Literary Terminology The novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak unravels the story of a young girl named Liesel Meminger who suffer vastly during the time period where the Nazi Regime had total power over the country of Germany. The genre of the story falls under a historical fiction novel where the character is shown coming of age. As all the event from the novel may not be true but, the whole concept and idea of the Nazi time period makes this book become a historical fiction as it tells the audience about that time period. The Book Thief express several different topics in the duration of the novel but three significant topics in the novel are the topic of family, war, and society as a whole.
Throughout the book, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, symbolism is used in different ways to help the characters through tough times; the items that are symbolic in the book that are books, the accordion, and bread. The items have similar meanings and different meanings as well. The meaning each item has makes the reader really think about how objects may mean nothing to one person, but means greater things to another. To begin with, books are a big part of Liesel’s life in Molching; in addition, the books symbolize much to Liesel. Liesel had a strong relationship with books; for instance, the book, The Gravedigger’s Handbook, provided comfort and was in remembrance of her brother that passed away on the train ride to her foster family.
Markus Zusak’s coming-of-age, historical fiction novel, The Book Thief, tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster child brought to live with a family in Molching, Germany during World War II. Throughout the novel, Liesel meets many characters who show tremendous courage in the face of the circumstances they are forced to endure like Hans, Rudy, and Max. However, the courage that they exhibit is not always the kind where they run out into battle with guns blazing but something else. Hans Hubermann, Liesel’s foster father, is at first glance, an unceasingly kind, yet ordinary, man. Even Death says so when we first meet him:
Death switches between first person and third person, so the stories are told in a pretty somber way. Most of the time, the words spoken are of how certain things destroyed and killed, or how they saved and really helped someone out. Overall, the power of words is very strong in The Book Thief, and each word spoken or read by Liesel, Hans, Max, or any of the characters can really be a matter of life or death. Zusak 's motivation to use words in this manner really shows how every single thing done and spoken in life can have a big impact. Words can change someone 's life, kill someone, save someone, or lead a revolution for better or for
The Importance of Words in the Book Thief The plot of The Book Thief if heavily influenced by words. Used by persons like Hitler, words are what turns a country like Germany into a horrible dictatorship. In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, words are important because they are more powerful than just pure force alone and can be used to convey emotions. In this novel words are used mainly in three ways.
In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, words played a vital role to both heal and destroy in this time period of war. Words are used to either influence people and things in a positive or negative way. Liesel learns that she has the power of words on her side and that words can affect her life and what happens in it. On the other hand, words cause atrocious things to happen as well, like Hitler coming to power. Words also have the power to heal and create marvelous things in the bad world.
Memorable Quotes “We didn't really like to wear the veil, especially since we didn't understand why we had to” (p. 3). The Iranian regime was extremely oppressive; they told people what they could wear, who they could worship, and controlled what they heard. This quote is just one example of the oppression Marjane faced as a child. Even though Marjane does not know why she has to wear the veil, the government makes her anyways as a means to showcase the power they have over everyone.
The statement in Markus Zusak’s piece, The Book Thief, states World War II was the result of the Germans’ love of burning things should not be taken literally at face value because the act of burning was seen as purification through the Germans’ eyes. “The Germans loved to burn things. Shops, synagogues, personal items, and of course, books. They enjoyed a good book burning, all right…” (Zusak 84).
55). The book has helped two people who are against Hitler; it helped Hans by making him appear to be a Hitler supporter, a role he has to play in order to keep himself and his family safe, and it is now helping Max by carrying both a literal and metaphorical key to his safety. The very words of the man who has made Max go into hiding is also helping to fuel his escape, how Hitler's depiction of his own struggle is indeed helping Max in his own
The use of detail allows the sensory reaction of a scene or event. Mark Zusak in the novel , The Book Thief , employs diction in a very artistic manner allowing the details to enhance the exquisite diction. In passage above, details are used in abundance to engage the reader's senses, allowing the reader to be in tune with event being described, In the scene above , Death illustrates the parade of Jews who were dragged through Himmel Street on their way to the concentration camps in Dachau. The details provided to illustrate is this scene provide a clear of image of the condition of these poor Jews. Details such as “eyes were enormous in their starving skulls” and “a few wayward steps of forced running before the slow return to a malnourished
What does it mean to take a risk? What are we willing to risk? Many people will take risks in their lives, but what were all willing to put on the line will vary widely. This is the case for many characters in Markus Zusak’s 2005 novel The Book Thief.
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.
In the short story, “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty follows the journey of an old, frail woman named Phoenix Jackson on a long walk into Natchez, Mississippi where she has to get medicine for her grandson. The trip becomes especially difficult because of her age, and in mid-trip she forgets the reason for the struggle. At the end of the journey she remembered, retrieved the medicine, and decided to buy her grandson a Christmas present with the ten cents she had acquired during the day. Although, there is a deeper meaning that conveys simple life behind the journey, as well as the story, a simply beautiful story with many techniques and devices that employs an intricate and densely complex form. Even though it is not clear to anyone quite what it is, the story
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.
The Book Thief. MZ, 2005, p. 301. ). The author of The Book Thief , Markus Zusak demonstrates the idea that a person's survival or life may strongly depend on the power of words. In The Book Thief we learn that words have a lot of power, not only do we but throughout the story unfold Liesel also learns that also.
