He fights the nazis by painting over the pages of Hitler’s Mein Kampf and writing his own stories over Hitler’s words. Lastly, Max has the selfless courage to not come back to 33 Himmel Street even after Hans said that he could because he did not want to endanger their family any more than he already had. No matter what challenges he faces, Max makes the ultimate decision whether to let the things that happened to him affect him or to instead persevere through any means that he can, even if it does not seem to amount to much in the grand scheme of
Impulsive Courage What is childish may be impulsive, but what is impulsive is not always childish. The term “childish” is often associated with foolishness and naivete, having a negative connotation. Children tend to act impulsively disregarding any danger or consequences. However, sometimes their actions can be seen as courageous and even wise, especially when their intentions are pure and righteous. On the contrary, many adults are disciplined to make wise decisions and not act impulsively, particularly when they have a family to take care of.
John F. Kennedy, American politician and former 35th President of the United States once stated “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” JFK is absolutely correct in saying this because although effort and courage are important in various situations throughout life, they are meaningless without a purpose backing them up. Some of the most prominent examples of how we use courage and effort for a purpose is when we defend our certain beliefs and virtues. People around the world are using courage, whether it is a simple statement or an unexpected action to stand up for their true beliefs. Literature, movies, and the media also praise taking a stand against the enemy using the protagonist as an example.
A smile. A hug. A gift. The smallest things can brighten a person’s day or put a smile on someone’s face. Humility is a virtue that not all people possess.
Growing as a Character Every event in our lives happens for a reason, whether it is to learn from our mistakes or to gain experience from them. In Markus Zusak's novel “The Book Thief,” Liesel Meminger uses her experiences with living in the 1940s to learn life lessons and experience first hand the many terrible things Hitler is doing to people around her. She learns how to deal with the many obstacles that are thrown at her. Liesel grows as a character by following her step-father’s footsteps in being a kind and generous person, going through childhood with her best friend Rudy, and being aware of what is going on around her by learning from Max.
Liesel Meminger, book stealer. Rudy Steiner, risk taker. Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Jew protectors. The list goes on. Many characters in The Book Thief exhibit examples of courage and daringness.
The Book Thief written by Mark Zusak presents Liesel, an orphan, being fostered by Hans Hubermann and his wife Rosa Hubermann. Hans, Liesel’s foster dad, rejects the Nazi party membership and aids the Jewish people in his neighborhood angering the party. Hans Huberman rebels against the Nazi party through his lack of membership, feeding a jewish man, and painting over racial slurs written on jewish businesses. Hans Hubermann rejects Nazi ideals through his lack of party membership. When discussing the repercussions of painting over racial slurs, Death explained, “While many people were instantly approved, he was added to a waiting list, regarded with suspicion”(124).
A natural human instinct is to do anything in order to survive. Though a person may not necessarily want to survive, the physical body of a person does. The body naturally will try to do anything in order to protect itself and survive even when the person does not notice. Survival comes at a cost that not all people are willing to pay. To survive there are struggles and obstacles that not all are willing to face, but to get through these obstacles an individual is one step closer to survival.
Markus Zusak has assembled ‘The Book Thief’ using a variety of narrative conventions. These include a unique narrative viewpoint, plot structure and use of imagery, all of which provide meaning to the reader. (33 words) A narrative’s point of view refers to who is telling the story. In this case Zusak’s narrator identifies himself as Death.
The Germans are coming! Say you were a Jewish during World War II, and you parents sat you down during dinner saying we must go into hiding, go pack what you need! I would quickly run to my room and then question how long will we be hiding? I have so many questions but little time to pack. I would prepare by packing everything I need and some things that I “want” I would pack the necessities accordingly and pack my wants very light.
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”).
Humans lie and steal without hesitation to survive. That is how man is. However, human nature does not allow for cruelty to exist without the other end of the spectrum - kindness. In his novel, The Book Thief, Markus Zusak reveals the extreme malice possible in humans, along with the tenderness that stems from it. In times of hate and paranoia in Nazi Germany, ones who live morally are rare.
Friendship is the medicine for a wounded heart and the vitamins for a hopeful soul. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, a girl named Liesel suffers through many losses. She is taken to a new home where she developed friendships that helped her heal her wounds and survive World War II. Friendship is portrayed through her connections with Hans, Rudy, and Max and it is learned how essential these friendships are to her survival. At the beginning of the novel, she developed her first friendship with Hans.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Hans Hubermann stood strong through moments of adversity. He stuck to his beliefs and personal opinions under the unrelenting reign of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. In The Book Thief Hans Hubermann displayed his morals, a comforting essence, and trustworthiness under horribly negative conditions. First off, Hans Hubermann kept to his own moral beliefs despite the ever-changing society that surrounded him.
Ever since I was a child, I had these urges that I felt I had no control over. These urges of killing began around the time I was 13. I began finding roadkill and dissecting them to explore my curiosity, and this led to much more. I tried to avoid these urges by drinking heavily, even during school, but this couldn't hide these fantasies completely. I was different than all the other kids in my school, so I didn’t have many friends.
