captures the minds of millions of people worldwide. The stories that are read are new and old and continue to capture the attention of people even to this day. Each piece of literature can go in-depth into settings, themes, characterizations, have great styles and the thing most people enjoy... conflict. Most people don't understand or see the messages these pieces may have in them. Hidden sometimes within complex statements or meanings that the everyday person might not recollect. These "treasures" are waiting to be found and are gold waiting to be found.
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.
When a person reads a book, they should read it as to amuse them, but also look between the lines for the purpose of the book. Every author, whether they’re writing fiction of non-fiction, has a moral behind their story. Every book is like a picture, a piece of art. Yes, you admire it, but you would have to squint a little bit, twist your head in any angle, and try to find what message the author or painter was trying to send out with their piece of work.
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 hold great power and when used correctly can influence what people believe and how they act.
" Literature and Its Times: Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events that Influenced Them. Joyce Moss and George Wilson. Vol. 1. Ancient Times to the American and French Revolutions.
By using words such as “mediocre,” and other words, Prose shows that in her own reasoning, the literature is not so much literature, but a waste of time that is taking attention away from actual good books that have content will instill a love for reading. Prose destroys the idea that the books provided to the students in the educational system should be deemed best sellers because she explains that the only reason this books are so well know, is because of the fact that they are forced down the throats of innocent teenagers. She also explains that teenagers are incapable of reading such stories because of the “overuse” of metaphors, and that we cannot read line for line books. If we cannot read a book line for line, than what should we
What makes a book a true classic? Is it in its age, the distinction of its author, the number of copies it sells? I believe it is none of these things. A true classic is a book that can make you feel, emoting with all of its characters, even the ones you don’t expect to empathize with. Its characters cannot be without faults—they must be as human as the book’s readers, or they will be forgotten as just another character in an endless line of too-perfect protagonists.
...s of whether the criticism was negative or positive, it was being read, making it one of the most widely read novels in American history.
In The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, beauty and brutality is seen in many of the characters. Rudy, Liesel, and Rosa display examples of beauty and brutality often without realizing what exactly they are doing, because it is a part of their human nature. Zusak not only uses his characters, but also the setting of the novel in Nazi Germany to allude to his theme of the beauty and brutality of human nature. The time in which the novel is set, during World War II, displays great examples of beauty and brutality, such as the mistreatment of the Jews. As a result of this time period, the characters have to go through troubling times, which reveals their beautiful and brutal nature in certain circumstances. Zusak uses his characters and their experiences to demonstrate the theme of the beauty and brutality of human nature in the novel.
Books impact lives and some are regarded as personal favorites but what classifies a novel as a classic? In the novels The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Night by Elie Wiesel are considered classics for literature. Classic books are those in which are timeless in their ability to be reinterpreted for generations, one that impacts the reader's ideology, and provides an insight on society. Both novels provide an inspiration of change as well as an example of what a classic novel should represent.
Throughout time, books have opened the minds of many people. It permits people to travel to a dream world where every word captures their suspense and urges them to read on. Books that are so fascinating and vivid to the point they can not be put down are considered great. A great book is a piece of literature that allows the reader to relate their own experiences and feelings to that of the characters depicted. The Odyssey by Homer would be considered a great book; the reader can relate to Odysseus' longing for Penelope, his quest to be home with family, and the continuous wrestle with free will v. determinism.
It is often a topic of argument: What makes a classic? Well because “a classic” can define just about anything, we first will narrow it down. This paper will focus on the field of literature. Still what makes a piece of literature a classic? Well as outline above, the most common criteria for literature tend to focus on language of a novel, a novels appeal to a large audience, and its ability to endure time. These are three basic criteria that are accepted by most critics and I agree with their ability to separate a good novel from a classic one. Now that we know what criteria we are basing our decisions on we must define them clearly so that there isn’t any confusion.
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.
As I have already claimed above, I think it is important get at least some idea of the “Zeitgeist”, in which a book was written, in order to understand its significance. From my point of view, being interested in the background factors of an author’s life and era not only helps to get a better understanding of the meaning of a book, but it also makes me appreciate it more. I think everyone acts and speaks according to what he or she is influenced by. If this is determining for the value a book is another question, but I think it is important that it is up to everyone if he or she would like to know more about the author.