’’Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver. Like soft silver…..upon seeing those eyes,she understood Hans Hubermann was worth a lot.’’ (Zusak,34) Liesel saw kindness in Hans Hubermanns eyes which made her feels more comfortable with him rather than Rosa Hubermann. Hans is a very caring and selfless father figure in Liesel's life. He treated her with plenty of care and affection.’Unofficially, it was called the midnight class, even though it commenced at around two in the morning.’’(Zusak,30) Hans would get up to read to Liesel when ever she would have nightmares which would then lead to their late reading sessions in the basement. No matter how tired he was, he would always make
The context behind the author of Lord of the Flies is significant to the meaning of the novel, it shapes the decisions behind what occurs in the text, Willian Goudlings’s participation in World War One, conflicted his feelings towards human kind and their destructive and evil notions.
" 'They [fallen dominos] look like dead bodies' "(Zusak 410). Noticed Kurt from Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Kurt was using the dominos to symbolize something other than what the eyes see, the front cover of the book utilizes this technique as well. Within just the one picture on the front cover lies a whole new understanding of the book. The front cover of the book explains, shows, and foreshadows events in the book. The cover of The Book Thief holds symbolism in the way you see the dominos, the pushing over of the dominos, and even the title of the book.
In The Book Thief, author Markus Zusak communicates an over-arching topic. This topic is; all objects convey dark tones. The idea is transmitted into the writing subtly throughout the excerpt, as well as the story.
Human nature has many elements that reveal the growth and personality of a person. In Markus Zusak’s “The Book Thief”, the author successfully portrays various aspects of human nature through Hans’ conflicts that originate from the tough reality that he lives in. Elements of human nature can be seen as a result of Hans’ constant struggles with guilt, kindness, and love.
Liesel’s mom leaves her with foster parents because she wishes to protect her from the fate she is enduring. The words Paula, Liesel’s mom, uses go against Hitler because she is a communist which resulted in her being taken away and Liesel to lose her mother and experience the loss of her. This shows Liesel experiences unhappiness because of her mother’s disappearance which is caused by the words she openly uses that contradicts Hitler.
Two very opposite emotions that can come from a common source; love. The centre of many emotions, one of which is peace. The peace that comes from a long life surrounded by loved ones or a death that will reunite a person with them. The first of which is Hans Hubermann, who has a soul that that very few have. One that is content with the life that they have lived, enough to greet death when he arrives where his soul can move on “to other places” (532). When death takes Hans from the house, his soul whispers one name; Liesel, yet Hans allows death to take him anyway. This illustrates how Hans knows that one day he will be reunited with Liesel and is patient enough to wait for her time. While Hans Hubermann is waiting for his loved ones Frau Holtzapfel is ready to join hers. After the passing of both of her sons, she was a broken woman awaiting death. When he came for her “her face seemed to ask just what in the hell had taken so long” (530). Frau Holtzapfel’s love for her two children was so strong that she believed her life was no longer worth living. Her peace would come when she was in the beyond with her children. Unlike Frau Holtzapfel, Liesel did not wish for death, but she did greet it the same way as her papa. Liesel’s life was long after the war but full of love and “in her final visions, she saw her three children, her grandchildren, her husband, and the long list of lives that merged with hers. Among them, lit like lanterns, were Hans and Rosa
Most of the characters in The Book Thief have been faced with oppression. In my opinion, Liesel has faced oppression the most. Liesel has gone from a shy, quiet girl to a girl that is adventurous and daring. She isnt scared anymore. Liesel was put into foster care. Her mother was not able to care for her anymore and that put a huge weight on Liesle's shoulders. On the way to Hans and Rosa Hubermans, her brother died. Liesel was very upset and I think at that time Liesel changed. She was depressed and angry. She didnt understand why her brother had to die and she didnt understand why she was being put in a foster home. Also, when the Hubermans decided to hide a jew Liesel made a promise to Papa to not tell anyone and since Max was a secret it
Approximately 6 million Jews were killed in the holocaust People often use words to hurt, manipulate, and bully others. Markus Zusak uses the book thief to portray how Hitler uses the power of words to commit genocide. In the book thief Zusak's use of similes, metaphors ,and allusions show how words and propaganda can be used to manipulate and hurt people.
The Book Thief is based in Germany 1938, in a fictional town called Molching. Germany in 1938, censored many things books, newspapers, religion, and freedom of speech in a strict all-powerful dictatorship. When Liesel arrives to Molching, she is introduced to her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa. She goes to her very first book burning organized by the Nazis to celebrate Adolph Hitler's birthday. Liesel doesn't really know what it means to be living in Nazi Germany and hears a Nazi spokesman calling for the death of Communists as well as Jews. Liesel's foster parents, Hans and Rosa, are forced to hide a Jewish boy named Max in their home whose father saved Hans life once before. Hans made a promise to Max's mother that if she ever needed anything
The Book Thief is a thought provoking novel narrated by death during the Second World War. The novel begins with the protagonist, Liesel, her mother and younger brother Werner who are travelling to Munich where the children are going to be taken into foster care. Werner suddenly dies as a result of poverty stricken conditions and the journey is interrupted by his burial.
In the book The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, I constant theme that I noticed that continued on throughout the whole book was Judgment. I choose this theme because sense the whole book was based off the time and era of the Holocaust, there was obviously a imbalance of power, but the imbalance had to do with the judgment the Nazis had on Jews, as well as the Jews judgment on the Nazis. Now I have to make my seed theme more complex; Judgment is crucial for making decisions. Your judgment isn’t always right, judgment has a lot to do with a opinion, so it is important to stay neutral.
In modern times, it is assumed that a child with a proper upbringing and diligent parents will grow to become society’s epitome of a perfect citizen. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the development of human nature is explored as well as how experiences, relationships, and environment affect them. Rudy Steiner, a main character in the novel, represents someone who is raised to adhere to Nazi propaganda yet does not because of his experiences. On the other end, Max Vandenburg demonstrates a character who is raised to believe he is a scourge on German society but remains good because of his relationships. Lastly, Hans Junior is an example of someone whose humanity is influenced by
The trauma and tragedy of Liesel’s life is evident from the very beginning of the novel. In the first chapter she watches her brother die and then be buried in a cold, anonyms field. Soon after only to be give to foster parents, leaving a resounding feeling of abandonment. “The car moved on, with Liesel dreading the last, lethal turn.” (P27, L9). This quote captures a moment in Liesel’s head while she is in the car driving away from her mother and towards unknown foster parents, an unknown town and essentially an unknown way of life. Consequently, it exhibits her dread for the situation and hints that she thinks that taking this step into the unknown will be deadly. However, Liesel finds ways to blossom in the face of such adversity. Max joins her in the Hubermann household, and soon is forced to hide away in the icy, dark basement. Their friendship flourishes none the less, and one afternoon when Liesel descends the stairs into the basement to boast to Max of her soccer
If you were a German citizen during World War II, do you think you would be a Nazi? Most people would say no even though, in actuality, most people would be. It is because people need to succumb to societal expectations to survive in a society such as that of Germany during WWII and in the book, The Book Thief, this theme of individual versus society is explored with people complying and fighting social expectations. Sometimes people side with the Nazi Party out of fear of being targeted and other times fight against Nazi Party because of love for their family and fellow man with usually terrible consequences. In The Book Thief, the theme of the individual versus society is shown many times with characters conforming and defying social expectations.
Words are things we utilize and hear constantly, although they give us the ability to interact, they are unquestionably not as compelling or manipulative as they can potentially be. In the novel, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, words are utilized to make goodness, solace, and rational soundness in a period of war. When utilized by the right person, words can control any man into altering his opinion, the premise of Hitler's propaganda techniques. Finally, basic discussions can even give somebody the capacity to live, or they can mean the end, the end of their capable, word filled life. Words can impact individuals and occasions decidedly if utilized accurately; their energy to unite individuals and solace them is second to none. Words gave