(City and colour’s song lyrics “Against the Grain”, Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.”)
We are driven to journey by the hope that one day we will come to a place that transforms us. For the characters in Marcus Zusak’s novel The Book Thief, the physical and emotional journey encountered in Nazi Germany ultimately transforms all the characters. In a similar fashion, Robert Frosts persona in The Road Not Taken, believes that his journey, as a symbol of choice in life “has made all the difference.” Finally, City and Colour, in the song lyrics Against the Grain, believes that by “following your heart”, that you will overcome the darkness of your journey. These journeys are represented by composers through an array of themes and techniques, which provide meaning and engage audiences.
In Marcus Zusak’s novel, The Book Thief, the concept of journey has been explored through a number of stages, including physical and inner journeys. Through the narrator Death, the composer uses the technique of foreshadowing, revealing each characters journey in advance. At the beginning of the novel it is a physical journey that Liesel is forced to take while coping with her brothers death and separation from her birth mother. The obstacle of illiteracy becomes obvious “Then they discovered she couldn’t read or write.” Upon meeting her foster parents the Hubermans, many more obstacles that she will encounter become apparent. Further stages in Liesel’s journey include her gaining knowledge of words. As she overcame the obstacle of illiteracy, she developed a love and fascination for books. Liesel’s grasp of words is an important aspect of her journey as she grows and transforms into a more confident person. Zusak uses words and propaganda as a key theme in the novel. Her inner journey is developed as she gains an understanding of Hitler’s propaganda; the basis of his power and the