The Book Thief Movie Vs Book

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, is the story of a young girl named Liesel Meminger whose brother had recently died on a train and then obtains a grave diggers handbook while at the burial of her brother. Soon after the burial, she is taken to meet her new foster family, Hans (Papa) and Rosa (Mama) Hubermann, who reside in the German town of Molching during the Second World War. Here she befriends a boy named Rudy whose hair is the color of lemons, steals a book or two, learns the power words, and hides a Jew named Max. The story of Leisel Meminger was scheduled to have a film adaptation that had many fans dying of anticipation, but in the end did not give a faithful recreation of novel. The movie adaptation was a major let down to the

In the novel, during the parading of Jews in Molching, Hans ventures into the crowed of Jews and gives bread to a weak old man. In retaliation a German soldier beats the old man and Hans, causing both to be whipped, “The Jew was whipped six times. On his back, his head, and his legs. ‘You filth! You swine!’ Blood dripped now from his ear. Then it was Papa’s turn. … Rudy Steiner swallowed as Hans Hubermann was whipped on the street. The sound sickened her and she expected cracks to appear on her papa’s body. He was struck four times before he, too, hit the ground.”(Zusak, 394) This event would lead up to Papa mental downfall as he tries to cope with what he has done and why the Nazi Party has done nothing to consequence him for his actions. However, in the film the scene is changed to Hans defending a man after he is found out he is Jewish and is being taken off for lying about who he actually was. In the movie you don’t see this as being something that would cause Hans to mentally deteriorate like he does in the novel. Because the film is being advertised towards young adults, it is understandable why this scene was changed to make the films have a lower rating to reach a wider audience, but nevertheless, this doesn’t excuse the poor take on the scene and outcomes caused by