The Book Thief Literary Analysis

In the story The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Death himself narrates a story about Liesel Meminger, the Book Thief. Liesel moves in with a new family in Germany during World War II. Liesel assimilates to her new life as her whole family adjusts to the transformation into the Hitler era. As the war amps up, tough times make life difficult for the German families. Zusak creates an exciting and captivating story by developing the setting, characters, plot conflict, symbols, and theme.

The Book Thief takes place from 1939 to 1944 during World War II. Liesel lives in Molching, Germany, with her family. During this time, Germany is under control by Hitler’s lethal regime, the Nazi Party. Liesel’s house is located on Himmel Street. The word Himmel

translated to English means heaven.
Zusak introduces multiple characters throughout the story. Hans Hubermann was Liesel’s father. Hans is a tall man with silver eyes. Hans is quiet and compassionate to everyone, especially Liesel. Hans was important to Liesel, as Han’s is described as being “home.” Hans begins teaching Liesel how to read and write when she first arrives at his house. With the German society changing, Hans is understanding and realizes the most likely result of the transformation occuring. Hans is an outstanding accordion player. His accordion abilities help keep him safe and involved in society.
Rosa Hubermann is the mother of Liesel. Rosa is a short lady with a wrinkled face. Rosa is described as “a woman for crisis.” Rosa is a rude woman and cusses a lot around the house. Even though she is rude and mean, Rosa has one of the biggest hearts. Rosa is tough on the outside, but she has love on the inside. Rosa often calls Liesel different names, but at the end of the day she loves Liesel and would do anything for her.
Max Vandenburg is a fist fighting Jew. Max moves into hiding with the Hubermanns while the Nazi’s capture Jews. Max lives and sleeps in the basement of the Hubermanns. Max teaches Liesel about Hitler’s actions and ways. He plants the seed for Liesel to think differently than Hitler’s ways and to live a different life. Max uses the power of words as Liesel reminds Max, “Don’t forget what you wrote.” Max and Liesel become best friends after they begin reading together.
Liesel Meminger is the protagonist of the story, known as the book thief. When she moves in with the Hubermanns, she could not read or write. Hans decides to teach Liesel to read and write. Liesel shows empathy towards others and is very powerful. Liesel is kind to others and shows love to them.
Another character is Rudy Steiner, they young boy who lives next door to Liesel. Rudy has lemon-colored hair and idolizes United States Olympic star, sprinter Jesse Owens. Rudy is in love with Liesel. Rudy constantly asks Liesel for a kiss, but always gets turned down. When Rudy gets killed in a bombing, Liesel finally gives Rudy a kiss after he is already dead.
Isla Hermann is the wife of the mayor of Molching. Isla owns a library with a ton of books in it. Liesel often visits Isla’s library to read, and even steals a few books from them. Liesel yells at Isla for being a shattered woman after her son passed away. Liesel yelling at Isla spurs her to live again and to break out of her deep depression. Isla gives Liesel the notepad to write in which prompts Liesel to write her story.
Death is the narrator of the story. His job is to pick up the souls of the dead. When Death picks them up, he does not like to watch the survivor’s emotions and reactions to the death. To distract himself, he pays attention to the colors of the sky. Death has a sense of humor and often uses sarcasm when describing the story. Death keeps busy with his job and begins to become tired of picking up souls.
Mark Zusak uses plot conflict to tell his story. He begins the story with the introduction. The introduction tells the reader information that will be important to the story. In the introduction, he introduces the narrator, Death. Death then introduces the main characters, Liesel, Hans, Rosa, and Rudy. Zusak also paints the picture of the setting to help explain the story. He informs the reader that this takes place in Molching, Germany, where the Nazi party is beginning to take over Germany.
The rising action follows the introduction. Liesel’s brother dies on the train on their way to Molching. This is when Liesel steals her first of many books. When Liesel first lives with the Hubermanns, she has nightmares that involve her brother’s death. To help soothe her, Hans reads the book Liesel stole to her and he begins to teach her to read and write. Max, the Jewish fist fighter, shows up at the Hubermanns’ door one evening, asking if Han’s is the man who plays the accordion. Max’s father, Erik Vandenburg, saved Hans' life in the war, so Hans decides to help Max out by letting him stay in their basement and avoid being captured by the Nazi soldiers. Max lives a dark, lonesome life in their basement. He and Liesel become best friends after she provides him with entertainment in the basement. Liesel reads and writes with Max in the basement. One day Hans gives some marching Jews pieces of bread and gets whipped by Nazi soldiers for showing compassion to the Jews. They decide it is to dangerous to keep Max in their house as the Nazi soldiers will most likely be coming to their house. Max is forced to leave the Hubermanns and try to find his way to safety. Meanwhile, Liesel steals books from Isla’s library and reads them herself. After sneaking in and stealing book multiple times, Liesel leaves a note in Isla’s library that she will no longer steal any books and thanks her for allowing her to steal them. After Isla sees Liesel’s writing abilities, she gives Liesel a blank notepad to write a story herself.
The next step is the climax of the story. Liesel is in the basement at night writing in her notebook when Himmel Street gets hit with a surprise bombing. The air raid whistle never goes off, so everyone is in their houses when they hit. Liesel is in her basement writing when the bombs strike. Since she was in the basement, she was able to survive the raid, the only one to survive on Himmel Street. Liesel loses all of her close friends and family. The LSE group finds Liesel after they hear her banging her pencil on a paint can under the rubble.
The falling action begins when Liesel finds Rudy’s body laying there motionless. She finally gives Rudy what he always wanted as she kisses his dead body on the lips. Liesel mourns the loss of her parents, Rosa and Hans. After the bombing, she is taken to the police station. Liesel is then taken by Isla and the Mayor and will stay with them at their house.
The final part of the story is the resolution. Liesel meets with Rudy’s father when he returns from the war. She works with him at his store. One day, Max walks into the store and asks for Liesel. They reunite with each other after Max survives the concentration camp. Liesel goes on to live a long life having kids and grandkids. When she passes, her soul is setting up waiting to meet Death. Death takes her to heaven and they sit down. Death gives Liesel her book she wrote when she was younger. Death tells Liesel that he had taken the book at the bombing read it multiple times.
Zusak uses multiple symbols throughout the story. One symbol that he uses is books. Books are used to empower Liesel. The books represent knowledge in society. They show the reader another way of living than the way Hitler is turning the country. The books also provide comfort to the characters. Hans reads with Liesel in the beginning to comfort her after she has her nightmares. Liesel reads to Max in the basement to comfort him, and she also reads in the bomb shelter to everyone to calm them all as well. Also, if it was not for reading, Liesel would not have been in her basement during the bombing to survive the air raid.
Another symbol Zusak uses is the accordion.

The accordion represents a promise kept. Han’s made a promise to Erik’s family to help them if they need anything after Erik saves Hans' life in the war. Hans learns to play the accordion and becomes very good at it. He does this in honor of Erik. The accordion saves Max as Hans quarters Max in his basement as part of holding up his deal with Erik’s family.

Bread giving is another symbol that is used in the story. The giving of bread shows human compassion for others. Hans gives bread to the struggling Jew even though he gets whipped for it and he gets sent to war. Liesel and Rudy also give bread to marching Jews who are passing by even though Liesel gets whipped as well. Throughout the story Rudy changes from a, “Fruit stealer to a bread giver.” This means that throughout the story he changes from being a careless boy to being a compassionate young man.

Zusak uses a theme of the story to teach a lesson. The lesson learned is the power that words have. In the last line of the book thief’s book, she wrote, “I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” The words at the beginning of the story help calm Liesel from her nightmares. Later, Max writes words that go against the Fuhrer and his ways. When the words are written down, they come to life in the reader’s mind. The words open new doors for thoughts and ideas that may go against the popular belief. The new thoughts can lead to powerful actions forever changing society and its

ways.
Mark Zusak introduces Himmel Street in the Nazi ruled Molching, Germany as the setting of the story. Death is introduced as the narrator of the story with Liesel being the protagonist. Hans, Rosa, Max, Rudy, and Isla are introduced throughout the story. Zusak uses plot conflict throughout the story to keep the reader intrigued. He builds up suspense with the rise of the Nazi party in Germany and the hiding of Max in the Hubermanns’ basement. Zusak grabs the reader’s attention through the bombing of Himmel Street. Zusak uses symbols such as books, the accordion, and the giving of bread. The theme of the story is the power that words have. The power of words can open the minds of others and stir up emotions by presenting new ideas and thoughts.