Power of Words
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak tells a story of a girl who goes through many struggles to find happiness in reading. On this journey, Liesel meets many characters that will play a huge part in her life. Without these characters Liesel finds that she would not be who she is now, a strong educated young woman. Liesel gives a lot of praise to her new found father as he has given her the gift of reading books. As WWII starts to take a toll on Germany, Liesel and her many friends seek shelter during the bombings on Molching street.
The The Book Thief took place in the years of 1939 through 1942 during WWII in Molching, Germany. Germany is not just a normal country during this time period, but ran by the Nazi party under the Fuhrer.
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Liesel lives on Himmel street with her step-parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Himmel Street is considered ironic due to the fact that Himmel Street means “Heaven.” The irony in this statement is that Himmel Street is considered Heaven, but still gets rained upon with bombs. With bombs dropping all around, Liesel stays close to those who matter the most to her. Many people do not realize that Death plays a big part in The Book Thief, as Death is the narrator of the story. Death notices the colors that are present while it is picking up lost souls to keep his mind off of the survivors. These colors are very vibrant to Death as death is usually thought of to be dark. Death has a reputation on being sarcastic when it comes to small talk, he likes to lighten the mood as taking souls is his job. Along with the trait of being sarcastic, Death is very humorous. Death finds himself tired of picking up souls during the war, one after another soul of an innocent citizen. The main character Liesel Meminger has a story of her own as she has been through what many can only imagine. At a young age Liesel arrives at the Hubermann’s as a foster child and immediately loves her new papa. The road is not always easy for Liesel as she does not know how to read or write very well. She is fortunate enough to have stumble onto her new parents that take the time and work with her. Liesel becomes a very powerful young woman through her years in Molching, from terrorizing the streets to keeping everyone calm during bombing by reading to them. This brave young woman loves people no matter the religion or beliefs that one may have. As Liesel’s favorite person in the book, Hans Hubermann teaches Liesel more than she could ever ask for. When Liesel is around Hans, she describes the feeling as being “home” with a warm feeling of love. Hans is a very passionate and comforting soul that sees and feels no evil no matter the beliefs. One of Liesel’s favorite things about Hans is the way he plays his accordian and his ability to sooth everyone in attendance. Although Hans Hubermann is a quiet person he is always there for Liesel when she needs a shoulder to rest on. Rosa Hubermann, Liesel’s stepmom, is thought to be a tough hard nosed woman to does not take no for and answer. Rosa seems like she is very tough and mean, but in reality she has the brightest heart Liesel has ever seen. Liesel’s stepmom may swear more often than most people, but that makes Rosa who she is. She has her own laundry service that starts to fail due to the war, but Rosa never gives up on providing for her family. Rosa determines that customers are less likely to turn away services if Liesel is the one delivering the laundry. Liesel has many friends on Himmel Street, but only one best friend named Rudy Steiner, an athlete in all sports. Rudy Steiner is the boy next door that has a crush on Liesel, and always hints at getting a kiss from her. Rudy and Liesel love each other, Liesel just does not realize that she actually loves Rudy as much as he loves her. After Rudy shows off his speed at the local track meet showing off trying to be like his idol, Jesse Owens, Rudy gets a visit from the Nazi recruitment party. Rudy is the definition of the perfect German, lemon colored hair, blue eyes, and tall. The Hubermanns took in a jew that stays in their basement for many months named Max. Max is the son of Hans’ military friend that saves Hans’ life on the battlefield and is just paying back his debts by taking in Max. Liesel and Max become very close friends by reading, writing, and spending time together. Since Max con not go outside Liesel brings him the weather report everyday, then she describes the weather to him. After some Nazi members come to check houses, Max decides to leave while he can to keep the Hubermanns out of trouble. Max soon becomes a part of the jewish marches down Himmel Street. Isla, the mayor's wife, lost her son at war from freezing to death in the harsh winter combat. If Isla never came into Liesel’s life, Liesel would not have the amount of stolen books that she has today. With Isla losing her son to the cold, she left her library window open in remembrance of him allowing an opportunity for Liesel to sneak into the library. Isla continuously convinces Liesel to live her life no matter her struggles in life. After the adopting Liesel, Isla gives her the opportunity to write her own books creating a fulfilling life. The rising action of the novel is at the very beginning of the book when Liesel’s mother brings them to the foster home.
On the train ride Liesel’s little brother becomes sick and dies during the travel to their new home. The Meminger woman have a funeral for the boy and that is when the stealing of books starts., gaining the name “The Book Thief.” Liesel found the book called The Gravedigger’s Handbook, and kept it for herself. After arriving at her new home Liesel has multiple nightmares night after night. Liesel may steal books, but that does her no good if she cannot read, that changes after a little help from her new papa Hans. With her new found love of reading Liesel reads nonstop, over and over. Then Max the jew shows up and bunkers down in the Hubermanns basement to hide from the Nazi party. Liesel and Max become very close friends doing many things together inside the basement. After a few close calls of almost being found, Max is gone after they get back from the bomb …show more content…
shelter. With bombings happening more often it is just a matter of time before Himmel Street it is gets hit. While the bombs come flying in, the sirens never sound, leaving citizens stranded for their lives. Liesel is in the basement writing her story when a bomb hits Himmel Street, sending buildings crumbling to the ground. A direct hit on the Hubermann house leaves Liesel the only one still breathing in the basement writing her book. After the rescue, the first responders let Liesel know the loss of her step-parents. Liesel finds Rudy lying motionless on the rubble, while she begs for him to wake up. While lying by Rudy’s side, Liesel gives Rudy the gift he has always dreams of. a kiss on his lips to show how much she actually loves him. With all of Liesel’s close family and friends gone, she has lost everything she has, other than her book and her papa’s accordion. Isla, the mayor’s wife, takes in Liesel after hearing of her parents passing. Although Liesel stole many books from Isla’s library, she soon has a new home. Liesel finds a job at Alex’s Shop with the help of Isla and works there for many years. Even though Liesel may not have anyone left for her, she soon finds out that Max is still alive and reunites with her long lost friend. Max and Liesel live a long and exciting life together as they both find happiness after devastating tragedies. When it is time for Liesel’s death to come, Death shows up with his own copy of The Book Thief. Liesel asks Death if he has read it and he assures her that he has read every word of it. Death comes to a conclusion that he cannot simply estimate people’s abilities especially Liesel’s. He underestimates Liesel for far too long and only realizes it once it is too late. In the novel there are only a few symbols, yet these symbols are very significant to shaping the life of Liesel.
The first symbol is the books that she steals, gave her a sense of empowerment. Liesel likes to be in charge of things, so when she steals a book she feels as if she is in control. Her books are a great way of knowledge and another way of learning, which Liesel loves to learn new things. Every book that Liesel steal she learns a new life lesson out of it, may it be useful in her life or not she reads ever word to gain knowledge. Along with the knowledge Liesel is gaining from her reading, she gets comfort out of her books. The most important thing about her books is that it is what savs her life. Without Hans telling her to go read her new book in the basement, Liesel may have not made it through the
bombing. The last two symbols of the novel are not as significant as the books are, but still necessary. Hans’ accordion always brought a relaxing feeling to Rosa and Liesel during stressful time. The accordion kept its promise of always being there for help to Max even after Hans passes on to a better life. Giving bread to the jews during the marches is the last major symbol showing human compassion. Hans gives a struggling jew a piece of bread and is quickly beaten for doing so. By doing this simple act of kindness, it shows that there are still good people out there willing to make a difference. As WWII took many lives over its years, Liesel survives by her passion of books, allowing her to see another day. The road may not be easy all the time, but Liesel never gives up on what she believes is the right thing. The Book Thief overcame her struggles and found happiness once again in her long fulfilling life.
The book had so much power to it. One day, on Himmel street, the town had to get out and go to the shelter. All of the people who lived on Himmel Street were scared because there was a chance their street could get blown up by a bomb. Courageous Liesel pulled out the book, The Whistler. Liesel was sitting in the shelter and started to read the book out loud. “By page three, everyone was silent but Liesel” (Zusask 381) Liesel trapped all of the people's nervous and scared selfs to herself calm voice. The book was a power of silence. The common theme that connects the book Liesel has stolen is that the each book tell a chunk of her
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
The Book Thief: A novel taken place in Germany during War World 11. Throughout this novel we meet a girl named Liesel meminger,
Liesel yearns to discover the power of words through reading books. Throughout the story, she repeatedly steals books to grasp more information. It all starts with The Gravediggers Manuel; Liesel attains this book the day that her brother dies, while he is being buried by the gravediggers. Liesel pilfers this book from the gravediggers because the book will symbolize her remembrance of her brother, Werner. This also will start the beginning of her acrimony for the Fuhrer, because Liesel discovers that he is answerable for his death.
The heavily proclaimed novel “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak is a great story that can help you understand what living in Nazi Germany was like. Throughout the story, the main character, Liesel goes through many hardships to cope with a new life in a new town and to come to the recognition of what the Nazi party is. Liesel was given up for adoption after her mother gave her away to a new family, who seemed harsh at first, but ended up being the people who taught her all the things she needed to know. Life with the new family didn’t start off good, but the came to love them and her new friend, Rudy. As the book carried along, it was revealed that the Hubermanns were not Nazi supporters, and even took in a Jew and hid him in their basement later on in the book. Liesel became great friends with the Jew living in her basement, Max, who shared many similarities which helped form their relationship. Both of
Book Thief is in a ‘twisted world’, it’s about a young girl, Liesel is orphan who is given new
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.
In the novel The Book Thief, setting and point of view affect the theme and book a lot. The point of view of this novel is third person omniscient and a little bit of second and first person when the narrator talks about himself or to the reader. The setting of the story is Nazi Germany and it is based on a young girl named Liesel Meminger and what her life was like during this time. Her story is told by the narrator, death. Mark Zusak, the author, uses setting and point of view to express the theme of the novel because there was so much death happening, Liesel encountered him so many times, causing him to be able to tell her story; without this setting and the narrator, the theme story would have been different.
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
“I am haunted by humans” (Zusak 550). The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is about the horrors of World War II. Liesel and her family help out an old friend by hiding a Jew. Liesel also steals her first book when she at her brother’s funeral. Liesel Meminger’s remarkable actions like feeling good when she steals a book and her family hiding a Jew help demonstrate why Death is “haunted by humans”.
THE BOOK OF THE THING. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, the protagonist, Liesel Meminger, is trying to outlive the harsh reality that’s produced by the war. Liesel Meminger and several other characters attempt to cope with the stress around them, and aid each other along the way. In this novel, the power of words is an important element.
In 2005, Markus Zusak composed one of the most influential novels of modern day literature. His story is known as The Book Thief, a novel told from the perspective of Death. His role is to narrate the life of Liesel Meminger as a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany. Death begins the story at the burial of her brother in 1939, just one of many tragic events that will occur in her life, she is then given away by her mother, and has to grow up in the care of another family. For Liesel, this change catalyzes a quest to understand the power of words.
It was on a train with Liesel’s mother and brother where they were travelling when death made his first appearance in the book thief’s life. He took the soul of her brother and only glanced at the girl truly, not taking real note of her as he did his job. She knew that her brother was dead at that point, but the shock wouldn’t truly take her until she snatched a book from where it had fallen near her brother’s hastily made grave. After he was buried, Liesel and her mother continued on their way, arriving at the town of Molching, where she met Hans and Rosa Hubermann. In the first few months that she had arrived, nightmares plagued her mind, haunting her with images of Werner, her brother, and his cold dead eyes. Hans is the one to comfort her, and because of this she grows to trust in him and truly view him as her father. She enjoys his company as well, for he can play the accordion and is always smiling and winking at her in a joyous way. He also begins to teach her how to read the book that she picked up on the day d...
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.
As time evolves, so do the words that are essential for our everyday survival. The most obvious difference between humans and animals is our ability to master the art of speech. Often, people will say the “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”, a simple nursery rhyme that helps ease a bullied child from abusive words and taunts. But does that really help cure the emotional pain? Words can illuminate and motivate the minds of people but can also shadow their self-esteem through psychological trauma. In The Book Thief, we see how fundamental words were to shape the reality of millions of people caught in the fire of World War II.