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Freedom In The Censors And The Book Thief

967 Words4 Pages

Alyssa Kim Mrs. Sooter English 10 HP 28 February, 2023 The Meaning of Freedom Throughout all of history, freedom has been fought for endlessly, yet what is freedom? The definition is vague, yet there is a trend present in both reality and fiction, as authoritarian governments in The Censors and The Book Thief support a certain definition of freedom. The selection of text gives a message that freedom is the ability to do whatever you please, yet it’s only achievable through power and authority, and having true freedom restricts the freedom of the weak. Beginning with one selection, The Censors is a short story that gives a message of freedom, and shows how only the powerful can obtain freedom. The story takes place in 1976 Argentina, when …show more content…

The main character, Liesel, is a young girl who has little grasp on the reality of the world around her, and in a burst of outrage after finding out that Hitler might’ve taken away her mother, she expresses her taste against the Nazi party. The Book Thief states, “... Liesel could feel the slush of anger, stirring hotly in her stomach. “I hate the Fuhrer,” she said, “I hate him.” And Hans Hubermann? What did he do? What did he say? Did he bend down and embrace his foster daughter, as he wanted to? … Not exactly. He clenched his eyes. Then opened them. He slapped Liesel Meminger squarely in the face. “Don’t ever say that!” His voice was quiet, but sharp.” (Zusak 118). During this time, Hitler and the Nazi party had full control over Germany, and those who opposed them would be sent to concentration camps. It was so bad, that Hans Hubermann had to slap his daughter to send the message that she mustn’t ever use that type of language when in reference to the Fuhrer. The Fuhrer also exercises his freedom not only in how people perceive him, but in how he treats others. Another character in the novel named Max, was one of the many Jews who were subjected to the restriction of freedom by Hitler when they were massacred and placed into concentration camps. Fortunately for Liesel and her foster parents, they were not a target of Hitler, so they got to enjoy relatively nicer lives, while those who Hitler wanted to exercise his freedom upon, weren’t as fortunate. This goes to show that Hitler is a prime example of having power, so he can do as he pleases, while anyone who doesn’t have power is limited to his

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