A Jewish Influence Liesel Meminger, the 10-14-year-old protagonist of The Book Thief, has lived a life so filled with tragedies that every little happy moment in her life is put on a large scale. While each influence comes from different sources, Max Vandenburg and his influences are apparent more so than childhood best friend Rudy Steiner and his comical relief and optimism, or even foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann, who both are influential in different, yet significant ways that only a parental figure can demonstrate. Max gives Liesel a firsthand insight on how Jews are treated and help her develop her own opinion; he’s a friend that has experienced as much, if not more tragedy than she;, and finally, the two books he wrote for her, The Standover Man & The Word Shaker further distend her love for reading and books. Therefore, Max Vandenburg is the most influential person in Liesel …show more content…
When Max first enters her home, after she has been watching him sleep for three days, she describes him as “His gathering beard, and the twigs of (his) hair that moved ever so slightly as he breathed” (Zusak 167). His body is bruised, skinny and altogether weak, and up until this point, Liesel hasn’t really seen a first-hand Jew experience. Although she already had her strong opinions on the Nazi party, Seeing the effects of someone to whom she was no doubt going to get close, further enhances her hate towards the Nazi party. Second, of all, Liesel and Max are two in the same. They both have gone through tremendous loss, suffering, and tragedy. They are able to connect on a level, that no other can, which proves that they are influential to each other. “The Girl: Tell me. What do you see when you dream like that? The Jew: … I see myself turning around, and waving goodbye” (Zusak 220). One of their first real close conversations is one that they can both relate to and really contribute