The Word Shaker Sparknotes

The Word Shaker Summary and Analysis

The Word Shaker is a short story written by Max Vandenburg for Liesel. It begins with a young man that we know is Adolf Hitler. He is desperately trying to find a way to rule the world. An idea sparks inside of him as he observes a mother first scolding her son and then consoling him. He will gain the ultimate control using merely words. Planting seeds and growing forests are used as symbols for propaganda. Word shakers are people who spread Hitler’s message by throwing the words from the trees to the hungry people below. The best of the word shakers are the ones that understand the tremendous power and influence of words and symbols. Liesel is portrayed as a small, skinny girl. She is one of the greatest word shakers and can climb the highest in the trees because she craves the words the most and understands the

inferiority of living without words.

The girl soon befriends a man, Max Vandenburg, who is loathed by his country. When he becomes ill, Liesel becomes very upset and one of her tears falls to the man’s face. This teardrop, composed of pure friendship, turns into a seed which is planted and grows in a towering tree. The all powerful Führer, irate at the bond between Jewish scum and a German girl, demands the tree to be cut down immediately. Refusing to let the magnificent tree be destroyed, the girl climbs into its branches. To everyone’s surprise, the tree is seemingly indestructible for even the biggest of soldiers who attempt to cut it down. Then, Liesel’s friend shows up and successfully climbs the tree. He finds the girl high in the branches and convinces her to come down. Once on solid ground, the tree begins to shake and falls to the

earth, knocking down the neighboring trees.
This simple yet profound story addresses many aspects of The Book Thief. Most apparent is the perpetual strength of friendship and the power of language and communication. Words are described as tangible objects, in most cases trees or seeds, with the ability to be planted and grow. In the story, as people fall under the influence of Hitler, the text states, “They were all placed on a conveyor belt and run through a rampant machine that gave them a lifetime in ten minutes” (Zusak 446). This was true in Germany during this time. People got into line behind their friends, they go with the crowd, trust this new, all powerful leader and his intimidating soldiers. Like the mother and her son, Hitler used fear and strength to control the crowd and make them obedient. Then he praised them, told them they are now a strong country, destined to rise from the ashes and obtain greatness and supreme power. Therefore, when Hitler declares that Liesel’s tree should be cut down, I think it is partly out of fear. He knows that no matter how powerful he is, he knows he can never destroy a bond that strong. Liesel, her words and her friendships are a threat to his power. Albeit, a small one. But words spread like disease, they make you question the way things are. So, when her tree falls and knocks down the neighboring trees, it is a metaphor for the influence she has on others and the way her friendship with Max chips at the propaganda of Hitler. As it states in the text, Liesel is the only one holding up the tree and her persistence in not climbing out of the tree represents her loyalty to Max in the book. Overall, this story can be understood at a basic level but when you look just under the surface the symbolism and metaphors are truly brilliant.