Liesel, the girl that saw her younger brother die right in front of her while they were on their way to meet their new family is a very strong character. Even though she cannot read when she is first taken in by the Hibernian family, Liesel knows that words are important and powerful. Reading the novel “Book Thief”, one quickly becomes aware the main character, Liesel, presents herself as an eager, courageous and selfless young girl. The progression from childhood to adulthood, Liesel continues to develop these traits.
In the beginning, Liesel listens to her papa read to her and goes to the library hungry to learn how to read. ”As for the girl, there was a sudden desire to read it that she didn’t even attempt to understand. On some level,
…show more content…
perhaps she wanted to make sure her brother was buried right Whatever the reason, her hunger to read that book was as intense as any ten-year-old human could experience.”(66) Liesel is eager to read everything she can and begins to see how different words can make people do things or have power like Hitler does to the Germans. Liesel reads to Max from a book she found, thinking it will help him to wake from the sickness. She is torn between the good that can come from words that are spoken or written and the damage that words can do to people she cares for. Later she writes books that tell the story of her life and hopes the words she chooses are ones that will tell her story. “Liesel, however, did not buckle.
She sprayed her words directly into the woman’s eyes. “You and your husband. Sitting up here.” Now she became spiteful. More spiteful and evil than she thought herself capable.” (262) Where is she finding the courage to stand up to the awful woman who fires her mother from her job. Liesel demonstrates the same level of courage when she catches a glimpse of Max again in the Jewish “parade”. She attempts to reach out to Max. But, she is called names by the German soldier and thrown to the side. Liesel is not scared of the soldier, she got up and courageously goes back to Max telling him how much she misses him. This time both she and Max are beaten by the German soldier. She would have gone back yet again if her friend, Rudy stops her. Throughout Liesel’s young life she shows courage, going before her class to read after being teased, challenging the German soldier, and standing up to the woman firing her …show more content…
mom. Liesel in an act of selflessness gives up her soft warm bed to sleep with Max on a cold pallet in the basement.
She stays by his side to make sure he is getting better. Liesel spends time looking for small gifts for Max instead of playing with friends. She does this knowing she will not get any gifts in return, but she continues to read to Max and bring him small simple gifts. Liesel is willing to sacrifice her body when she steals the book, “The Shoulder Shrug” from a burning fire and sticks it under her shirt. She knows stealing isn’t right and the book may burn her skin. Showing no sign of fear, during a raid with sirens blaring, everyone in the house is excited and yelling, Liesel remains calm. “Hans Hubermann came closer and called out, and soon a quietness started bleeding through the crowded basement. By page three, everyone was silent but Liesel.” (381) She remains calm and was able to help quiet the others even though she is scared
herself. Liesel’s life is filled with acts of selflessness, courage and an intense eagerness to read and use words in their best form. Reading “Book Thief”, one quickly chooses Liesel as a favorite character. She lives during a time when people are being killed and she sees the importance of keeping Max hidden. Liesel is a strong girl and young woman and has the confidence and courage to stand up to people who are mean and nasty. She is forced to grow up quickly and sets aside her own childhood to have the responsibility of taking care of others, Max, her mom, or anyone scared. The small child that couldn’t read but knew words were important wrote books using those important words.
Part One: The first book that Liesel “stole” was The Grave Digger's Handbook. This is ironic because it was the day that her brother died and it was the last time she saw her mother. Himmel Street is ironic because Himmel= Heaven and Himmel Street did
Throughout the novel Liesel reaches new highs and new lows, overcoming her fears and succumbing to her anger. Liesel's sudden outburst at Ilsa Hermann after Ilsa asking to stop the laundry services caused her to finally accept her brother's death and even helped Ilsa accept her son's death as well. Ilsa's guilt consumed her and caused her to become a house ridden woman overcome by her grief while Liesel overcame her guilt and grief by learning how to read and write not allowing them to overcome her. "“It’s about time,” she [Liesel] 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! He got strangled and cut up more than twenty years ago! Or did he freeze to death? Either way, he’s dead! He’s dead and it’s pathetic that you sit here shivering in your own house to suffer for it. You think you’re the only one?” Immediately. Her brother was next to her. He whispered for her to stop, but he, too, was dead, and not worth listening to. He died in a train. They buried him in the snow. […] “This book,” she went on. She shoved the boy down the steps, making him fall. “I don’t want it.” The words were quieter now, but still just as hot. She threw The Whistler at the woman’s slippered feet, hearing the clack of it as it landed on the cement. “I don’t want your miserable book. ”[…] her brother holding his
In this passage, Liesel just stopped beating up Ludwig Schmeikl and Tommy Muller. Liesel is mad because she is learning how to read with Hans but can’t prove it to her classmates that she can read so they think she is stupid. Liesel tries to defend herself not by proving that she’s not stupid but with violence instead, much like how Hitler handled the Jews with killing them and destroying their homes.
He gave her his coat and she told him the story with the Partisan unit. After walking or a block, Sava took her to this museum where there was a couple, Serif and Stela, and their baby son, Hebib, “Lola looked up and recognized her. It was the young wife who had given her coffee when she came to collect the laundry” (78). The couple had welcomed Lola into their home and gave her shelter. They gave her the Muslin name Leila, dressed her in Muslim clothes and told her that she was here as maid to help Stela with the baby. After weeks, Lola was getting used to living with Serif, Stela, and Habib and was less afraid of getting caught by German soldiers. One day Serif came back from library and had brought the Haggadah, a Jewish book, with him. Stela was worried about having the book in their house so serif returned it to the library of the mosque where it will probably not be found by the Nazis. Afterwards, they had traveled “outside the city, at a fine house with a high stone wall” (89), where Lola said goodbye to Stela and the baby and her and Serif walked into the dark.
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.
Hans can’t help to offer a piece of bread to one of the prisoners and is beaten along with the prisoner for this act of nobility. He is frightened that the Nazi will search his house and discover Max. That same night Max leaves Himmel Street. Hans is sent to war as his punishment and Alex Steiner is also conscripted for not permitting Rudy be part of a special training school. With Hans and Max gone, Liesel does her best to go on. She reads to the inhabitants of Himmel Street in the bomb shelter during air raids, robs food with Rudy, and helps Rosa who is devastated by Hans’s departure. The last book she steals is called “The Last Human Stranger” at this point she is frustrated and
Hans is forced to leave Liesel to serve in the military due to the Nazi Party accepting his application. “Don’t go, Papa. Just don’t go. Let them come for you if you stay. But don’t go, please don’t go.”(Zusak 424) Liesel understand due to the circumstances Hans, and not because of his choosing. Even Max had to leave at one point in order to maintain the safety of the Hubermanns. This still is all do to circumstance, which has thrusted Hans, Max and Liesel Mother to leave her
2. What is ironic about Liesel’s obsession with stealing books? Discuss other uses of irony in the novel.
To begin, I personally don’t believe Liesel is wrong for stealing a book from the bonfire because it was going to be destroyed anyways. It shouldn’t harm or have a huge impact on someone else. The book could have been thrown out by someone who did not want it anymore. Her family cannot really afford books and Liesel is
In chapter (?) The Gates of Thievery. In this chapter Hans Hubermann ( Liesel Foster farther) meets Liesel on the church steps after a book burning. Liesel she asks Hans if her mother is a comm...
At the start of her story, Liesel is without words and cannot read. She understands that there is great power in words, though, and she hungers for them. She reads with her Papa and visits Frau Hermann in her library, one of the greatest places Liesel has ever seen. She also reads to those around her in the basement when there are air raids. Books become a source of comfort for herself and for those around her.
The novel The Book Thief is a book about a young girl by the name of Liesel Meminger. Observing the life of this young girl is not easy as this is the time of Hitler’s reign in Germany. In a short period of time, this girl faces many difficulties. More than any child should ever have to encounter. She has to deal with being abandoned by her mother, the death of her younger brother, and relocation to another part of Germany. Immediately when Liesel arrives to Molching, her life is forever changed. She is forced to live with two strangers, now her new mama and papa. Liesel faces much abuse both at school and at home. At school she is made fun of for her illiteracy and at home, mama speaks very rudely to her calling her a swine and other insults.
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.
Throughout the poem, there is a sense the reader is looking at Gretel through the eyes of a psychologist, listening to her devolving her deepest secrets about how the darkness has rendered her almost helpless or defenceless. Gretel is yearning for answers to the question “Why do I not forget” as she is haunted by the death of the witch. She confronts Hansel, “No one remembers”. Even you, my brother, / as though it never happened / But I killed for you.”
“Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness” (84). In the beginning, we are introduced to the narrator by the name of Death. He informs the readers that he has many stories, but only remembers the ones that interest him. The tale of Liesel Meminger is one such tale, as he was always fascinated by her will to live through the most horrible instances. It should be duly noted however, that this story does not have a happy ending. Death makes this clear before we even have a chance to get our hopes up. He tells us that everyone dies; the amount of time that they last is truly the only difference. After this sordid fact is in place, he mentions just Liesel first attracted his attention.