Symbolism In The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a famous, wholehearted book that expresses the storyline in the events of World War II, the Holocaust, and the reign of Adolf Hitler in the setting of Germany. The author writes about a German family that faces the era of World War II, as the family faces obstacles that ultimately lead them to the hands of Death. A significance of the book is the variety of symbols that Zusak displays throughout the story that keeps the audience to pay close attention to the meaning of objects and people. The books supply the meaning of “freedom” towards the story because the words and knowledge distract the characters from the reality of World War II. The accordion symbolizes “comfort” and “hope” because whenever the music

To illustrate, “The sound of the accordion was, in fact, also the announcement of safety” (Zusak 38). To Liesel, the accordion was a comforting distraction from the reality of her brother’s death and her mother’s departure. Liesel was completely focused on her brother’s death and her mother’s departure, as she never understood why the way things happened the way they did. The accordion draws Liesel’s attention by the solace music notes and generates the feeling of relaxation, as it puts Liesel’s heart into ease from all the hectic conflict from her past. The text states, “...the fact that Rosa Hubermann was sitting on the edge of the bed with her husband’s accordion tied to her chest” (Zusak 429). During Hans being drafted in the war, the accordion is a huge reminder of Hans for Rosa Hubermann. Rosa Hubermann misses Hans Hubermann with all her heart, as the accordion brings Rosa with the hope that Hans will return home safely to play his accordion for herself and Liesel. The accordion reminds Rosa that Hans’s devoted compassion still lives inside the household of the Hubermann’s, even if Hans has departed into a random location. This instrument that plays music is an important item throughout the book and the household of the Hubermann’s because it provides

According to the text, “He’d returned to his sisters and the dominoes. He sat down. Rudy Steiner wasn’t going anywhere” (Zusak 411). As one domino falls down, the others will fall down with the first domino. Rudy represents the first domino out of the Steiner family, as he triggers the fall of all of the dominoes, which leads to the death of the Steiners. For example, “...it was a tale of anxiety, especially when it came to the voices in the kitchen and the dead-body dominoes” (Zusak 415). Rudy’s devastating death could have been prevented if the roles were switched. The effect of Rudy’s father being drafted into the military leads up to the chain of events of Rudy Steiner’s death. If Rudy Steiner was enrolled into military school, the death of Rudy could have been avoided, but instead, Rudy’s father was drafted, triggering the domino effect. Throughout the book, the tiniest events that have happened, have generated into something much more major and humongous. The dominoes are emphasized to showcase the cause and effects of how the events of Himmel Street resulted in the complete agony. The domino effect represents that events resulted into the way they were turned out to be, as Rudy’s death could have been prevented only if he went into military school instead of drafting his