The Book Thief Essay

758 Words2 Pages

Intro Of all of the MVS Core values represented in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, I decided to focus on Kindness. I think that the kindness demonstrated by the characters throughout the story contrasts greatly with the hatefulness and death that was happening in Nazi Germany at the time. Finding kindness from unexpected sources in the middle of war and destruction was how the main characters survived and got through the hardest times. I think showing kindness during that time also became a way of showing bravery and strength. At first I found it strange that death narrarated the story, but I think that death narrates the story because it ties everything together. In most cases, for Liesel, death brought kindness. For example she was having …show more content…

Max later returned the kindness when he made a very special gift for Liesel. Next, when Liesel’s family thought that Max was going to die, Liesel gave him kindness by staying with him, reading to him, and giving him other presents. When the whole street went into the bomb shelter and could feel death close by, Liesel demonstrated kindness by reading aloud to distract them from their fear and make them feel better. It started out with her quietly reading to herself but then people quieted down and listened to the words that she was reading. Showing kindness during that time could also be an act against the government and against the whole entire Nazi Party. When Hans helped up and gave bread to an old Jewish man who was being whipped he was thrown away to the side of the road. He was a disgrase to the government and was sent to the army under the worst possible circumstances. Later Liesel and Rudy stored up some bread and handed it out to the Jewish people at the risk of there own safety. This act left them even more hungry than they already were and they almost got caught. After that Liesel looked for Max in the crowds of Jews marching down the street. She finally found him one day marching with the others. He too was looking for her, they saw each other and Liesel ran to him. He tried to get her to go …show more content…

When Liesel lost her brother death experienced a need to stay and watch as she grieved. “I buckled-I became interested. In the girl. Curiosity got the better of me, and I resigned myself to stay as long as my schedule allowed, and I watched.” Death as well as the characters in the story had a hard time with the war. He explained that in this quote “To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thing, incessantly:” Get it done, get it done.” So you work harder. You get the job done. The boss, however, does not thank you. He asks for

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