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Character Analysis Of Hans Hubbermann In The Book Thief

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Many characters in The Book Thief suffered tremendously during World War II but coped with it in different ways. Liesel, the main protagonist in The Book Thief, comes with her suffering because of the fact that she wouldn’t accept that her brother Werner is dead. Furthermore, she would constantly have nightmares every night about her brother. Max is a Jewish man who lives in Liesel's house seeking to be concealed away from the public. He suffers from the fact of guilt because he still exists in the world when around in Germany, Jewish people are getting killed day after day due to the Holocaust. Hans Hubbermann, Liesel’s adopted father suffers through the guilt that he had to make Max leave the house. Han’s intentions were to protect him but the guilt of letting a lone Jewish man in a world where if he was spotted he would have been an instant criminal and send to a prison camp or worse killed. A significant turning point in Liesel’s life was when her brother, Werner, died on a train to their adoptive family. As a result, Liesel would consistently have nightmares of her dead brother Werner every night: "Every night, Liesel would nightmare" (7.2). Liesel was close …show more content…

He sends Max in agony out back in the streets again for the right reasons so that Max would have a chance of living, since the German police were out going door to door searching residents houses. Han’s intentions were to only protect him by making this choice. From this choice, Han suffers this agony silently, and he couldn’t take a chance that can kill Max: “… he could have been asleep in the basement or sketching in his book” (60.21). Han could’ve let Max stay and do his things in his basement but the problem was, what if the police came and took Max? Han would suffer even more emotionally because he could have done something to save his life. This is why Han could not think about taking the chance of Max getting caught by the German

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452 Words | 2 Pages

Jews were being put in Concentration camps, but because of his knowledge he goes into hiding at the home of the Huberman’s. The book describes him as an introvert because in the book it states, “He was the type of person who worked quietly away for very little reward. He kept to himself...”(Zusak 188). Max has positive solutions that he wants to fulfill in a negative way. We can can determine this because Zusak expressed in his writing, “Punches are thrown, the crowd

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102 Words | 1 Pages

: This passage is significant to the novel because it reminds the reader that no matter how much pain and suffering Liesel feels, she lives in a safer “world” than characters like Max. But death migrates from Liesel’s pain and travels to Max’s. Max has lost his entire family and faces persecution, but his true pain lies within him. He left his family to die; he is risking another family’s life, and is constantly belittled for being Jewish. This is why this quote is important, it shows the reader not only the physical, but mental pain that the citizens of Germany

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234 Words | 1 Pages

Another example of the beauty of humanity can be seen in Hans Hubermann's character. Throughout the novel Hans is a very easygoing and thoughtful man who has a tendency to put others before himself. Wherever he is, he is always trying to help others. For example when Hans goes around painting windows black to prepare for the air raids he does not charge his customers a certain amount of money. He only charges however much they can give.

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1191 Words | 5 Pages

I think that this shows that Max is really fighting mainly his guilt, and all of the other bad things that happen to him and that in his battle, he loses. Another example of Max distracting himself from everything is when he says to Liesel, “Often I wish this would all be over Liesel, but then somehow you do something like walk down the basement steps with a snowman in your hands.” (p. 313) I think that this shows how Max uses Liesel as a distraction and the happiness she brings him, to take away from all of the things he is feeling responsible for. Michael used his pain and his suffering to help him deal with the guilt of surviving and it is obvious when he was in the basement and his eyes, “beat furiously in their sockets as he squeezed his injured hand and the blood rose through the bandage” (p. 487).

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703 Words | 3 Pages

Liesel has realized she must respect the man who was the reason for her and her entire families suffering. She has realized she officially has lost her home, that she is completely isolated from the community. “It was quite a sight seeing an eleven year old girl try not to cry on church steps, saluting fuhrer”(Zusak 115). After losing all of these emotionally wrecking things Liesel learns and understands she needs to keep going forward. She refuses to give up she although times are rough manages to think, it could be worse.

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483 Words | 2 Pages

The power of words in “The Book Thief” and the endless strength they carry is a prime topic throughout the book. “The Book Thief”, a novel narrated by Death about Liesel, a young German girl who is given up for adoption to live with the Hubermann’s shortly before World War II. Liesel discovers the power that words, written or spoken, have to transform people, relationships, and lives. In the novel, Mark Zusak uses the relationship between characters to signify the power of words. Within “The Book Thief” the author suggests that words hold much power and have a major role in crafting the relationships between the characters.

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749 Words | 3 Pages

In addition to glorifying Hitler, saluting symbolizes Hitler’s dominance over his citizens, which subconsciously indoctrinates them and ensures his reign. None of the main characters in The Book Thief stand by Hitler’s beliefs, however, unless they want to be disciplined, they are forced to conform. Due to outside forces, Liesel Meminger’s identity is formed and strengthened. Liesel is able to learn from her relationships, the major events she experiences, and even the culture she is surrounded by, to construct the person she becomes.

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888 Words | 4 Pages

Liesel’s only connection to them is through The Grave Digger’s Handbook which is also her first act of book thievery. Han is Liesel’s silver eyed, accordion playing foster father who wins her over with his gentle humility, quiet nature and caring demeanour. ‘They were made of kindness and silver… Liesel when seeing those eyes understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot.’

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840 Words | 4 Pages

Liesel and her father’s relationship grows each and every day they are together. She feels comforted by his presence. “Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father’s eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver… Upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot,” (Zusak Ch 6).

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1144 Words | 5 Pages

Hans Hubermann, Liesel’s foster father, helped Jewish people in whatever way he could. When a Jewish shop named Kleinmann’s was vandalized, Hans asked the owner if he needed any help cleaning up, and promised to come back the next day and paint his door, which he did (Zusak 181-182). Hans delayed applying to the Nazi party because he didn’t agree with their beliefs, and by helping the owner he was put under more suspicion, however he felt that it was a proper action and didn’t allow danger to stop him. In addition to Hans act of kindness, the Hubermanns took a Jew named Max into their care, and allowed him to stay with them to be safe. In a book overview, Tabitha Hall observes, “Though not Jewish, Liesel and her foster parents struggle as they keep their Jewish friend hidden…” (“Overview: The Book Thief”).

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590 Words | 3 Pages

Werner dies on the train when their Leisel and his mother is taking them to their new foster parents, and the movie shows how painful his death was to Liesl just like the novel. “We now know, of course, that the boy didn’t make it.” (Zusak 19) Max is a Jewish man who hides in the Hubermann’s basement in both the novel and the movie. Though His relationship with Liesel is incredible, he is not how the book described him in the least, in

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862 Words | 4 Pages

One by one they climbed into the ring and beat him down. They made him bleed. They let him suffer." (Zusak 254). Max is struggling to understand that he's a Jew, doesn't understand why people hate him and why people follow Hitler.

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2175 Words | 9 Pages

One of the most important recurring themes throughout The Book Thief was Liesel’s relationships with all of the people in her life. She grows close with several different people, and trusts, loves, and cares for them all differently but equally. Three of those relationships will be explored more deeply; Liesel’s relationship with her foster father, Hans Hubermann, the Jewish man her family takes in, Max Vanderburg, and her best friend, Rudy Steiner. Liesel’s relationship with Hans is one of the most important, if not the most important, relationships in the novel. Hans is the first person Liesel trusts, and the person who stays with her and loves her until the end.

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1008 Words | 5 Pages

Max and Liesel gain a very strong friendship until he must leave for the family’s safety. In the end, the Allied Powers bomb the city, leaving Liesel as the lone survivor, leaving Liesel to face an extremely difficult time. In the end, the narrator, Death, reunites her with Max. Liesel lives a wonderful life and passes peacefully. In the novel, The Book Thief, Zusak proves the satisfaction found in corruption and harmful choices

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767 Words | 4 Pages

Liesel trusted her papa even more after this encounter, Hans knew to keep this a secret to protect Liesel’s feelings. With all the negativity and poorness in Hans’ life, he would have been expected to respond negatively, but in reality, Hans did the complete opposite. Hans Hubermann showed his morals, a comforting essence, and trustworthiness despite living under horribly negative conditions. Under the tireless regime of Adolf Hitler, Hans clung to his personal beliefs. He did this in several ways, he helped two Jews, and helped Liesel develop into a better person.

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