Max Vandenburg's Struggles In The Book Thief

Liesel Meminger and Max Vandenburg throughout the book face many struggles. Their struggles differ in some aspects and some are similar. Liesel Meminger, also known as the “Book Thief”, is a ten year old girl who is kind and is hungry for her education. Liesel steals books hoping to read them and she does indeed, with the help of her foster father Hans Hubermann. She struggles with the death of her brother and losing her mother right at the beginning of the book, and still does as the story progresses. Max Vandenburg, a twenty-two year old Jewish fist fighter, who hides in the basement of the Huberman's home. He comes to the Hubermann’s house because his father saved the life of Hans Hubermann. Max struggles remaining safe from Hitler and his soldiers that constantly capture Jews. Max and Liesel immediately

Rosa says, “I bet started with the snowman--- fooling around with ice and snow in the cold down there” (Zusak 315). The family did everything they could to get Max back to full strength, especially Rosa. Death says, “What he predominantly saw was Rosa Hubermann, practically flinging an armful of soup into his mouth” (Zusak 318). Liesel toward the beginning of the book was criticized because she was illiterate, which drove her to the point in which she beat someone up for making fun of her. With the help of her foster father Hans Hubermann, she soon began reading book after book. Her new talent also drove her to stealing new books, even from the Ilsa’s library. Liesel says, “but it was not so much school who helped me to read. It was Papa” (Zusak 64). Liesel had a connection with books ever before she learn to read them, but with her Papa’s help she learn. She started off being read to and progressed to reading to Max while he was sick. Liesel with her father's help overcame her illiteracy and developed a long term passion for