‘The Book Thief’ (2013) is a film adapted from a novel written in 2005 by Markus Zusak focussed on a ten year old girl, living in Germany during World War II, the Nazi era, Liesel Meminger. The death of Liesel’s brother left her with foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Most of the characters in ‘The Book Thief’ are opposed to the Nazi regime such as Liesel, and Max Vandenburg, who is a Jew that the Hubermanns’ are hiding in their basement. Franz Deutscher on the other hand, is the face of the Nazis as he fully supports the regime. These three characters are vital to the film because it portrays different views on the war.
Liesel Meminger, the film’s protagonist, both openly and passively opposed Nazi ideas through her actions and words. This was shown through various scenes e.g. during the book burning, Liesel picked up an almost unburnt book from the ashes which was an act of defiance towards the Nazi government. Liesel did not know of the consequences of her actions as she was newly introduced to the ideas of Nazism and did not, yet, fully grasp the regime. One of the foremost act of defiance Liesel made, specifically against Hitler, was when she was at the lake with Rudy Steiner alone. Repeatedly,
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Germans, like Hans and Rosa, had to make moral decisions during the war because Jewish people who they had been friends with all his life were being taken to concentration camps, as well as having Max to take care of. Liesel and Max defied Nazi ideas differently. Liesel did so unknowingly at the beginning and as her knowledge of the situation broadened, she came to hate Hitler. Max, on the other hand, defied the Nazis just by existing and surviving the war. It was very difficult for ordinary people to oppose and stand up for Jews to fascist governments without bringing on consequences for