Loss Of Innocence In The Book Thief

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, growing up and losing innocence are shown through death and war. In the beginning, Liesel experiences the loss of her brother. This was her first encounter with losing her innocence. Moreover, she feels saddened and heartbroken once arriving on Himmel Street. Liesel is a prime example of how death shapes someone. At the novel’s beginning, she has a childlike mindset, but by the end, she loses it. In The Book Thief, losing innocence is best shown through Liesel and Rudy, when they learn about some views formed during the war. During “The Gates of Thievery,” Liesel attended a Hitler Youth meeting. Here, she would find out her mom was a communist, also making the realization that the Fuhrer had something to do

At this moment, Liesel made a connection, the same as Rudy. During “The Jesse Owens Incident.” Rudy witnessed Jesse Owens win a fourth gold medal; in return, Rudy painted himself black to imitate him. After winning an imaginary race, Rudy's father, Alex Steiner, stopped him. He talks to Rudy and says, “You shouldn’t want to. not us”(Mark Zusak, 60). He explains things that could happen if Rudy keeps this up. Similarly, Rudy and Liesel both make a connection that revolves around the world around them. Returning to how children view the world in a childlike manner, Liesel and Rudy are slowly beginning to understand the world for what it truly is. A world forged by war. The war forced Liesel and Rudy to grow up faster. This war caused a food shortage, leading Liesel and Rudy to steal food. Consequently, they began to get their hands dirty once working with Arthur Berg, the leader of a small gang. This stealing is a result of the current conflict happening within the story. Throughout the novel, they become accustomed to this life of thievery. In the chapter “Three Acts of Stupidity by Rudy Steiner” he steals a potato because he is hungry. He had adapted to the current