Taryn Slenk Mrs. McConnell Global Literature March 17, 2023 The Beauty and Brutality in The Book Thief The beauty and brutality in life co-exist constantly. Sometimes, this can be hard to believe. How can something so ugly have something beautiful underneath? The Book Thief continuously shows the way that beauty and brutality can co-exist. This book follows a family, the Hubermanns, living through the hardships of World War Two. They face many troubles throughout the book, yet manage to find the good in those situations. Death narrates this novel, and this greatly impacts the way the story is told. In this story, Death shows how life and death are brutal, yet somehow beautiful. Throughout the novel, Rosa Hubermann demonstrates how words …show more content…
For example, in the middle of the story, Hans throws bread at a hungry Jew walking down the street. There were many Jews being escorted on the street Hans was on and “The Jew stood before him, expecting another handful of derision, but he watched with everyone else as Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic” (Zuzak 394). Hans’ actions shown in this part of the story speak very loudly. He didn’t say anything to this Jew, he just showed him kindness. His actions said the words he couldn’t say with his mouth. This demonstrates the beauty of life, specifically throughout this novel. On the other hand, after Hans gives a Jew a piece of bread, he is whipped by soldiers alongside the Jews. Death states that “Another week passed, and still, Hans Huberman waited for his punishment. The welts on his back were turning to scars” (Zuzak 271). Hans was whipped for his actions. The actions of this soldier who whipped him for this show the brutality in life. Hans's actions and the soldiers' actions in response are opposites. This shows how different beauty and brutality are, yet how they exist together …show more content…
There is such beauty in innocence. One moment that demonstrates this is when Rudy gives the dying pilot a teddy bear. Rudy sees this man hurting, and dying, and wants to make him feel comfortable. In Rudy’s innocence to the harsh world around him, he thinks this will help the pilot. During this scene, Death questions “How can the same thing can be so ugly and so glorious” (Zuzak 550). This is a frequently asked question both in this book and the world today. This innocent moment Rudy experienced is so beautiful, yet it is due to such a horrible, ugly, experience. Previously in the novel, death observes and says “. . . they would smile at the beauty of destruction” (Zuzak 406). He refers to Liesel and Rudy in this quote, the children in the story. They are not oblivious to the world around them, but they are innocent regarding the circumstances. How can there be beauty in destruction? How can you smile at destruction? The innocence of children so clearly demonstrates how beauty and brutality co-exist, regardless of the