The Book Thief Power Of Words

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right"
The power of words has the ability to shift perceptions and as a result influence the shaping of attitudes and values. Hating words yet loving words, all the while striving for accuracy conveys the composer’s relationship with their craft and the responsibility that they place themselves under.
The power of words is evident in the construction of language by which words are specifically chosen and manipulated so as to influence responder’s perceptions and attitudes of a person, people, place and / or event. As George Orwell in his novel 1984 stated “…. if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” The use and manipulation of words as means of altering

This is evident with Zusak’s use of metaphorical epithet within the novel “The Book Thief”. The use of Metaphorical Epithet is evident as the narrator of Death states “She was listening contentedly to the torrent of words that was spilling from his mouth. His sentences glowed in the light.” This refers to the central protagonist of Liesel dreaming of a speech delivered by Hitler. Responders are unaware of the speech and are instead made conscious of the overall power of Hitler’s words. Zusak’s symbolic description of the Adolf Hitler’s words as being a “torrent” symbolises the force of the words that are being delivered. This is further elaborated on by suggesting that his sentences are “glowing” suggesting a descriptive beauty of the content of his speech. This provides evidence of the power of Hitler’s words and their ability to collectively alter the perceptions of those who hear them. The added symbolism of comparing his sentences to “glowing in the light” suggests that his speech is one that is illuminating the knowledge of those who are listening. The character of Liesel was captivated by the words, which further reinforces the power contained within them. Zusak’s choice for using the metaphorical epithet as a symbolic device essentially serves as a means by which responders are able to align their own perceptions with that of the composers. In doing this, Zusak strives to convey a sense of accuracy in his description of the power of Hitler’s