Independent Reading Assignment Morgan Swiers
English 9 Block 4B
The central aspiration of any literary work is to captivate the reader and immerse them in the vastness of their imagination. An author is able to establish a deeper connection between the reader and the text through the incorporation of various literary elements. Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, uses many aspects of literature to shape the novel and exquisitely portray the events of the story. The imaginative and unique use of elements such as irony, foreshadowing, and point of view certainly contribute to the grandeur of this book.
Markus Zusak incorporates many literary devices into his work The Book Thief that undoubtedly enhance the telling of the story,
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an example being the point of view from which the story is told. The novel is narrated from a very unique perspective. The narrator introduces himself in the following quote. “I could introduce myself properly, but it’s not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away” (Zusak 4). It is told in the first person by a being that identifies himself as Death. The narrator is not exactly a character within the story, although he does take part in a limited number of scenes and frequently contributes his own ideas or thoughts throughout the book. This makes his perspective different in that he does not take part in any of the plot events directly. Essentially, Death is telling the story of a young girl named Liesel as he knows from the story she has written in her notebook. The narrator is nearly omniscient, which allows the story to progress from the specific to the general. It also allows for distance from the story of Liesel and gives the narrator an opportunity to add intervals of his own thoughts and feelings. Death is able to move forward and backward in time and bounce around while storytelling. The author clearly wants to provide the reader with Liesel’s point of view as well as knowledge that she would have no way of knowing. Including not only one character’s perspective but also outside information gives the reader a different view, because they are given the whole of the story instead of one part, or perspective. If the book were to be told from the point of view of one person, the perspective would be much more limited. Another literary element that appears frequently in The Book Thief is irony.
In literature, the purpose of irony differs depending on the author’s objectives, but ultimately it adds a certain element to the story that is inimitable. Authors often use irony to confuse, mislead, or puzzle the reader or to make them reconsider what they have just read. An example of situational irony is shown in the subsequent quotation. “It was dark when he arrived home. It was a day later than expected, as the train was delayed due to an air-raid scare. He stood at the door of 33 Himmel Street and made a fist” (Zusak 492). Han’s return directly contradicts the expectations of both the reader and Liesel and Rosa Hubermann. Neither had expected Han’s return to occur so suddenly; both the reader and the characters were not expecting Hans to come home before the end of his full-term military service. The main purpose of irony in literature is to encourage the reader to really think about and analyze the given event. The reader was not expecting a plot twist and was required to rethink the previous …show more content…
events. An additional example of how the use of literary devices can change how a writing affects a reader is how foreshadowing is portrayed in The Book Thief.
Foreshadowing is a literary technique used to incite a sense of suspense. An effective use of foreshadowing offers the reader a hint of what is to come but doesn’t reveal enough to spoil the upcoming events. An example of foreshadowing is displayed in the succeeding quotation. “From the toolbox, the boy took out, of all things, a teddy bear. He reached in through the torn windshield and placed it on the pilot’s chest. The smiling bear sat huddled among the crowded wreckage of the man and the blood. A few minutes later, I took my chance. The time was right” (Zusak 10). This quote foreshadows the event to take place further on in the book where Rudy Steiner approaches the airplane while in possession of a toolbox. He observed the man and the blood and proceeded to lay the teddy bear down on his chest before he passed. The author’s effective use of foreshadowing improves the story and seizes the interest of the
reader. The effective use of various literary devices can easily transform unpretentious narratives into stunning works of art. An author possesses the power to not only intrigue, but also fully immerse the reader in thought. The incorporation of these literary elements enhances writing and gives a much greater depth and profundity to the text. The combination of numerous literary aspects is the basis for writing incredible stories that the reader can easily get lost in. It causes the words to come alive on the paper and ultimately create a much deeper meaning for the reader.
“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak is narrated by death and begins when Liesel’s brother dies on a train with her and her mother. At her brother’s burial, she steals her first book, “The Grave Digger’s Handbook” and soon after is separated from her mother and sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, in Molching, where the majority of the book takes place. At school, Liesel is teased because she can’t read so Hans teaches her to read when she wakes up from her frequent nightmares about her brother’s death. Hans is a painter and an accordion player and also plays the accordion for her after her nightmares. Liesel grows very close with Hans and also becomes close friends with her neighbor Rudy Steiner who constantly asks her to
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.
In The Book Thief, author Markus Zusak tells the tragic story of Liesel Meminger and her experiences in 1939 Nazi Germany. Zuzak incorporates compelling literary devices such as toe curling foreshadowing, personification, and vivid imagery in the form of simile and metaphors to grasp the readers’ interest. Zusak’s use of various literary devices helps to deepen the text and morals of the story, and makes the dramatic historical novel nearly impossible to put down.
In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak the narrator is Death, who shows itself as sympathetic and sensitive towards the suffering of the world and the cruel human nature, through its eyes, we can get to know the heartbreaking story of Liesel Meminger an ordinary, but very lucky nine-year old German girl; living in the midst of World War II in Germany. In this book the author provides a different insight and observation about humanity during this time period from a German view and not an Allied perspective, as we are used to.
Since the emergence of literature, thousands upon thousands of characters have graced our imaginations. From trouble maker Bart Simpson of the celebrated cartoon television series The Simpsons to Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen’s renowned novel Pride and Prejudice, the world has witnessed a plethora of characters in literature. Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, and Billy Collins, distinguished American poet, as well as countless other authors, share the utilization of characters in their literary works. The manner in which these authors use the literary element of characters varies immensely.
The reader starts out with a real hatred for the antagonists, but eventually comes to like them. The author does a wonderful job at convincing the reader to empathize with the kidnappers. Using the three methods that I have talked about, he makes the reader feel completely opposite than what the reader would expect to feel. Combining excellent writing skills, a great plot, and an interesting technique, the author accomplishes a great story while making the reader empathize with the "bad guys", who might not be so bad after all.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl of about ten years of age, who is fostered by the Hubermanns’, in a small town in Germany between 1939 and 1943. In the prologue, the reader is informed that ‘It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery’. It is however, much more. Despite the immense sadness and heartache of the overarching context, Zusak employs powerful techniques including; Death’s distinctive narrative voice, the symbolism of words and the inclusion of graphic stories to encourage the reader to feel enlivened throughout the story.
1. Irony is a useful device for giving stories many unexpected twists and turns. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," irony is used very effectively in her story. Situational irony is used to show the reader what is assumed to happen sometimes doesn't. Dramatic irony is used to hint to the reader something is happening to the characters in the story that they do not know about. Irony is used throughout Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" through the use of situational irony and the use of dramatic irony.
Words, so simple, yet are the most powerful ways of communication. The weight of words is one of most impactful themes in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, and is felt throughout the entire novel. The Book Thief is a story that takes place during World War II, and follows the Hubermann family and friendships as the Narrator: Death follows them through their journey of Germany in 1939. Hans Hubermann is one of the greatest supporters of words right next to the Book Thief herself, Liesel Meminger. Words are emphasized through stolen books, spoken conversations, and thoughts of the characters. Hans Hubermann backs Liesel’s desire to read through many long nights, protects Max Vandenburg while in hiding, and consistently stands up against the dehumanization
There is no doubt that the presence of dreams and dreaming are prominent in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. The analysis of these dreams reveal that they are extremely important in the role of connecting characters, revealing characters’ traits, and helping emphasize the symbolic power of words.
Through ‘The Book Thief’, Markus Zusak has demonstrated his writing to be poignant, poetic, and profound. He is a writer of brilliance, a poet, the Picasso of words, a literary marvel.
Death states that, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both” (Zusak 491). This book shows us human doing things that weren’t even imaginable before this point. Many people give into ideas that were lies. But, we also watch a few people go out of their way and sacrifice everything for a man they barely even know. They do everything they can to keep him safe and alive. They work harder, the get another job, and they even steal. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, death examines the ugliness and the beauty of humans.
In The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, beauty and brutality is seen in many of the characters. Rudy, Liesel, and Rosa display examples of beauty and brutality often without realizing what exactly they are doing, because it is a part of their human nature. Zusak not only uses his characters, but also the setting of the novel in Nazi Germany to allude to his theme of the beauty and brutality of human nature. The time in which the novel is set, during World War II, displays great examples of beauty and brutality, such as the mistreatment of the Jews. As a result of this time period, the characters have to go through troubling times, which reveals their beautiful and brutal nature in certain circumstances. Zusak uses his characters and their experiences to demonstrate the theme of the beauty and brutality of human nature in the novel.
Throughout life many people face difficulties. Depending on the person’s strength some will get through tough times, but some will fail to overcome them. Two books where characters have to face many challenges include: Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Book Thief. These two stories deal with people overcoming the difficulties faced throughout everyday life. Some difficulties include racism, religious discrimination, and dealing with others’ cruelness or kindness. Examples from these books prove that the characters have challenges throughout the stories to overcome. In the face of adversity what causes some individuals to fail while others prevail?
Irony is a useful device for giving stories many unexpected twists and turns. In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour," irony is used as an effective literary device. Situational irony is used to show the reader that what is expected to happen sometimes doesn't. Dramatic irony is used to clue the reader in on something that is happening that the characters in the story do not know about. Irony is used throughout Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" through the use of situational irony and the use of dramatic irony.