Analytical Essay On The Book Thief

According to Society- A Book Thief Analysis

Everyone has done something that may seem wrong in society’s eyes, but these decisions or actions could end up changing society’s view about the situation. This is the case for characters in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The Book Thief is about a girl named Liesel who struggles to readjust to her new home with Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Along the way, she makes new friends such as Max Vandenburg, the son of a man that Hans is in debt to, and Rudy Steiner, a young boy who lives near Liesel. Over the course of the book, Liesel learns just how powerful words can be, and how society can impact one’s decisions. One of the main themes in the book is that sometimes going against society will lead to the

better.
When Hans gives a Jew a piece of bread, it becomes a large impact on the Hubermann’s life, but not in the long run. During Jewish persecution by the Nazis, Death narrates that “All of the Jews were emaciated and malnourished- most displayed suffering faces and ẗheir eyes were enormous in their starving skulls¨ (Zusak 391). The following quote exhibits Hans’ action toward a Jew. “Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic.” (Zusak 394). When Hans gives the piece of bread to the Jew, it ends with forcing Max to leave the Hubermann’s abode to avoid being captured and sent to a labor camp. Despite their attempts, it is revealed later in the book that Max Vandenburg was indeed captured and sent to a camp. If Max never had to leave the Hubermann’s home, he could have died in the catastrophic air raid. In the chapter titled “The Sound of Sirens”, Max’s living environment is described that he resides “...camouflaged among the painting materials and fabric” (Zusak 377). It was also described that he lives underneath the stairs. When the bombs fell, the stairs could have easily crushed him. Overall, Hans might have done wrong in society’s point of view, but it changed Max Vandenburg’s life for the better, just like Hans’ life was changed for the better by a man named no other than Erik Vandenburg.
Erik Vandenburg gave up his life for Hans Hubermann on a fateful day in France during the Great War.

Erik had volunteered Hans to stay and not fight in the war because “If someone stepped forward now, the platoon would make his life a living hell for the rest of their time together. No one likes a coward” (Zusak 177). If Erik never volunteered Hans, they both would have died in the war. The following quote is said by Erik Vandenburg when he volunteered Hans before the battle was to take place. “It said ‘Hubermann, sir.’ The voice belonged to Erik Vandenburg. He obviously thought that today wasn’t the appropriate time for his friend to die” (Zusak 177). Again, this quote elaborates how doing the wrong thing in society can lead to the better. Erik Vandenburg volunteered Hans Hubermann for good handwriting and it ended up saving Hans’ life because he didn’t go into battle that day. If Hans were to have died in the battle, Liesel may not have been adopted by the Hubermanns and she might have been killed along with her mother and brother- being branded as a Communist. Without Liesel, none of the events concerning her and others she influenced would have taken place. She never would have become the book thief that defines her personality, and she never would meet Ilsa Hermann, a woman who is still in distraught because of her son’s death, years

later.
Ilsa Hermann is a complex character. She lives on 8 Grande Strasse and happens to be the mayor’s wife. Liesel gets to know Frau Hermann because Rosa, Liesel’s adoptive mother, does the Hermann’s laundry. Despite coming out as nice, even after she finds out Liesel had stolen a book from a book burning, the people of Molching believe she is insane. In the quote below, it delineates Liesel yelling harshly at Ilsa Hermann about her dead son after Rosa was fired. “‘It’s about time,’ she informed her, ‘that you do your own stinking washing anyway. It’s about time you faced the fact that your son is dead. He got killed!’” (Zusak 262). When Liesel yells at Frau Hermann, it helps Ilsa wake up and come back to reality while also receiving closure for her dead son, Johann Hermann. While Ilsa Hermann does face the direct fact of how oblivious she has been all of this time, she knows it’s time to let it go, though she will never really let the thought of Johann rest in peace. Albeit, Frau Hermann gets the chance after she came back into existence in the world, she gets a chance to right all of her wrongs, starting off by apologizing to Liesel for her behavior. People cannot truly reach a closure until all of their wrongs are turned to right.
Overall, readers should believe that it isn’t always bad to go against society. Sometimes, it will change their lives for good. If an individual never expresses themselves, or shows their true colors for the world to see, they’ll always remain as just another person; they’ll always be a follower to society, and not a leader against their own beliefs. People in life have to stand up for what they believe, even if they think it is the wrong decision. Who knows? That decision they thought was wrong, could perhaps change the whole world for good. The Book Thief teaches readers that doing the wrong thing in society’s eye can eventually lead to the better. It also shows readers the true power of words against the world. Little things can make a difference, no matter what the reader may think. It can, and will make a difference; just believe.