The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is intriguing in the sense that it conveys the story of a young girl in Nazi Germany from the perspective of Death himself. Throughout this book, Death points out the destruction humanity causes, and this destruction comes in two forms: both physical, as well as emotional. Since this book is set in World War II, and physical destruction is a common occurrence during this time, Death frequently discusses its different forms, which include Jewish internment camps, bullets, bombs, as well as fires. These physical forms of destruction lead to deaths, as well as injuries that can take a toll on the emotional states of humans. Therefore, through Death’s descriptions of the many forms of physical destruction, as well …show more content…
as emotional devastation in Liesel’s life, readers can discern Death’s belief that humanity is indeed destructive, being a harm to itself, as well as to the physical world. Through the effects of the war on Liesel’s life, Death conveys to readers the destructive effects that humanity can have on the physical world.
In the following quote, Death cynically explains, “... the human race likes to crank things up a little. They increase the production of bodies and their escaping souls. A few bombs usually do the trick. Or some gas chambers, or the chitchat of faraway guns. If none of that finishes proceedings, it at least strips people of their living arrangements, and I witness the homeless everywhere.” (308) The above quote demonstrates how humanity is physically destructive, through the use of bombs, gas chambers, as well as guns. In addition, when Death claims “the human race likes to crank things up a little”, he hints at the fact that humans also have the capability to escalate with this kind of destruction. Additionally, Death sarcastically uses common phrases and words such as “do the trick”, as well as “chitchat” to claim that physical destruction is a common theme in humanity. Likewise, when Death describes the effect of the Allies’ bomb on Himmel Street, his description underscores the seriousness of this event. He claims, “The bombs came down, and soon, the clouds would bake and the cold raindrops would turn to ash. Hot snowflakes would shower to the ground. In short, Himmel Street was flattened. Houses were splashed from one side of the street to the other. A framed photo of a very serious- looking Führer was bashed and beaten on the …show more content…
shattered floor. Yet he smiled, in that serious way of his.” (498) In the above quote, Death compares the bombing of Himmel Street to a rainstorm, or a snowstorm, which are common events. Thus, this quote adds to the previous one to show Death’s belief that humans harm the physical world frequently. Death also describes an image of the Führer, consequently referring to the man whose words were the catalyst for this destruction in the first place, strengthening his belief that humans are the ones that are the causes for every kind of physical destruction. Additionally, the smiling image of this man underscores the belief that humans have no regrets when causing destruction, accordingly letting Death hint at the fact that all humanity, is indeed physically, as well as possibly mentally destructive. In conclusion, Death’s descriptions of the different kinds of physical destruction demonstrates Death’s belief that humanity destroys the physical world. Death also emphasizes that any form of physical destruction done by humanity can also lead to emotional devastation. When Michael Holtzapfel’s brother dies while fighting in the war, the guilt of living eventually causes this man to kill himself. In his suicide note to his mother (Frau Holtzapfel), he writes, “Dear Mama, Can you ever forgive me? I just couldn’t stand it any longer. I’m meeting Robert. I don’t care what the damn Catholics say about it. There must be a place in heaven for those who have been where I have been. You might think I don’t love you because of what I’ve done, but I do. Your Michael” (504) This quote elucidates how physical destruction in the form of the war directly affects Michael Holtzapfel’s life, leading to emotional devastation for his mother.
Due to his brother’s death while fighting alongside him in the war, Michael becomes emotionally devastated, and as a result, experiences survivor’s guilt, leading to his suicide. Although this letter is not from Death’s perspective, it still highlights an example of how physical destruction caused by humans can lead to emotional devastation for other humans. Death himself becomes emotionally devastated when Rudy Steiner, Liesel’s best friend, dies from the bomb on Himmel Street. He confesses, “Oh crucified Christ, Rudy … He lay in bed with one of his sisters. She must have kicked him or muscled her way into the majority of the bed space because he was on the very edge with his arm around her … Where was Rudy’s comfort? Where was someone to alleviate this robbery of his life? … He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.” (531) This quote shows that Death is emotionally affected by the aftermath of the bomb, because he loses someone that he admires. As a result, Death feels like crying, and leads readers to believe that humanity is destructive. As a result, numerous examples from the book, including Death’s own experience, demonstrate that humanity has the capability to harm the physical world, as well as other
humans. Throughout The Book Thief, it is made evident that humanity is the main cause for all destruction that is done to the physical world. In addition, this physical destruction is often emotionally devastating for individuals. For example, after the bomb on Himmel Street, Death claims that it is “flattened”, therefore describing the aftermath of this physical destruction. As a result, many residents on that street die, including Rudy Steiner. Death, who appreciates Rudy, becomes emotionally devastated. In addition, Michael Holtzapfel becomes emotionally devastated when his brother dies in the war. As a result, Michael develops survivor’s guilt and eventually commits suicide, which in turn devastates his mother. Therefore, readers can be certain about Death’s perspective that humanity is inherently destructive. In conclusion, Zusak reminds readers that humanity is the reason for all of its own troubles, whether they are about the physical world, or emotional state.
In Markus Zusak’s novel, the book thief, Liesel Meminger is surrounded by death and fear as that is the norm in the 1930’s. Liesel is a strong young girl who has been deeply affected by her brother’s death and her mother leaving her and finds comfort in ‘The Grave Digger’s Handbook’, the book she stole at the site of her brother’s burial. Throughout the novel Liesel finds comfort in other books and reads them to escape the terrible reality that is Nazi Germany. Together with books she overcomes obstacles she wouldn't have been able to do without them
A example why people are brutal in The Book Thief is when the bomber planes were dropping bombs on the small town killing many people. My thoughts on this is even though the Nazi started this doesn’t mean they should kill innocent families.
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.
’’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.
In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel Meminger, an orphaned little girl living in Nazi Germany, evolves partly through her numerous literary thefts. At her younger brother’s gravesite, she steals her first book, The Grave Digger’s Handbook, which teaches her not only the method to physically bury her brother, but also lets her emotionally bury him and move on. The theft of her next book, The Shoulder Shrug, from a book burning marks the start of Liesel’s awareness and resistance to the Nazi regime. As a story with a Jewish protagonist “who [is] tired of letting life pass him by – what he refer[s] to as the shrugging of the shoulders to the problems and pleasures of a person’s time on earth,” this novel prepares her both for resisting the
Often, we find ourselves facing dramatic events in our lives that force us to re-evaluate and redefine ourselves. Such extraordinary circumstances try to crush the heart of the human nature in us. It is at that time, like a carbon under pressure, the humanity in us either shatters apart exposing our primal nature, or transforms into a strong, crystal-clear brilliant of compassion and self sacrifice. The books Night written by Elie Wiesel and Hiroshima written by John Hersey illustrate how the usual lifestyle might un-expectantly change, and how these changes could affect the human within us. Both books display how lives of civilians were interrupted by the World War II, what devastations these people had to undergo, and how the horrific circumstances of war were sometimes able to bring out the best in ordinary people.
The Holocaust is marked as one of the most horrifying events of the 20th century.The person who was responsible for the Holocaust was Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party. The question is, how, and why was Hitler able to do this? The actual truth behind all this is that, Hitler could make the world his, just by using words. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, it tells a story about a young girl growing up when Nazi Germany was invincible. The author explores some very meaningful, yet, controversial themes for the most part of the novel. Out of all themes, he believes that words hold a remarkable power. He explores how words manipulate, divide, and connect people.
Mr. Wiesel had intended this book to describe a period of time in his life that had been dark and sorrowful. This novel is based on a survivor of the greatest Holocaust in history, Eliezer Wiesel and his journey of being a Jew in 1944. The journey had started in Sighet, Transylvania, where Elie spent his childhood. During the Second World War, Germans came to Elie and his family’s home town. They brought with them unnecessary evil and despair to mankind. Shortly after young Elie and thousands of other Jews were forced from their habitats and torn from their rights of being human. They were sent to different concentration camps. Elie and his family were sent to Auschwitz, a concentration and extermination camp. It would be the last time Elie sees his mother and little sister, Tzipora. The first sights of Auschwitz were terrifying. There were big flames coming from the burning of bodies and the crematoriums. The Jews had no idea of what to expect. They were not told what was about to happen to them. During the concentration camp, there was endless death and torture. The Jews were starved and were treated worse than cattle. The prisoners began to question their faith in God, wondering why God himself would
German citizens had to endure a challenging lifestyle, presented by Adolf Hitler, of fascism, the holocaust, Jewish laws and propaganda during World War II. From 1939-1942, Nazi Germany affected the lives of Jews, Gypsies, Slavic people, and other groups living in Germany by getting rid of the undesirables, known as the Holocaust. Only Germans with the look of blond hair and blue eyes were even considered to live, only if he or she had no defects or disabilities, anyone else was sent to and killed in concentration camps. The Book Thief takes place in a town near Munich, Germany during this time of the holocaust. The novel focuses on the lives of the people and how they cope and deal with the immediate effects of WWII. It emphasizes the danger of hiding a Jew in a family’s basement, and how they are constantly paranoid of being caught.
A crucial concept developed throughout Survival in Auschwitz and The Drowned and the Saved is the process of “the demolition of a man” through useless acts of violence. In order for the Nazis to control and murder without regard or guilt, they had to diminish men into subhumans. Those who entered the camps were stripped of their dignity and humanity, devoid of any personal identity. Men and women were reduced to numbers in a system that required absolute submission, which placed them in an environment where they had to struggle to survive and were pitted against their fellow prisoners. The purpose of the camps were not merely a place for physical extermination, but a mental one as well. Primo Levi exposes these small and large acts of deprivation and destruction within his two texts in order for readers to become aware of the affects such a system has on human beings, as well as the danger unleashed by a totalitarian system.
The tragedies of the holocaust forever altered history. One of the most detailed accounts of the horrific events from the Nazi regime comes from Elie Wiesel’s Night. He describes his traumatic experiences in German concentration camps, mainly Buchenwald, and engages his readers from a victim’s point of view. He bravely shares the grotesque visions that are permanently ingrained in his mind. His autobiography gives readers vivid, unforgettable, and shocking images of the past. It is beneficial that Wiesel published this, if he had not the world might not have known the extent of the Nazis reign. He exposes the cruelty of man, and the misuse of power. Through a lifetime of tragedy, Elie Wiesel struggled internally to resurrect his religious beliefs as well as his hatred for the human race. He shares these emotions to the world through Night.
As World War II occurred, the Jewish population suffered a tremendous loss and was treated with injustice and cruelty by the Nazi’s seen through examples in the book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Victor Frankl records his experiences and observations during his time as prisoner at Auschwitz during the war. Before imprisonment, he spent his leisure time as an Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist in Vienna, Austria and was able to implement his analytical thought processes to life in the concentration camp. As a psychological analyst, Frankl portrays through the everyday life of the imprisoned of how they discover their own sense of meaning in life and what they aspire to live for, while being mistreated, wrongly punished, and served with little to no food from day to day. He emphasizes three psychological phases that are characterized by shock, apathy, and the inability to retain to normal life after their release from camp. These themes recur throughout the entirety of the book, which the inmates experience when they are first imprisoned, as they adapt as prisoners, and when they are freed from imprisonment. He also emphasizes the need for hope, to provide for a purpose to keep fighting for their lives, even if they were stripped naked and treated lower than the human race. Moreover, the Capos and the SS guards, who were apart of the secret society of Hitler, tormented many of the unjustly convicted. Although many suffered through violent deaths from gas chambers, frostbites, starvation, etc., many more suffered internally from losing faith in oneself to keep on living.
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.
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?