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Oppression In The Book Thief

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Ignorant to Educated

In Nazi Germany, 1939, Hitler rose to power using his manipulative words to intoxicate the minds of people by using his book, Mein Kampf. After the Great Depression, Germany was desperate in recovering, so many people relied on Hitler and his ideas of oppression. In contrast, many people were not influenced by Hitler’s strategies and one of them was Liesel Meminger. In The Book Thief, Liesel embarks on a journey with words discovering how they can comfort, empower, harm, and inspire people. In the beginning, Liesel’s brother dies, and while she was at the funeral she found a book, The Grave Digger’s handbook. She realizes that she has never learned how to read, and Hans assists her in helping her learn how to. The Grave …show more content…

Unfortunately, one day the Mayor’ wife, Ilsa, fired her mother which made Liesel furious, so she decided to insult Ilsa. Ilsa Hermann was very harmed by Liesel’s hurtful words: “She was battered and beaten up” (Zusak page 262) Liesel understands the harmful impact of negative words on people and their emotions.
Later, in the air-raid shelter, many people were very worried and nervous, so Liesel decides to read The Whistler. Eventually everyone is calm because they started listening to Liesel reading her book. Many worried people were “soothed by her voice” and /0 the tone of the room was tranquil. (Zusak page 381) After Liesel realizes the impact of words on peoples emotions and how they can manipulate your mind.
Towards the end of the book, Liesel announced words from The Word Shaker to Max while he was marching on Munich Street. After Max left, Liesel went to the Mayor’s library frustrated at words and tore up one of the books. Angered with words, Liesel wonders, “The words. Why do they have to exist” (Zusak page 521) After this incident, Liesel realizes the value of words, and how they can manipulate your actions and

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On the first night she began living there, she began to have the same horrible and vivid nightmare of her brother’s death. She would wake up in the middle of night in a cold sweat screaming. Hans would stay with her till dawn either talking or playing the accordion making her feel more calm and at ease. Liesel became more comfortable around Hans and started to love him

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Quotation 1: “...and yet there it was- a black book with silver words written against the ceiling...) (Zusak 29) So far, this quotation marks the first book Liesel has stolen. The significance of this quote is that it represents the beginning of “an illustrious career” (29) which she will continue to carry out throughout this novel. It signifies Liesel’s everlasting love for her brother because she wanted to remember him someway, and that someway ended up being the book she “stole” when he was buried.

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Even though Liesel does not agree with Hitler his words captivate her to a point where he is in her dreams, “The book thief was dreaming about the Fuhrer…she was attending a rally at which he spoke,” (Zusak 20). Even in Liesel’s dreams words carry the weight to shift tides, but only because she and all of Germany are allowing them to. As Liesel realizes this she seems to understand that she can take value from words and that is continuously shown to be Liesel's gift, she can learn better than most how to use her words and this give her and her words power, “Once words had rendered Liesel useless, but now…she felt an innate sense of power,” (Zusak

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This leads Liesel to notice the prejudice against the Jewish allowing for the reader to see the importance of good words in the novel. The second way that the importance of words in their goodness is seen when Liesel gets her last book from Ilsa. When Ilsa Hermann gives Liesel this last book the pages are empty and she tells Liesel that she should write her own book. This is justified when Ilsa says, “I thought if you do [not] want to read any more books, you might like to write one instead,” (Zusak 523). The significance of this quote is that Ilsa tells Liesel that if the words are all being used for bad and or Liesel disagrees with them, she should make her own words, writing her own book.

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a. "She had watched a bomber pilot die in a metal case. She had seen a Jewish man who had twice given her the most beautiful pages of her life marched to a concentration camp"(521). - Liesel has been through so many struggles. Her brother died in front of her, her mother sent her away, and she witnessed almost everyone she loved depart from the world. She had more than enough reasons to quit, but she decided to stay strong through it all.

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However, words also separated them when Max, a Jewish man had to leave the Hubermann’s home in fear he would be found. It was Hitler’s words and his believes that had brought Liesel and her friend apart. Thus, Liesel knew how powerful words are. “The words. Why did they have to exist?

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Liesel has realized she must respect the man who was the reason for her and her entire families suffering. She has realized she officially has lost her home, that she is completely isolated from the community. “It was quite a sight seeing an eleven year old girl try not to cry on church steps, saluting fuhrer”(Zusak 115). After losing all of these emotionally wrecking things Liesel learns and understands she needs to keep going forward. She refuses to give up she although times are rough manages to think, it could be worse.

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The power of words in “The Book Thief” and the endless strength they carry is a prime topic throughout the book. “The Book Thief”, a novel narrated by Death about Liesel, a young German girl who is given up for adoption to live with the Hubermann’s shortly before World War II. Liesel discovers the power that words, written or spoken, have to transform people, relationships, and lives. In the novel, Mark Zusak uses the relationship between characters to signify the power of words. Within “The Book Thief” the author suggests that words hold much power and have a major role in crafting the relationships between the characters.

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A main reason Liesel develops into the character she is by the end of the novel is due to the individuals she meets and her relationships with them. When Hans Hubermann becomes

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An important role model in Liesel’s life is Ilsa Hermann. After seeing Liesel steal a book at the book burning, she gives her the ‘window of opportunity’ (Zusak, pg. 155) inviting her into her library and sharing her own love of books with Liesel. The reader eventually learns that Ilsa is still mourning the loss of her own son many years before. Ilsa takes Liesel into her care after the tragedy of the bombing raids that results in the death of Hans and Rosa leaving Liesel traumatised and

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“Look proud, he advised himself. You cannot look afraid,”(Zusak Ch 25). Max fought for the safety of his life for two years by hiding out. No matter how hopeless your situation might look, keep fighting because you never know what will happen unless you try. Having Max living in Liesel's basement teaches her first-hand how serious things are, and the dangers of what Hitler can do.

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He even tried to push her away, but the girl was too strong.’” (511) The time of the Holocaust was hell-like for the Jews. Just because of their religion, they were harassed and and abused by the Germans in inhumane ways. However, Liesel was a girl who stood up for humanity and justice.

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Having no one familiar to turn to, she finds a passion for words and continues to steal more books and develops strength through her burgeoning intellect of words. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is about the power of words; in this novel Zusak reveals that one who truly knows the hidden strength behind all words, can dominate others because words are more powerful than any weapon. The importance of words is shown through the symbolism of certain words throughout the novel; the motif of hunger, how it leads to her hunger for words; and how different Liesel’s world would be without words. Simple words can have deeper meanings.

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Words can also influence you in a good or bad way. Liesel states, “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them “right” (Zusak,528) she says how she feels about words like her relationship with them. The quote reveals that Liesel wants to use words in a positive way and that she wants to use the words “right” and for good reasons rather than deleterious reasons.

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