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Examples Of Imagery In The Book Thief

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Andres Saeltzer
Ms. Mclean
English 9 Block E
27 March 2023
Lingering Effects of War
“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” — Ernest Hemingway, 1946
This quote is a very strong and meaningful quote. This quote really emphasizes that war is extremely unnecessary. No matter what, during war, there will always be death and violence that will negatively affect others. We can see the effects of war countless times throughout The Book Thief, and we see innocent people losing their lives because of the violence taking place in Nazi Germany. After the bombing in Molching, Zusak uses vivid sensory imagery and a dramatic simile to emphasize to readers the suffering and unnecessary destruction that war causes to innocent people.
In The Book Thief, one passage that depicts the destruction of war is when Rudy and Liesel witness the bombing of Molching. During the bombing, Zusak uses the simile “The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were streaks of light and shades of purple, orange, and pink. Crowds …show more content…

Zusak uses vivid sensory imagery to capture and express the horrible conditions the Jews are in because of the Nazis. The Jews are described as “Their gaunt faces were stretched with torture” (Zusak 392). Zusak is using this sensory imagery to make it feel as if you are really present in the moment the Jews are marching by. Zusak’s use of sensory imagery highlights the dehumanization of the Jews and the utter cruelty of the Nazi regime. The sensory imagery in this passage also represents not only the physical destruction of war but also the emotional toll it takes on individuals and communities. Overall, the image of the "marching Jews" in The Book Thief serves as a powerful reminder of the physical and mental destruction war

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