The Book Thief: Liesel Meminger's Life

Reflection

The Book Thief is a book about a young girl, Liesel Meminger, and how her life changes when she is left with no family, causing her to live with Rosa and Hans Hubermann. She meets many people that are important later on in the book. One of those people was a woman named Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife. They become friends because Rosa does the Hermanns’ washing and ironing. When Ilsa sees Liesel steal The Shoulder Shrug from Hitler’s bonfire in Molching, she shows Liesel her library. Liesel had never seen a room filled with such beauty. She would read there often but stops when the Hermanns fire Rosa Hubermann. In frustration, Liesel injures Ilsa brutally with her words. She spat on about how Ilsa Hermann “bought her off” by giving

The Significance

The significance of The Book Thief is to be thankful of what you have, and to not take things for granted. People these days have so much, and they don’t even know it. In this story, The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger’s life is written and shows the hardship that she faces. This story also shows how she copes with her difficult life, and how she still enjoys it. The majority of this story takes place in the town of Molching, Germany, between 1939 and 1943. Narrated by Death, The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, who was only nine years old when she was given up by her mom to live with the Hubermanns, Hans and Rosa, in the town of Molching in the year of 1939. On their way to Molching, Liesel’s younger brother dies. This causes Liesel to have nightmares about him for months. Hans gains Liesel’s trust when he comforts her when she wakes up from her nightmares. In school, Liesel is teased because she did not know how to read. Hans Hubermann is a man that helps Liesel learn to read, beginning with The Grave Digger’s Handbook, a book that Liesel stole from the cemetery where her younger brother was buried. Liesel then meets and befriends Rudy Steiner, her neighbor, who becomes her best friend. At a book burning during Hitler’s birthday, Liesel is seen stealing The Shoulder Shrug by the mayor’s wife, Ilsa Hubermann. Ilsa later invites Liesel to read in her

Unfortunately, there was an air raid that killed Hans, Rosa, Rudy, and everyone else in the block. When she was rescued from the rubble, she find’s Rudy’s dead body and finally gives him the kiss he’s always wanted. When she is taken away, she leaves her finished book, “The Book Thief”. Death rescues the book and waits to give it to Liesel when she is no longer alive. The Mayor and Ilsa Hermann then take Liesel in to live with them after she has no one left. When the concentration camps were liberated, Liesel was helping Rudy’s father. She was then surprised by a visit from Max. They hugged and cried together. When Liesel grows up, she moves to Australia, where Death finally takes her. When she dies, Death shows her the book she wrote many years ago in her 33 Himmel Street