ipl-logo

The Book Thief Power Of Words

2203 Words9 Pages

“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 …show more content…

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

Show More
Related
479 Words | 2 Pages

The 144 day crisis In this book Taken Hostage by David Farber the author speaks out about the Iran hostage crisis. on November 4th, 1979 Iranian militans went into the United states embassy of Tehran and captured sixty-six americans. Keeping them hostage for a total of 444 days. This event if the first encounter that the americans have with the radical islam.

Read More
394 Words | 2 Pages

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, is a story set in Nazi Germany, the protagonist, Liesel Meminger, gets taken to a because her mom cannot manage to take care of her. The central theme, the power of words, is demonstrated throughout the story by Lisel’s love for books, and ability to use words to relieve and connect with others. It also shows how words can be used to manipulate and control people. “When she came to write her story, she would wonder when the books and the words started to mean not just something, but everything.” (Zusak, page 30).

Read More
801 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More
106 Words | 1 Pages

A paradox is when two opposite things occur at the same time. In both WW II and “The Book Thief” there are many examples where a similar paradox has occurs. Both the book and the event show Ugly and Beauty of humanity. In WW II, ugly and beauty was shown throughout the battles and rescue for the Jews. In the book, ugly and beauty is shown through the characters and their actions.

Read More
673 Words | 3 Pages

Additionally, everything in this novel was caused by words, from Hitler coming to power, Max using Mein Kampf to get to the Hubermann’s house, Liesel saving Max when he got sick, Liesel and Max’s relationship, and Liesel living in the end of the novel from being in the basement

Read More
734 Words | 3 Pages

Yes, the brutality of words.” The personification when describing Liesel’s words as brutal emphasises the power of words, as the narrator says it is able to cause injury. The theme is further supported through the high modality, making the situation more dramatic and intense. The strong language is used to enforce the theme, revealing that words are capable of injuring and changing an opinion. Zusak continues to say that Hitler’s words are extremely powerful, and that without words, he would be nothing.

Read More
645 Words | 3 Pages

While reading his speech, it is almost possible to hear his morose and still voice. By speaking to the substantial audience about his fight during the Holocaust, Wiesel portrays this theme through his depressed and let down tone of voice. The effect of his tone is significant because the audience can get some type of feeling of what he really encountered. Most people today cannot relate to his stories directly, so his tone is important to pass on his

Read More
631 Words | 3 Pages

Connor Paladino Mrs. Beauchamp Honors English 9 15 September 2017 Jewish Life in The Book Thief In the novel The Book Thief by Mark Zusak there is a dominating social issue present. The story takes place in Germany during the Holocaust. The Holocaust is a horrendous event that sparked a burning hatred and discrimination against Jews in Germany, making it almost impossible for them to survive.

Read More
483 Words | 2 Pages

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.

Read More
1095 Words | 5 Pages

Over 11 million innocent people were murdered in the Holocaust. Who was responsible for all of this? Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany and the main cause of the Holocaust. He and his men killed millions of people in concentration camps including Jews, Gypsies, the disabled, and many more. Because of Hitler's actions over 11 million were killed, 1 million of them being children.

Read More
1147 Words | 5 Pages

Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief demonstrates the duality of the power of words. It shows the importance of articulation, using both its absence, and presence. Words have the power to both heal and destroy a population simultaneously. Being set in Nazi Germany, the book explores words as a source of power and connection, yet also manipulation and control. This duality is shown through the transformation of the protagonist, Liesel.

Read More
1212 Words | 5 Pages

The word “help” is a very complicated yet simple word. According to the Learner’s Dictionary, the definition of help is: to do something that makes it easier for someone to do a job, to deal with a problem, to aid or assist someone. Helping someone sounds like an easy job, and most of us would agree that we would help people anytime anywhere, but it always doesn’t turn out that way. Scientists have spent a considerable amount of time studying the helpfulness behavior of several types of people. Picture this... a man lying on the floor and a few people strolling about, occupied with their business.

Read More
978 Words | 4 Pages

To Heal and to Hurt: The Importance of Words in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak “Words do two major things. They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” This quote by Jim Rohn highlights the two major things words do, indicating they have a power, an important role in everyday lives. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is an outstanding representation of many topics including the most crucial one, the importance of words. It is the late 1930s to early 1940s in Germany during the World War II, and the main character, Death, cannot help himself but to be intrigued by Liesel Meminger’s story, a girl that lives in Munich, Germany on Himmel Street.

Read More
529 Words | 3 Pages

Words in The Book Thief demonstrates that words and language have immense power. Words can be used in a negative or positive ways. Hitler used words to spread propaganda in a fallacious way which led to deleterious human beings. The people (Germans) that lived during the war were credulous about what Hitler said therefore their life turned out to be debacle. Hitler used words to deceive and outsmart the others, he implanted words and images into the Jews heads to think a certain way(Zusak, Markus Frank.

Read More
1292 Words | 6 Pages

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, brings the audience back to Nazi Germany in the early 20th century, during the time of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the reason for the deaths of around six million Jews and countless other victims. “Young children were particularly targeted by the Nazis to be murdered during the Holocaust” (“91”). Throughout the novel, Markus Zusak uses different elements of fact and fiction.

Read More

More about The Book Thief Power Of Words

Related Topics

Open Document