What Is The Distinctive Narrative Voice In The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl of about ten years of age, who is fostered by the Hubermanns’, in a small town in Germany between 1939 and 1943. In the prologue, the reader is informed that ‘It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery’. It is however, much more. Despite the immense sadness and heartache of the overarching context, Zusak employs powerful techniques including; Death’s distinctive narrative voice, the symbolism of words and the inclusion of graphic stories to encourage the reader to feel enlivened throughout the story.

The distinctive narrative voice

of Death unravels the story of Liesel, whilst masking the misery and inexorable suffering encountered during the Holocaust and World War II period. Upon doing so, Zusak challenges the reader’s preconceptions of Death as a Grim Reaper figure, who possesses ‘skull- like facial features’ and ‘[carries] a sickle or scythe’. Death’s ‘amiable, agreeable [and] affable’ temperament throughout the novel expounds on this concept, as the narrator himself claims, ‘the human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle’, proposing that Death too possess the endless ability to sympathise with the souls he associates with. Alongside this however, Zusak employs Death’s authoritative intrusions to inform the reader of the blatant truth; the ‘small fact’ that we ‘are going to die.’ The explanatory insertions by Death, in the bold text, creates an omniscient narrator which immediately alters our view of Death as distant and unapproachable. The direct questioning which follows through second person ‘you’ as in ‘you will know me well enough and soon enough’ foreshadows the reader’s inevitable connection to Death, which is further accentuated when Death cynically alludes, ‘you want to know what I truly look like?... Find yourself a mirror while continue’. As the text develops, Zusak continues to personify Death with human qualities, as he tirelessly slaves away, ‘unnerved, untied and undone’, ‘internally complaining’ as the ‘…production of bodies and their escaping souls’ multiply. Such openness by Death of the task, unsettles the reader and challenges them to consider Death as a vulnerable and sentimental spirit. By utilising Death as the omniscient narrator, Zusak enables the reader to develop a more philosophical approach to the concept of death. The close connection of Death to Liesel Meminiger’s story from her brother’s untimely death to her own as an old woman and ‘perpetual survivor’ of the war, forces the reader to reconsider Death as a malevolent entity, and instead feel uplifted by Death’s ‘other moments’ rather than just attending the ‘greatest disasters’.

Zusak efficaciously symbolises the power of words in such a way that encourages the reader to feel uplifted. In The Book Thief, words are used to educate, heal and overcome adversity. As a method to assist Liesel with the frightening night terror episodes, that left her ‘… swimming in her bed, screaming and drowning in the flood of sheets’, Hans begins to bestow the power of words upon her by teaching her the alphabet and how to read. At first, they plough through the Grave Digger’s Handbook, and although the material is macabre and reminiscent of her brother’s death, the feeling of ‘[conquering] not only the work at hand, but the night who blocked the way’ allows her to ‘feel an innate sense of power’. The ability that words to overcome adversity is also delineated throughout the story. When Max becomes ill, Liesel regularly reads to him, solely believing that ‘the words alone could nourish him’. This concept is further accentuated when words are used to sustain and provide comfort in a time of war. As the townspeople descend into fear and panic during the bomb raids, the words of The Whistler read by Liesel provides a calming distraction.

Through the inclusion of the graphic stories, Zusak conveys the power of hope, and by doing so, encourages the reader to feel uplifted despite the despondent subject of the overarching text.

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

words.

Markus Zusak’s compelling employment of structural and stylistic features within the novel motivates the reader to feel uplifted in spite of the inevitable sufferings that transpire as a result of World War II. Within the novel, the power of words and their ability to heal and instil hope within those afflicted with the pain of living in a time pervaded by oppression, is made evident through the symbolic use of books, which ultimately empowers Liesel to sustain sanity, and connect to the people that she too seeks emotional salvation from. From Death’s authoritative intrusions and his distinct personification, the reader is forced to reconsider their conceptions of Death as a malicious and inhumane oddity, and by doing so, allows the reader to form an ardent relationship with Death, instead of fearing him. Although Death remains ‘haunted by humans’, The Book Thief and Liesel’s words, are ‘so damning and brilliant’ and have given him a new perspective on the human race. This alone, instils hope within the reader, as, ‘in the darkest of times, in the most unexpected places, hope can still be found’.