The past is an interesting and intriguing thing. It holds many life lessons, good and bad, and makes us realize certain things about it when the future comes around, that we never thought about in the moment. When we look back on the past, whether it involved us or not, it can strongly affect the way someone is living now, and their perspective on theirs and others lives. The Holocaust definitely had a huge affect on society and still does today. The Book Thief and Night had two very different stories and views of the Holocaust and what occurred during it but, the two books themes connect together and in a way, give off the same message. One of the biggest themes in The Book Thief is the power of words. Words play a very big part in character relationships in this book. From …show more content…
One particular Jewish man is weak and clearly suffering from hunger and exhaustion, and Hans rushes to him and gives him a piece of bread. It’s a small act, but it shows kindness. It lets the Jewish man know that not only does Hans not hate him for being Jewish, but he also pities him and wants to ease his suffering. Immediately after, one of the Nazi soldiers mercilessly whips Hans and the Jewish man. The act is cruel to begin with, but its cruelty is heightened by the fact that it comes in response to Hans’s kindness. The great difference between these two acts is astounding. Number one, it was not the Jew’s fault that Hans decided to be a decent human being and try to help him. Therefore he should not have had any punishment for a kind act given upon him. And number two, it is very sad that a kind man could be whipped for feeding someone that is starving and struggling to survive on his own. The Nazi soldiers truly did not have and remorse or feeling towards the Jews. In their minds, the Jews were completely