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The novel shows the varying degrees of people’s kindness and cruelty, from the slight to the most extreme examples. Among the small acts of kindness we see are Ilsa Hermann inviting Liesel into her library and Rudy giving the teddy bear to the dying pilot represent the kind end of the spectrum.
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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak tells the story of a young girl named Liesel Meminger living in Nazi Germany during World War II. The novel touches on themes of love and loss, and is narrated by Death, giving it a unique and haunting perspective.
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The Power of Words
In The Book Thief, we see that words and, in extension, stories are among the most powerful ways people connect. So many examples show how the words connect people up throughout the story. Through learning the alphabet and how to use it to make words, Liesel and Hans Hubermann began developing their deep bond. Liesel’s descriptions of the weather to Max later in the novel also help establish a bond between them. In the book, the greatest gift Max gives Liesel is words in the form of the ‘The...
The Kindness and Cruelty of Humans
We see the various degrees of human cruelty and kindness in the novel, from the slight to the most extreme examples. One of the small acts of kindness we see in the novel includes hiding and caring for Max by the Hubermanns even at great risk to themselves, Rudy giving the teddy bear to the dying pilot, Ilsa Hermann inviting Liesel into her library. Liesel is specially kind to Max, and the two share a strong bond. Because of the political context of the time, with hatred and violence against...
Mortality
We can not analyze the themes in The Book Thief without talking of mortality as Death is the book’s narrator. The book shows us that mortality is very present in the lives of each character as Death introduces the book to the reader. All through the novel, the deaths of the main characters reaffirm the presence of mortality. Since The Book Thief storytakes place during World War II, Death and genocide are almost omnipresent. Death is presented in a less distant and threatening manner as he na...
When Liesel’s brother died. This event marked the start of the story, which led her to foster parents. It also started Liesel’s stealing of books when she picks up The Grave Digger’s Handbook at th...Arrival on Himmel. This event sets the stage for the rest of the book as it marks Liesel coming to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann after the loss of her family.Early school failure. Liesel didn’t succeed in school when she tried earlier and she became determined to learn how to read.Book burning day. The event of burning books on Hitler’s birthday helped Hans discover that Liesel is stealing books.The style and language of The Book Thiefis simple because it was primarily meant for young adults. He used a lot of foreshadowing to give the reader a sense of what is coming up in the story. In the book, the narrator of the story, Death, uses foreshadowing in many different events to keep the reader focused on how the characters meet their ends. I...
The Book Thiefuses symbols extensively because it is not just a story about a little girl. It is an important historical novel that delved into the suffering of people who lived in Germany during World War II. The story has a lot of lessons especially in mortality, kindness and love and the symbols embody all these.
“I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” These “The Book Thief” Liesel quotes beautifully capture the depth and complexity of Liesel’s character and the themes explored in the novel.
The Book Thief is a historical fiction written by Australian author, Markus Zusak and set during the height of WWII from 1939-1945. Narrated by Death, the novel follows the story of nine year old Liesel Meminger. We are introduced to our protagonist on a train when her brother suddenly dies.
Find the quotes you need in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, sortable by theme, character, or chapter. From the creators of SparkNotes.
The themes in The Book Thief include the power of words, the duality of human nature, and the impact of war. The moral centers on the importance of compassion and understanding in the face of...
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