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Examples Of Tension In The Book Thief

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In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, anticipation is one of the many ways narrative tension is being shown throughout the story. At the beginning of the story, Markus uses anticipation as a way to get the readers to keep reading. Zusak writes, “It’s just a small story really, about, among other things: *A girl *Some words *An accordionist *Some fanatical Germans *A Jewish fist fighter *And quite a lot of thievery” (Zusak 5). This shows anticipation because it shows how after you read it, it gives you that feeling that makes you want to turn the page and keep reading more. For example, after I read this part of the story it made me feel excited and fearful of what was going to be ahead in the story. Therefor I felt anticipation, because I was feeling the excitement and fear of the unknown. …show more content…

At the beginning of this chapter, death enters the train of the book thief, her brother and her mother. The book thief had one eye open until death started to take the little boys soul. Zusak writes, “For Liesel Meminger, there was imprisoned stiffness of movement and the staggered onslaught of thoughts. Es stimmt nicht. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening” (Zusak 21). Anticipation is being shown throughout this by making the reader want to know what is going to happen next. It makes the reader want to know what happen to the little boy, or what happens to the book thief. Anticipation is most felt in this part of the story because it makes you wonder excited to know what is going to happen next, but you also fear

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Zusak hints at Liesel’s future after she picks up The Grave Digger’s Handbook by saying, “The book thief had struck for the first time-the beginning of an illustrious career.” (29). It was clear that in a book called The Book Thief, there were going to be a few books stolen. This quote however, makes the reader anticipate how.

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