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What Does The Gravedigger's Handbook Mean In The Book Thief

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Written by Markus Zusak, The Book Thief is a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Liesel Meminger narrated through the words of Death. The thievery character of this girl emerged after the death of her younger brother. Built over a prolonged period, this desperate nature is the foundation of what became of her later in the story. The books that Liesel stole, the stories that she told, and novel that she wrote enhanced a symbolic meaning in this novel centered around wholeness. Liesel Meminger’s first victim was the gravedigger. Shortly after her brother’s burial, she stole The Gravedigger’s Handbook which was dropped in the snow. This book meant a great deal to her because it was the first thing that belonged to her. Death …show more content…

According to Death’s words: “The impoverished always try to keep moving” (25), it can be inferred that wherever Liesel’s family was or whatever they had, they was temporary. This explains the reason why The Gravedigger’s Handbook is a representation Liesel’s possession and desire. The Whistler was the first book Liesel stole from Ilsa Hermann’s library. It was after Ilsa broke the news that she was unable to pay for Rosa’s laundry anymore. This book became useful when Liesel tried to alleviate the tension between the children, women, and men at the time of the raid. When she read The Whistler, she felt her voice coming alive. “This, it said, is your accordion” (381). The quote connects Liesel to her father Hans. Hans played his accordion for his own entertainment as well as to soothe others when they were troubled. Following in her Hans Hubermann’s footsteps, Liesel was able to calm the people by reading. This distracted the people to concentrate more on the story rather than fear as each bomb strikes the ground. The sound of the bomb slowly dissipated as she told the story. They were scared together, but mollifying

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Quotation 1: “...and yet there it was- a black book with silver words written against the ceiling...) (Zusak 29) So far, this quotation marks the first book Liesel has stolen. The significance of this quote is that it represents the beginning of “an illustrious career” (29) which she will continue to carry out throughout this novel. It signifies Liesel’s everlasting love for her brother because she wanted to remember him someway, and that someway ended up being the book she “stole” when he was buried.

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All of the characters rebel against societal expectations and contribute to the central theme of The Book Thief in one way or another, especially Liesel Meminger, Rudy Steiner, and Hans Hubermann. Frequently, the narrator, Death, refers to Liesel as the ‘Book Thief’ because she often steals books and uses them in positive ways. While people attend Hitler’s birthday book burning event, Liesel Meminger steals her second piece of literature, “She reached her hand in… She latched onto the closest of books. It was hot” (Zusak 120).

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Because, the moment she laid her eye on that book, her journey began. The Gravedigger's Handbook. Her first act of thievery. Liesel loves to read.

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a. "She had watched a bomber pilot die in a metal case. She had seen a Jewish man who had twice given her the most beautiful pages of her life marched to a concentration camp"(521). - Liesel has been through so many struggles. Her brother died in front of her, her mother sent her away, and she witnessed almost everyone she loved depart from the world. She had more than enough reasons to quit, but she decided to stay strong through it all.

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Liesel's journey into adulthood can be traced through the books she reads, In the book, The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak, there are many books that one of the main characters, Liesel Meminger steals. Most of their books that are talked about in this story have a purpose. Words are everything to Liesel, sometimes she loves words and sometimes she hates them. There are many books that mean a lot to Liesel, one of those books are The Whistler, in the book The Whistler there are many things that Liesel not only takes but also receives.

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Handbook is a book that Liesel steals from the snowy graveyard where her little brother is buried. Unfortunately, shortly after, she has to begin a new chapter in her life with her foster parents. The Gravedigger’s Handbook acts as a symbol in the novel that represents the concept that every end has a new beginning. The relationship between Hans Hubermann, her foster father

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Throughout the novel, The Book Thief, there are many different seemingly miniscule commodities which hold stunning power, and meaning. One such commodity is the cigarette, which represents a sense of caring, love, and a family connection over the duration of this book. Cigarettes, although by nature having a negative connotation, symbolize a sense of kinship and reward which mean a lot to the primary protagonist of the novel, named Liesel. This is shown in many instances all over the book, such as in the beginning, during the period of time when Liesel was first getting accustomed to daily life in Molching. She was coming to terms with the fact that the Hubermanns were essentially bankrupt, and didn’t really expect much of anything for her first

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The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, is an unusual historical fiction novel set in World War II Germany. With Death as the narrator, it tells the story of a young, illiterate, orphan girl- Liesel Meminger and explores her experiences with literature, thievery and death. The story presents the idea that words are the most powerful way we communicate with each other. One main theme the novel advocates is that words, both their presence and absence hold immense power. To begin with, Zusak shows that words are capable of inflicting great harm.

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You truly don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Everyday things are taken for granted. In “The Book Thief” It shows incredible examples of how loss transforms you for the better. “The Book Thief” Written by Markus Zusak is a novel based on Nazi-Germany during post World War 2. It Features the scary truth along with harsh humor, The story is told through the eyes of brave, Jewish girl named Liesel.

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Liesel, known as the book thief to the audience has a distinct passion for books and how much they mean to her. Stealing book after the book becomes a hobby for the young girl whose love of books is fostered by her foster father, Hans Hubermann. As Hans teaches Liesel how to read and write they develop an

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Yet, in context of The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak, the items accommodate a manifold of symbolic significance in between the pages, crumbs, and keys that mean something more to the characters than the implements purpose. The symbolic items that take place in the novel all differ in multiple ways. Liesel’s books include a variety of symbolism such as how the The Gravedigger’s Handbook is out of remembrance for her brother. Additionally, when Liesel stole the book out of smouldering fire, it was her way of defying Hitler.

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Although humans may originally behave due to innate reasons, much of literature argues external forces shape character and possess the power to influence the way societies behave. Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief exhibits how individuals may react in times of discrimination, and demonstrates the love and hate accompanying war. Difficult times challenge morality, and tests one’s limits; Liesel Meminger perseveres through arduous events, namely due to her identity as a creative and brave adolescent. Liesel’s identity is shaped and ultimately strengthened by outside forces.

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Growing as a Character Every event in our lives happens for a reason, whether it is to learn from our mistakes or to gain experience from them. In Markus Zusak's novel “The Book Thief,” Liesel Meminger uses her experiences with living in the 1940s to learn life lessons and experience first hand the many terrible things Hitler is doing to people around her. She learns how to deal with the many obstacles that are thrown at her. Liesel grows as a character by following her step-father’s footsteps in being a kind and generous person, going through childhood with her best friend Rudy, and being aware of what is going on around her by learning from Max.

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Developing Friendship through Justice, Love and Humanity Human relationships break or develop depending on the circumstances. The values that creates a stable relationship may vary on historical setting or the characteristics of each person. The novel, “The Book Thief” written by Markus Zusak shows justice, love and humanity through the friendship Liesel and Max developed during the time of the Holocaust.

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At first, Liesel is illiterate, but when she steals her first book at her brother’s funeral, and is abandoned by her mother, she turns to something she

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