The Book Thief: The Power Of Words

“The power of words, written or spoken, have life. They can change the world.” (search quotes). The power of words should not be underestimated. Liesel proves this to be true in the novel and the film The Book Thief. She uses words to develop relationships with her foster father, Hans Hubermann; Max Vandenburg, the illicit Jew in her basement; and her neighbours. In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak there is much more relationship development compared to the film The Book Thief directed by Brian Percival. This consequently causes the theme of the power of words to be less prominent in the film.

Max describes Liesel’s use of books as a refuge in the story he leaves for her, “The Word Shaker.” In Max’s book, words are transformed into seeds, which Hitler uses to create a forest that fills people with Nazi ideology. However, Liesel grows her own tree and takes shelter in it, no one can chop it down but Max is able to climb it and take shelter with her. The story dramatises the way Liesel has used words and books to create a refuge in the midst of Nazi Germany and how she shared her refuge with Max. Also, Liesel begins using book to comfort people in the shelter by reading to them. The last lines of Liesel’s own book are “I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” This shows Liesel’s drastic development from the girl who was unable to read in front of her class, to the person who uses books to comfort her neighbours. However, books can’t protect Liesel from everything. When Liesel sees Max on his way to the concentration camp, she rips the pages out of a book in Frau Hermann’s library in rage. It is this moment that Liesel makes a connection in her mind between words and the current state of the world. Although, at the end of the novel, a book indirectly saves Liesel’s life as she was in the basement working on her own novel when the bombs fell on Himmel Street. This is the book that Death finds, and that gives Liesel her

“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.” (Ziglar) In The Book Thief, Liesel uses the power of words to positively influence how people feel. This can be seen through Liesel’s interactions with Max throughout the novel. Similarly, the story of “The Word Shaker” shows the powerful influence of words both good and bad. Finally, Liesel’s interactions with Max, provide yet another example of how words can make a positive impact on another person. The positive effect of words can be seen through the actions of Liesel’s character in “The Word Shaker”. However, words can also be used in a negative way in like in“The Word Shaker” when Max is trembling at the words of Mein Kampf and when in “The Word Shaker

Words are everywhere, words make up books, and the power of words make The Book Thief which will never be able to be improved upon. Words help us communicate with others, but mainly they have positive and negative sides to them. In the novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Death narrates the story while Liesel Meminger also tells her story of living in Nazi, Germany. We will discuss how there are many people such as Max Vandenburg and Liesel Meminger who choose to use to use their power of words in the positive way. We will also discuss how people also like to use their power of words in the negative way such as Adolf Hitler. The power of words are very effective especially in Markus Zusak’s writing, and we’ll discuss the main parts of the book which have been effected with the power of words.

The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak shows how the impact on the power of language has on Liesel Meimeger through the structure of the novel. The structure of the novel shows the development of the character Liesel, highlighting the impact of the power of language. In her development, she finds the ability to express herself as well as to connect to others. Books become a comfort to her and heal her, they help her grow strong relationships with other characters in her life. However, she also sees the damage words have caused through Nazi propaganda, understanding that Hitler 's words have been the cause of suffering of the people in her life. Despite this, the structure of the novel shows the ability of the character to understand that

"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right" (528.) In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the power of words is a reoccuring theme that leads to Liesel forming a strong bond with a tall man with silver eyes, a feather haired jew, and a woman with fluffy hair that is always in a bathrobe, and changes all of their lives. Words are dangerous and beautiful, they can tear worlds apart and rebuild them, they can hurt and heal, and they are one of the most powerful forces on Earth. In The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger recognises the power of words, and rather than using them like Hitler did, out of hatred, she uses language to fight against injustice and share her thoughts. Words help Liesel connect to 3 specific people, that all change the course of her life through words. Hans Hubermann: the silver-eyed man, Ilsa Hermann: the woman with fluffy white hair, and Max Vandenburg: the feather haired jew. Liesel's story begins with Hans teaching her how to read, and gradually grows to Ilsa sharing her library, and finally, Max inspiring her to write and tell her own story.

3). In addition, literacy empowers Liesel when she reads to others to comfort them, and to feel in control of herself. During a bomb raid, Liesel reads to her frightened neighbours to help calm them down: “everyone was silent but Liesel…for at least twenty minutes, she handed out the story. The youngest kids were soothed by her voice, and everyone else saw visions of the whistler running from the crime scene” (Zusak 381). Liesel also begins to read to Frau Holtzapfel which helps console her during her time of grieving over her lost son. Frau Holtzapfel even offers to “‘stop spitting on [Rosa’s] door’” in exchange for Liesel to read to her. Being literarily educated, which is restricted during World War II, results in great power for many people. For Liesel, the power of words, writing, and reading help comfort her during her emotional trauma. Literacy “ultimately save[s] [Liesel]” (Smith para. 3) in the sense that books give her a strong purpose to her life. As Grace Lee has said, “not only does Liesel steal books, but she also steals her life back from death itself” (Lee 21). During a time where she is distraught and

More than the overt message about the power of words, it’s Liesel’s confrontation with horrifying cruelty and her discovery of kindness in unexpected places that tell the heartbreaking truth.” (1) I do not agree with statement about too much commentary, I believe the commentary gives a perfect amount of insight into Liesel’s backstory, as well as Death’s past in his morbid business. As well as with the too much switching from past to present time, the switching is from Liesel’s current memory to her memory before the Hubermann family, and Max’s life before and after he had to run from the Nazis. I do feel like there is a lot of point of view switching between characters and at times that can get a bit confusing. However, the characters are spectacular and the message comes across loud and clear as you progress in Liesel’s life and her adventures as a book thief. It’s a book that deals with the reality of the life that people had to face during Nazi Germany, but in an entertaining way that’s appealing to the young adult audience. Some World War II books can get extremely boring, with little high points in the plot. But young adults can almost relate to Liesel, she has different aspects that appeal to all audiences.

Liesel’s empowerment stems from three sovereign aspects, from discovering the influence of words through books, to discovering new ideas and concepts, and revolting against the horrific Nazi agenda. The younger generation in The Book Thief during Nazi Germany shows a constant hope for the Jewish people in the future. Liesel’s empowerment not only benefits her, but it benefits other people as well, like Max. “Now I think we are friends, this girl and me. On her birthday it was she who gave a gift to me” (Max 35.20) this quote reveals the trust that Max has put into Liesel because of her strong willed empowerment, which gives him strength to keep continuing his journey with the family.

Also, when Max says, “The best word shakers were the ones who understood their true power of words,”(446) he inspired Liesel to write her own book, The Book Thief. Liesel learns that with her words she can give someone hope, light, and galvanize them to persist and persevere when they are at their darkest times. “There was once a strange, small man,” she said.

2. It is ironic that Liesel steals books because the first time she steals the book she is not even able to read yet. The first time she stole a book was at her brothers funeral to keep as a memory of him and also her mother. Liesel was upset and "she started to dig" for The Gravediggers Handbook (Zusak 23).This seemed ironic also, because she dug for a book in the snow at her brothers burial. Hitler used words as a powerful tool to change the way a whole country viewed Jews. Words turn into something to use as hate from the Nazis and Hitler toward the Jews. Germans are scared of words that show how Jews really are .They have bonfires and they throw the books in the bonfire and burn them, along with the truth about Jews. Even though Germans in general have a hatred towards books, Liesel is saved by words. Max, who is a Jew is also saved by words. Max

Liesel grew as a person, began to wonder about the world, and realized the power of words. Liesel saw the meaning in the smallest things. In the beginning of the novel, Liesel became attracted to words when she stole her first book, The Grave Digger’s Handbook from her brother’s grave site. Even without having a clue what the words meant, the book became representative of the last time she saw her family and “as for the girl, there was a sudden desire to read it that she didn't even attempt to understand” (Zusak, 66).

The most important and powerful thing in Markus Zusak's book, The Book Thief is words. Words make and break Liesel, they build her up and break her down, they are a part of her, and they bring happiness and destruction to not only her but to all people in Nazi Germany. Words can be life changing, they cantransform you into something great. “Once, words had rendered Liesel useless, but now, when she sat on the floor, with the mayors wife at her husband's desk,she felt an innate sense of power.” (147).

Even in the burning of books Liesel begins to comprehend that words are powerful. Hitler does not want words that go against him in the hands of his people because he knows their power. He uses the power himself and it being in the hands of his people could cause them to develop ideas that could lead to the end of his rule. Max understands the effect Hitler's propaganda and helps Liesel learn this lesson through The Word Shaker. The story describes Hitler's use of words to brainwash Germany and compel German citizens to turn against the Jews.

She came to a new german family. She can not read the book, but she interested in the book. So her new father was trying to teach Liesel how to read. But one day, A Jewish person who name Max escaped to her house. He was happy to see Lisa, and he also want to help her to read.