Theme Of I Am The Messenger

I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak, includes conflict and rising action to engage the readers to think about what they would do in the same situation that Ed was in. Zusak places us readers at 45 Edgar Street, where we determine if Ed will react or stand back in the shadows.

The book already presents us with the mystery of what these addresses mean but Zusak presents us with additional conflict when Ed arrives at the first location. As Ed crouches down behind trees, intense action immediately occurs when the drunk man stumbles through the door. Readers are forced to feel as if they are the ones crouched behind the trees and what we would personally do after witnessing the horrific events.

The focus is shifted from the main character Ed to the family that lives on Edgar St. Zusak gives us intense and detailed descriptions of what the drunk man does to his wife as he walks in. We notice the young daughter that runs out crying, we witness the aggressiveness in the man, and

Zusak forced readers to focus on Ed and his actions which relate to the theme of the book: I loathe myself for waiting this long to end it. I despise myself for taking the easy options night after night. A hatred is wound up and let go in me. It hacks at my spirit and brings it to its knees, next to me. It coughs and suffocates as my own hatred for myself becomes overwhelming (77).

Zusak could be setting the readers up to infer that Ed’s hatred will now allow him to take action and do the right thing. Zusak’s use of rising action throughout this conflict helps build up the mystery of what action Ed might take. If Ed didn’t have this internal conflict with deciding what to do and the hatred he faces with himself, then he wouldn’t be figuring out what he should do about it. Zusak’s use of literary elements significantly increases readers’ desire to keep reading to find out what happens