Markus Zusak’s sanguine novel The Book Thief illustrates the austere story of a Jewish foster girl living amidst the cruelty and devastation of World War II. Liesel Meminger, an intelligent and kind-hearted youngster stricken by family tragedy, must contend with both physical and emotional conflict as she and her friends cope with the atrocities of life in Nazi Germany. In spite of the chaos encompassing their lives, Liesel and her allies manage to find peace and resilience through love and compassion.…
In Markus Zusak's ‘The Book Thief’, an illiterate naive child, Liesel Meminger steals books. The books stolen by Liesel represent her grievance, defiance, and growth. Zusak uses books as important symbols throughout his story.…
The Book Thief takes place in Nazi Germany with a girl named Liesel Meminger. Her mother gives her up to the Hubermanns because they are being persecuted for their communist beliefs. The Hubermanns are nice people; there is Rosa who is a stout and abrasive woman and then there is Hans who is an affable and kind man. Liesel loves to read and learn new words. One day Hans gets a letter from the army saying they need him for battle. That night Hans is at the bar drinking away his fears and sorrow when he takes out his accordion. Hans performs for everyone who is able to hear.…
This photograph shows a man giving his sandals to a homeless girl in Rio de Janeiro. This picture shows significance because the man showed empathy to the girl and he cared about how bad she was living. It also shows that the man gave his sandals to her because she needed it more than he did. This picture is similar to the scene in the Book Thief where Hans Hubermann offers a piece of bread to the Jew. Personal Reflection Personally, I think that relationships do not always involve two people who are in love with each other, but it also involves friendship and family.…
Markus Zusak’s poignant novel The Book Thief chronicles the struggles of a young bibliophile who suffers great losses during the time of the Holocaust. Death trails Liesel Meminger as she slowly develops literacy and a passion for pilfering novels. The theme of death recurs throughout the novel as it presents itself continuously within tragedy and suffering.…
A novel would be meaningless without theme. The theme is what the author intends the reader to understand through the reading of the novel. Mark Zusak in The Book Thief , encompasses the use of imagery , diction , tone , syntax and detail all to portray theme of the novel. Zusak employs the theme that words are powerful , they can trigger violence but also constitute peace. The theme that words are powerful is illuminated throughout the novel. For example , in Max’s dream Hitler through just the use of words convinces the entire nation of Germany to turn against Max. Another prime example of the power of words is expressed through Max’s novel “The Word Shaker”. In this short story Max describes the power of words , and also reiterates that…
In cinematic performances, Death is often portrayed as heartless and also often exemplifies the characteristics of a malevolent character. However, contrary to this popular concept, the character of death in The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, has a very humane personality, with his ability to feel pain, sympathy, and humor causing him to defy most stereotypes set by other portrayals. In the novel, he narrates the life of a girl named Liesel, a German citizen who lost her parents and her brother at an early age and has been adopted by two foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermman. It is within this narration that Death reveals is compassion for humanity.…
This passage makes me feel sad because of the sudden death of Liesel. As a result, this prompts me into realizing that one of theme of this book is about how life is unpredictable. An example of this is when Liesel dies without warning. I can relate to this theme because a friend of mine from elementary has committed suicide and none of her friends knew until her parents posted a post on Facebook declaring that she has died. Therefore, I've learned that cherishing the people around me is important as they might die without warning, like…
Children these days worry about many things, from having the newest style of clothing, to fitting in with friends. Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak had many more serious things to worry about. Being a foster girl from Munich in Nazi Germany during World War II also treats Leisel horribly, for she runs into many problems. Not only is World War II terrifying for Liesel, but it is also terrifying to many people in her life. This book is considered a classic because Liesel’s life as a righteous Gentile is relatable, captivating, and universally accepted.…
Markus Zusak is an Australian author best known for writing The Book Thief. The Book Thief is narrated by Death and is the story of Liesel Meminger, a nine year old German girl who goes to live with her foster parents, Rosa and Hans Hubermann in Molching. The Book Thief takes place in 1939, right before the beginning of World War 2. One of the many themes shown in The Book Thief is the theme of identity and belonging. The book portrays the struggles the characters go through to find their sense of belonging. After Liesel loses her parents to “communism” and her brother to sickness, she finds herself in a foster home very lost and alone. Being a Jewish person during World War 2 meant that you were an outcast. Max Vandenburg, a Jewish man, had…
In the Historical Fiction novel, The Book Thief, author Markus Zusak illustrates the importance of words and friendship during the Nazi rule in Germany. The first spark of friendship between Hans and Liesel ignites when they learn to read and write together. Because of Liesel's ability to read, Max and Liesel become instant friends. The importance of words and the kinship that comes with proves relevant throughout the entire story. The author uses the relationship of Hans and Liesel to demonstrate how reading and writing can bloom into a thriving friendship and the relationship of Liesel and Max to demonstrate how words can provide the ability to survive in a crisis.…
In The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak, the narrator, Death, tells the life story of a young girl named Liesel Meminger during World War II. He explains the events and challenges Liesel experiences due to Hitler’s words and influence. In this passage, the author uses diction, imagery, and details to help the reader imagine and have a deeper understanding of the events taking place and the character’s thoughts and feelings.…
She is beginning to grasp the concept of reading and is seeing the effect words can have on people. She sees that words can be weapons. During the 1940’s, Hitler was in power. Hitler used words instead of guns and money to take over. He manipulated and tricked people into believing what he was doing was right. This shows that words can give someone the ability to rule and take charge if used in the right way. On page 262, Liesel is very rude to Frau Hermann. Liesel gets very angry that Isla cancelled her washing and uses words to insult Ilsa Hermann and damage the relationship they had. Later on Liesel apologises to Ilsa, but before she does, she feels terrible about the nasty things she…
As seen by the reader throughout the novel, it is evident that Liesel is traumatized by the events that occur during her childhood. As a girl, Liesel is seen to go through many difficult times, in which she needs the constant support of her foster parents but does not receive that. She tries her best to stand alone but realizes that it is not possible because of the situations she faces. This is demonstrated when the author writes,…
Liesel has lost and suffered so much in life. She was raised without a father, and later given to a foster home. Being raised by a single mother, their family was very poor and didn’t get a lot of food. Sadly, on the train ride to the foster family the two kids would live in, Werner, her brother, passed away. Leisel could see “without question that her younger brother, Werner, was now sideways and dead. His blue eyes stared at the floor. Seeing nothing,” (20).…