Examples Of Suffering In The Book Thief

Suffering in The Book Thief

Suffering can be found on three different levels, mental, physical and emotional. In an everyday life the three levels can be found at school, at work or even on the streets, for example people who are living on the street generally suffer mentally. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak the topic that suffering exists on three different levels is shown throughout the book. In The Book Thief the author shows that the three levels of suffering exist and impacts multiple characters throughout the book . The three levels of suffering impacts many characters such as, the Jews, Liesel and Max.

The Jews are a first example of characters who are impacted from physical suffering. This is shown when the Jews were on the street and people noticed they were very unhealthy and physically unstable. The fact that they’re physically suffering was made certain when the author wrote, “The noise of their feet throbbed on top of the road, their eyes were enormous in their starving skulls … Their legs staggered to

Liesel is shown to be suffering emotionally after her brother’s death, she was in disbelief and threw herself to the ground to try digging to her brother in hopes he would be alive, she only did this because her emotions were so unstable and she didn’t want to believe the truth. The fact Liesel was emotionally suffering after her brother’s death is evident when the author wrote, “Still in disbelief, she started to dig. He couldn't be dead, He couldn't be dead, He couldn’t --” (23). The thought Liesel had that her brother could not have been dead proves that she was not able to handle her thoughts and emotions. Which is clear that her emotions were all over the place and she was emotionally suffering. Since Liesel's emotions were all over the place and put her through a lot of emotional thoughts and actions she is a second example of a character who suffers