Similarities Between Diller And Ishmael Beah In The Book Thief

Frau Diller and Ishmael Beah demonstrate a similarity in that they both are victims of brainwashing and staunchly follow orders without questioning anything. They both represent the ideal people in war who are unquestionably loyal to a cause, resulting in the conflict continuing. In The Book Thief, Frau Diller is extremely loyal to the Nazi Party, so much so that she even had "breath that smelled like ‘heil Hitler’" and if "you walked into her shop and didn’t say ‘heil Hitler,’ you wouldn’t be served" (Zusak 50). Frau Diller was so brainwashed that she did not question anything the Nazis did. She undoubtedly believed in the goals of the Nazi Party and the fact that Jews were a disease for the German population. Moreover, to take it a step further, Fray

Her patriotic devotion made her the embodiment of the ideal German during Nazi Germany: a person who blindly followed the orders of Hitler. She never had a thought for herself and only believed in everything the Fuhrer believed in. The use of propaganda, such as the book burnings, and the power of Hitler’s words eventually were able to completely control her thoughts and feed into her prejudices. As a result, her blind loyalty and indoctrination of others resulted in the continuation of the war and the horrific events that ensued. By never questioning anything, Frau Diller, along with millions of others, allowed the genocide of the Jews and the deaths of millions. Her unquestionable allegiance was crucial in giving Hitler and the Nazis power and helping them in their conquests for dominance. Thus, she was a victim of brainwashing and a factor that led to the continuation of many horrors. Likewise, in A Long Way Down," after joining the army, Ishmael was brained into fighting as a boy soldier. At the military camp, he was "always either at the front lines, watching a war movie, or doing drugs. There was no time to be alone or to