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Recommended: The book thief essay
In the novel, The Book Thief, a fictional story, author Markus Zusak demonstrates the power of words to save or destroy someone or something. The setting is WWII in Molching, Germany. Leisel is a foster child who went through a lot to get to where she is, Himmel Street. She is living with her foster parents, Rosa and Hans Hubermann. She also has a very good friend, Rudy, who is your typical Aryan boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.
After her mother learns she cannot look after Liesel and her brother anymore, she decides to take them to a foster family. Her brother, Werner dies on the train ride there. Liesel meets her new foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Hans and Rosa Hubermann find a purpose during the war by protecting and caring for Liesel. Liesel found joy and comfort in reading to Max while he was in the coma.
- Liesel, knowing the outcome of running through a stream of Jews, wanted to find Max and see him for the last time before he would disappear for years. She wanted to see him and thank him for everything he 's done for her; the stories, the fun times they 've had. She willingly put herself in a bad situation because she loves him, and she knows that he loves her too. She knew that if Max saw her, it would make him the happiest
A Jewish Influence Liesel Meminger, the 10-14-year-old protagonist of The Book Thief, has lived a life so filled with tragedies that every little happy moment in her life is put on a large scale. While each influence comes from different sources, Max Vandenburg and his influences are apparent more so than childhood best friend Rudy Steiner and his comical relief and optimism, or even foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann, who both are influential in different, yet significant ways that only a parental figure can demonstrate. Max gives Liesel a firsthand insight on how Jews are treated and help her develop her own opinion; he’s a friend that has experienced as much, if not more tragedy than she;, and finally, the two books he wrote for her, The Standover Man & The Word Shaker further distend her love for reading and books. Therefore, Max Vandenburg is the most influential person in Liesel
“Your greatest test is when you are able to bless someone while you are going through your own storm” -Rafael Garcia. The author conveys a sense of compassion by creating a family out of a group of unsuspecting people. By grouping together a newly book loving orphan, a Jewish man, an artist, and a short-tempered woman; Markus Zusak gave the reader a different outlook on a variety of people coming together. He showed this by the time period of the holocaust, others setting aside their differences and sympathy.
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.
Both these protagonists happen to be political refugees avoiding Nazi persecution: Liesel’s parents were Communists and Max is a Jew. Max and Liesel alike have recurring nightmares about the last time they saw their families and these help Max and Liesel link themselves in areas where no one would understand their pain due to the loss of their family. Unlike most relationships theirs is based on their similar past and personalities as well as unspoken understanding along with the trust for each other. These similarities form a strong bond between Max and Liesel and this makes “The Standover Man”, a book compiled by Max using pages from “Mein Kampf” important, as Max helps Liesel realize that the power of words can be used to delight as well as harm others. “The best standover man I’ve ever known is not a man at all...”, a line within “The Standover Man” implies that Max believes that Liesel and he need each other and this friendship is unique to both of
To love is to risk. Whether that is risking life, belief, health, or reputation, it is still a risk at any rate to give devotion to another. No era in history knows this better than during the Holocaust. Still, the most unexpected of people would die trying to help Jews escape persecution, they would help others who didn't share the same moral foundation as they did, they would share food rations when they barely had enough for themselves, or they would risk their public standing and forever be labeled as a sympathizer just to help a suffering soul regain his balance. Similarly, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief demonstrates a complete comprehension of how humans act against self preservation and individual comfort when challenged with harrowing situations that appeal to their own personal connections.
“It’s just a small story really, about, among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery…” (Zusak, pg. 5) The novel, The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak in 2005 explores the theme of family relationships. It is through nine-year-old Liesel Meminger, the protagonist, that the idea of a broken family during the era of Nazi Germany is explored. The Book Thief depicts the struggle of young German girl, Liesel Meminger, living in Germany during the time of Hitler’s reign.
Hans and Rosa Huberman happily take Liesel in as their daughter. Leisel makes many new friends while staying with the Hubermans, but is faced with many obstacles including losing her biological parents, her two best friends, and her loving foster parents all because of the Nazis and their hatred of the Jews. The one thing that never leaves Liesel is her books. In the Novel, The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak uses the themes of loss, love and resilience to illustrate the life of Liesel Meminger. Marcus Zusak uses the theme of love to show the relationships Liesel makes and the belongings she cherishes.
The events between 1789 and 1792 have significantly influenced French society. Ideas of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, encompassing the third estate, were integrated into French society, influencing the traditional system and creating change in constitutions and laws, leading to the creation of the republic of France. The fight for equality started with the third estate, creating a national assembly, because of the unfairness in votes in the original assembly; the estates-general. Shortly after new assembly, on the 20th June 1789 members took the tennis court oath, swearing that they would keep meeting until a new constitution was signed.
In the novel, Liesel’s behavior shows justice and love through her friendship with Max. Although her relationship with Max in the beginning of the book was rather awkward, soon her perspective towards Max soothes and their relationship bonds to a friendship. There are some times when Liesel’s actions were unbelievable, especially during the Jew parade. “ ‘ You have to let go of me Liesel.’
The theme of this book is learning to love and care for the people around. How I came to this conclusion is by how Liesel acts towards Max, her foster parents, Rudy, and her neighbors. Liesel cares for people even if they weren't like her and she doesn't understand why there is hatred in this world. She wanted the world to be a happy place for everyone including Jews to be friends with one another. On page 426 in ‘The Book Thief’, when Rudy’s father went to war Liesel could relate to Rudy because “her mother.
He killed himself for wanting to live” (Zusak 503). While Michael deals with guilt by self destructing, Liesel, the main character, handles guilt using other methods. Liesel encounters guilt through the death of her loved ones in addition to the sadness of losing everything she had. She deals with this guilt by stealing books and reading with her Papa. By stealing books, she achieved the famous nickname, the Book Thief.
Max and Liesel gain a very strong friendship until he must leave for the family’s safety. In the end, the Allied Powers bomb the city, leaving Liesel as the lone survivor, leaving Liesel to face an extremely difficult time. In the end, the narrator, Death, reunites her with Max. Liesel lives a wonderful life and passes peacefully. In the novel, The Book Thief, Zusak proves the satisfaction found in corruption and harmful choices