At the end of the novel, Death remarks that Liesel has experienced both beauty and brutality, suggesting that Liesel was ultimately able to come to terms with the fact that the human condition necessarily involves both suffering and happiness after having experienced extreme versions of both. Markus Zusak writes about a young girl – Liesel Meminger – who […], In the society that I have been raised in, I have always been taught to be accepting of others and not pass judgment on their race, culture or religion. As the story begins we see that Liesel will unfortunately not be able to keep her purity for long. At age 9, Liesel is illiterate, and the first book she learns to read is a manual about grave digging. Teachers and parents! Justin T. Cass. Zusak's father was a house-painter (like Hans Hubermann) and neither parent spoke English very well, but they made sure their children did plenty of reading. The reader is first brought to the picture of the mother and daughter which seems peaceful and appropriate. This idea is made most clear when Liesel exclaims that she “[hates] the Fuhrer,” (Zusak, 115) for that is when Hans, who belongs to “the 10 percent who didn’t” show “unflinching support for Adolf Hitler,” (Zusak, 63) “slapped [her] squarely on the face . Chazelle, Damien ed. Or at least with the thought that he was a human. When he was a teenager Zusak decided he wanted to be a writer. Liesel is exposed to using this power as she reads to the families in the bomb shelter. In the prologue, Death explains that the novel will include, among other things, "a girl" (Liesel), "an accordionist" (Hans), and "a Jewish fist fighter" (Max). It helps me relax." Max's self-deprecation is probably tied into his feelings of guilt over having left his family to save himself. Wondering if the human race is worth anything, Death is torn by this opposition and cannot reconcile it: "I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race -- that rarely do I ever simply estimate it." This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience. This line conveys Liesel's realization of the manipulative power of words and indicates her attempt to master the art of writing for compassionate use, to make words "right.". Learning to read brings Liesel closer to the understanding that Hitler's propaganda is the root of his power and the reason why her mother, father, and brother are dead. . Hitler stole the lives of the German people throughout the war, and also the lives of all those who did not fit the Aryan stereotype. It is the capacity of human beings to make different moral choices and the apparent capriciousness of these decisions that haunts Death, which is only capable of a single action. Different characters treat abandonment and guilt in different ways. Analysis Essay – The Book Thief In The Book Thief (2005), Markus Zusak, illustrates many different themes but there are two themes that are consistent throughout the book, death and the power of words. One Corpse,” (Zusak, 4). It takes the edge off the stress. Through her stealing of the books, she is able to escape parts of what Hitler is stealing from her family. Liesel is traumatized over the death of her younger brother and the realization that her mother has been persecuted by the Nazis. Death is stunned both by the murderous Nazis and mankind's irrational taste for war and by the few human beings who exhibit remarkable compassion and strength, like Hans and Liesel. GradeSaver, 30 November 2009 Web. […], I found that “The Book Thief” portrayed perfectly one of the greatest casualties of war – the truth. The punishment for being found with a hidden Jew was certain death. These small, individual acts of bravery and defiance in the face of popular Nazi fervor are mostly symbolic. And yes, we can't help but to feel sympathy, as it is Death who must see and experience their deaths alongside them. Hans' emotional state is at times expressed through his accordion; when he discovers that Max is in a concentration camp, Hans butchers every song when he tries to play. It is then contrasted with the corpse. The same words which gave Hitler power to take over Germany and steal the lives of people, Liesel uses to calm and distract the people. https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-book-thief-themes.html "The Book Thief Themes". Hitler was stronger than the German people, and convinced them through his powerful words to treat those who did not meet his idea of perfection as inferior. A Psychoanalysis of "Tell-Tale Heart", "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Mask of Red Death", Compare and contrast the narrative techniques used in three or more of Edgar Allan Poe's tales, 'The Black Cat', 'The Cask Of Amontillado' and 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. The accordion itself was originally owned by Erik Vandenberg, who taught Hans to play when the two served together in World War I and saved Hans' life. The Book Thief study guide contains a biography of Markus Zusak, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Liesel ends up writing the story of her life, ending with the line, "I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Liesel's Emotional Journey Through the Book Thief, The Toil of Good and Evil: Multi-Faceted Kindness in The Book Thief, Stealing the Narrative: The Irony of Reading in The Book Thief, View Wikipedia Entries for The Book Thief…. Through the knowledge which Hitler had, he was able to steal the minds of his people and mislead them. Hans regrets giving the Jew a piece of bread because of the potentially disastrous consequences of this deed, but Liesel, impressed by Hans' bravery, tries to reassure him. Get tips and ideas in OUTLINE. In the prologue, Death explains that it is not the dead, but the heartbroken survivors of the dead that it cannot stand to look at. The word “corpse” is harsh and helps to show that the picture first painted is not innocent, it is contaminated by death. In your response, consider its personal, national and international elements.PLEASE ANSWER!!!! Describe the tone used by Death in the following passages: Again Death has a sense of sarcasm and irony. The above quotes refers to the "chill" between father and son, Hans and Hans Jr., Hans and the Party. He became a writer unlike many others at that time, writing stores of crime or horror literature. Theft is a central theme for the novel The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, because of the time in which it is set. Through out the story, Liesel learns just how valuable being able to read is but also eventually learns that being able to read also means understanding things that she may not have wanted to.