The Power of Words Allowing for Survival
Words are things people use and hear everyday, although they give individuals the power to communicate, they are certainly not as influential or manipulative as they have the ability to be. Nazi Germany is a place where the use of immense power of combined letters is perfected. The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak outlines the ability Hitler has to persuade and convince everyone about what he believes, and shows that his power of words is the only thing that has leads him to gaining power of Germany. Another character is Max, a Jew that is hiding and running for his life, he uses his words in hope for survival. In addition to Max, Liesel’s use of words is shown throughout this novel as her words help
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comfort her and others, and helps her survive. In this novel, Markus Zusak perfectly demonstrates the idea that a person's survival may strongly depend on the power of words as demonstrated through Hitler, Max and Liesel. During The Book Thief, Hitler proves that his use of words and his ability to deceive others is crucial to his rise to power. Hitler is revealed as a physically weak man, he has to use his influence in his words to deceive and outsmart others in order to succeed. “... ‘Will you stand out there powerless?’...’Will you climb in here so we can beat this enemy together?’” (Zusak 254). As Max dreams about fighting Hitler 1 on 1, Hitler will then call his men into the ring to brutally beat Max. This shows that Hitler is a man that would not dare to hurt Max but would just hire his men and order them to assault Max for him, and shows how much power he has in his words. Furthermore, Hitler proves that he captivates people with words. Words were the only thing he has to become powerful and to continue ruling the country. “The book thief was dreaming about the fuhrer...she was attending a rally at which he spoke. ...She was listening contently to the torrent of words spilling from his mouth. His sentences glowed in the night” (20). This significantly shows the appalling words that Hitler uses to string together a sentence and speak with power to manipulate others into believing everything that comes out of his mouth.The only reason Hitler comes into power is because of how he yields the ability of his words to get what he wants, something Max will never do. The words spoken by both Hitler and Liesel assisted Max in surviving tough and discouraging moments.
In the novel, Max uses someone else's words to his advantage, having possession of Hitler's book allowed him to survive. “...It was only two words he ever tasted. Mein Kampf. My Struggle...all of the things to save him”(160). Max uses Hitler's powerful words to help him get through his tough times as life as a Jew in Hitler's rule was almost impossible. He was motivated in having that book to help him survive. In addition to this, when Max is sick, Liesel uses words to keep him awake which ultimately helped Max stay alive. “I'll read to you. And I'll slap you if you start dozing off. I'll close the book and shake you till you wake up...he sat in bed and absorbed the words”(334). While Liesel reads these powerful words to Max when he was sick, it shows that the reading could have saved his life. Without Liesel reading to him, he could have possibly died. Although Max has great hope for survival, he ends up experiencing this hope one last time as he heads to the concentration camps. When Liesel repeats the words from the story Max had written, he is given the hope for survival. “Better to stand proud and resolute. Let the words do all of it. ‘Is it really you? The young man asked’ she said ‘is it from your cheek that I took the seed?’” (512). This is very important because it gives Max one last hope for survival through the camps and ends up working out. Max's journey …show more content…
throughout this novel has proven that not only does the power of words give you power but also gives you a hope for survival. Finally, Liesel, someone who has been through so much but yet still believes and comforts others through her use of words.
The first book Liesel steals when her brother passed away, is a symbol of her mother and brother, giving her a sense of safety and allowing for a more comfortable survival in her new home. When she starts reading the book, the words give her a sense of relaxation and make her want to read more. “The point is, it didn't matter what the book was about. It was what it meant that was really more important” (38). This is very important because this is when Liesel starts to realize how much she loves books and when she starts to use her words powerfully. Also, words not only comforted Liesel but they also comfort everyone in the air raid shelter. During a life or death situation, words help ease her existence. “...soon a quietness started bleeding through the crowded basement. By page three, everyone was silent but Liesel...the youngest kids were soothed by her voice”(381). During the times in the air raid shelter, everyone is extremely scared. Bombs are being dropped very close to them and everyone is in a panic state of mind. When Liesel reads to them, it calms everyone down and helps people relax. This just shows how powerful words are even in the worst times. Lastly , Liesel is the only one to survive the unexpected bombing that happened when most people were asleep, but words had literally saved her life. “She survived because she was sitting in the
basement reading through the story of her own life”(498). This is the most tragic part of the book as almost everyone dies, including Rudy, Hans, and Rosa. Words have impacts on the characters hope for survival, but in this instance, words save Liesel's life. If she was just in bed like everyone else she would have died. Liesel experiences many obstacles in the novel, but when she needs to get through these hard times, words help her the most. The author is expressing the idea that the power of words can be a factor that determines someone's survival. He showed this through Hitler, Max, and Liesel’s use of words. It is evident that Hitler shows his immense power of words as he rises to power, and shows how he is physically weak. Liesel on the other hand shows her words through her hope of survival, like Max, and helps comfort others with her words. Max strictly bases his power of words on survival as he is a Jew in hiding and running for his life. Words are so powerful and have the ability to cause great goodness in a time of evil. A person's words have the ability to brainwash others, but most importantly, words can help you survive. Two words, spoken out of a single mouth that has changed the way we look at the validity of our use of words. Heil Hitler.
Max uses Mein Kampf as a kind of cover so people wouldn’t suspect that he was a Jew and he escapes to the Hubermann’s house as Hans promised to help the Vandenburg’s if they ever needed it as he was friends with Max’s father in the war and Max’s father saved Hans’ life. Liesel is curious but also scared of Max at first but they bond over the fact that they both have nightmares, have lost their families and are both “fist-fighters” Since Max is always hiding in the basement, Liesel begins to describe the weather to him and brought him snow where they had a snowball fight and built a snowman with Hans and Rosa. Soon after, Max falls ill and she brings him 13 presents, hoping that he will wake up and reads to him every morning and night. Max also begins to share stories with Liesel and for her birthday makes her a book called “The Standover Man” which is about his life and journey. Max also begins to have daydreams where he fights Hitler and Hitler always uses his words to excite the crowd and uses them as a weapon. Liesel and Rudy also begin to steal food with a group of
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.
In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak the narrator is Death, who shows itself as sympathetic and sensitive towards the suffering of the world and the cruel human nature, through its eyes, we can get to know the heartbreaking story of Liesel Meminger an ordinary, but very lucky nine-year old German girl; living in the midst of World War II in Germany. In this book the author provides a different insight and observation about humanity during this time period from a German view and not an Allied perspective, as we are used to.
“I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” (Zusak 528) Words and the power they possess is a common theme that is heavily mentioned throughout the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Throughout this book, rhetoric affects multiple characters in both positive and negative ways. There are instances in this book in which one can see how words have the ability to tear people down, educate and inform, and to inspire individuals to follow their dreams.
The quote that stuck with me trough the book was one not so much about the emotions that can with the Holocaust, but more of the actions that people had to take during this time.
Unbeknownst to Liesel, Max secretly writes two graphic stories for her, enshrining the power of words, rewarding her developing power of words and giving her strength to write her own words. The Standover Man; the first of the two complete illustrated stories, encapsulates Max’s feelings towards Liesel and their developing friendship. Within the context of the story, Max is depicted as a bird- like creature who fears ‘men standing over’ him. His fear may be associated with the events of his life that have left him vulnerable, for example, losing his father at a young age and losing a fist fight to a friend. As the story progresses, it becomes evident that Liesel’s presence provides comfort to Max, as he begins to realise that ‘the best standover man [he’s] ever known is not a man at all’, but is Liesel; a companion who is ultimately able to redefine Max’s preconceived notion of ‘the standover man’, as being someone associated with abandonment and antagonism to a compassionate figure that he need not fear. The second story, The Word Shaker, written by Max, and created with the assistance of the Hubermanns, juxtaposes a book of oppression and detestation into a story of hope and resilience, to impart optimism within the reader. The fact that the faint text of the Mein Kampf does not leak through the painted pages, as it did in The Standover Man, is symbolic of how the only way to obliterate the legacy of Hitler is through the union of Jews and Germans. This is utterly uplifting, as they elicit the realisation that even for Max, who is secluded from the world and tormented by the Nazi morals, is powerful enough to overcome his fear of Hitler’s
Book Thief is in a ‘twisted world’, it’s about a young girl, Liesel is orphan who is given new
The first power language possesses is manipulating people. In the book, a character named Max Vandenburg wrote a book called Standover Man, in which the main character symbolizes Hitler, to bravely emphasize his thoughts on Hitler. The first page of the book quotes: “The young man wandered around for quite some time, thinking, planning, and figuring out exactly how to make the world his. Then one day, out of nowhere, it struck him- the perfect plan. (omit) ‘Words!’ He grinned.” (pg. 349) This example clearly suggests that Hitler used words to make the world his. He brainwashed people, and massacred Jews, just by using words. He realized that he wouldn’t have to use guns to lure people to his side. Eventually, Hitler’s conniving plan to use words marked an unforgettable event in the history. This left many grieving and dead, but he succeeded in making a strong impression and making the world his. Although his decisions and actions were manipulated by words, he could control people by his words as well. Thus, when Hitler knew that words would give him power to create ...
Words have the power to affect people in many ways from empowerment or to taking upon action. Words are able to make huge changes in the lives of many and can make good or bad changes. In history, people used words in both good and bad function from making a promise to a nation or even manipulating multitudes of people within a nation. Words definitely have the ability to take situations a far distance but despite the fact that evil can manipulate the majority of people, individuals too can realize the true actions and evil buried inside the perpetrator. People can be both ugly and beautiful at sometimes with weapons along their sides. A novel called The Book Thief illustrates the power of words in a multitude of ways, showing the potential
Liesel’s slow development of the power of words causes her to experience the negative effects of words and misery on many occasions throughout her lifetime.
The power of words can influence many people which results in many characters to be negatively impacted like Liesel. The negative effects of that the theme of the power of words causes Liesel to experience misery throughout her lifetime. Liesel is abandoned by her mother at a young age.
During Markus Zusak’s book we observe the beauty of humans at many times. One of the most beautiful things a human does is when Max, the jew the Hubermanns are hiding from the nazis, gives Liesel a book that he made himself. But he says that “Now I think we are friends, this girl and me. On her birthday it was she who gave a gift to me”(Zusak 235). Max made this book for leisel by taking paint from the basement and painting over pages in Mein Kampf. He lets the pages dry and then he writes a story on them. He makes this book for Liesel because he can’t afford to buy one, and even if he could he can’t leave the house. But when he gives Liesel the book we also examine humans doing something so unbelievably nice. Liesel accepts max as a friend. Which in the long run will help Max out a lot, because he is locked in the basement and he can’t even go up stairs during the day. So someone who is there to talk to him, and someone for him to talk to will help him out. Throughout this book we watch their friendship grow. Liesel feels bad for Max because he is stuck in the basement so on a regular basis she will tell Max what the weather is like...
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.
Some say a picture is worth a thousand words, others say that language has power. When Elie Wiesel wrote his memoirs regarding his experience with his Holocaust, he had to “conjure up other verbs, other images, other silent cries” (Wiesel, pg. ix). Throughout this book, the imagery used leaves no question in the reader’s mind about the horrors that this man experienced. He did not have to create a new language, but he did combine aspects of our current language that are not often combined. His word choice and use of subtle description made his message in this book clearer than any picture ever could.
...tish, etc., but rather in the strength and the unity of his own nationality” (Hitler 384-385). Hitler bluntly states that German’s were mistreated and are “clearly” the most distinguished race, but have the blunders of the inferior people to thank for the loss of the first world war. This book was the start of his influence, with the printer press still on the rise, it helped spread his word. Hitler, a great orator, gave speeches, ran politically, connected with people, used the economy as an argument for his ideas, spread propaganda, and used the guilt of the harsh punishment to receive appeasement. Death narrates some statistics, “ In 1933, 90 percent of Germans showed unflinching support for Adolf Hitler. That leaves 10 percent who didn’t,” (Zusak 63). Hitler had taken control, and no one had been able to stop him, he had used a simple tool to take on the world.