Dialectical Journal For The Book Thief Essay

“Just past the rubble of Cologne, a group of kids collected empty fuel containers, dropped by their enemies. As usual, I collected humans. I was tired. And the year wasn’t even halfway over yet.” (p. 338 The Book Thief)

As you may know the narrator of the book thief is Death. Death is a very important character in this great book. Death just thinks humans are really complex and throughout the book he sees the ugliness and beauty of the human race. He likes someone, in particular, which is Liesel. He thinks her story is beautiful. During my reading of this novel death would spoil something that will happen in the future and then apologize for it after. The question is does death have a heart? He proves he does due to his kindness to help the human race. “You see? Even death has a heart” (242 Zusak). Ugliness and beauty of Liesel’s life story, are shown abundantly in the book thief.

Crises are inevitable. However, dealing with a crisis is not always arduous due to their prevalence. However, books seem to be a popular choice, why? What makes them special and useful in times of crises? Some of the most well-known books involve a description of crisis or a character going through the crisis.

“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.

Death sees the color white all around, as if the world is covered in snow.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak shows through the midst of brutality, beauty can still be shown. The main characters Liesel Meminger, Rudy Steiner and Hans Huberman, prove this statement they are all faced with perilous situations, but still manage to show beauty throughout the situations. Liesel Meminger display beauty during the air raids, as she manages to read to people in the basement. Rudy Steiner displays beauty he jumps in the river to get Liesel’s book. Through Hans Huberman nobel character he displays beauty as he risks his life to hide a Jewish man in his basement.

Through all of the irony and vivid coloring, The Book Thief is more easily understood after acquiring knowledge of reading literature with greater care and meticulousness. Applying chapters of How to Read Literature like a Professor can better enhance a reader’s awareness of hidden messages and symbols within certain works of literature. In Chapter Two, Foster explains how meals suggest a communion between all parties involved in it. Markus Zusak also uses meals and food to bring families together in The Book Thief. Foster also explains, in Chapter Eleven, how violence in literature usually stands for more than just violence.

Within every human being, through affirmation and recognition by others, one’s worth and value, a sense of belonging is formed. This concept is the main theme within the text, The Book Thief (2005) written by Markus Zusak. The main character, Liesel Meminger, is abandoned by her mother at the age of ten (10) she then spends the next few years finding where she belongs in the world. Throughout the novel Liesel's sense of belonging to the characters Hans Hubermann, Max Vandenburg and Adolf Hitler; the Fuhrer, result in shaping and influence her to view the world differently. This essay will be examining Liesel’s sense of belonging with each of these characters and their effect on her personality, views and ideas.

In the past few weeks, we have been reading the book, the Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The book tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a girl from Germany in the time of the Holocaust. The book starts with her as a nine year old, and progresses through her life until she is an old lady. The story details the life of this woman through these times. And in the story, her priorities are reading and learning. She steals books like The Grave Digger’s Handbook and The Shoulder Shrug, but one book which has negative influence was the book made by the Nazi Leader, Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf (My Struggle). Hitler wrote the autobiographical book, which was spread around the Germans, who were brainwashed by the propaganda. The Mein Kampf influenced these citizens, but was the influence good? The book created nothing but negativity. There are three examples which are strong showings to prove the influence of the Führer caused nothing but hatred. Those three are Hans Junior, Max, and the entire population of the Jews. Those three personas were effected in a way which caused nothing but hurt to people.

Death states that, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both” (Zusak 491). This book shows us human doing things that weren’t even imaginable before this point. Many people give into ideas that were lies. But, we also watch a few people go out of their way and sacrifice everything for a man they barely even know. They do everything they can to keep him safe and alive. They work harder, the get another job, and they even steal. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, death examines the ugliness and the beauty of humans.

1) Prescribed Text – The Book Thief a. Compose a summary/synopsis of the text (plot/themes/characters/key concerns). (100 words only)

Words within books can help people escape the real world. Even when someone’s life is great, words can make a person or they can break a person. In the book”The Book Thief”, Liesel read, and talked, and it changed her. To me, books are an escape. They take me away to another place, a place I can relax.

Zusak on The Book Thief present a magnificent story with heartbreaking and heartwarming moments in which the author captures the reader’s heart until the last chapter. This novel is developed through reality of war and a continuing bombing of emotions. The author describes the best of humans as well the worst, and the unusual narrator represents the equal qualities in human race. This novel describes the consequences of corrupt power and destruction; however, the novel focus the story around strong women, and particularly the way in which war affects their lives. The novel illustrates the pain and suffering experienced by mothers, sisters and daughters; consequently, it represents a break from history which has always concentrated on the misery of men. The novel gives strong evidence to support the admirable capacity of women to counteract the consequences of war and multiple moments proves the hard labor to continuing living. Particularly to survive to poor economy, deal pain of loss, and perseverance helping more in needs.

Death is always an obstacle, and Liesel witnesses a fair amount of death in her lifetime. At the very beginning of the book it opens up with Liesel’s brother dying, while they are on their way to a foster home. “The book thief and her brother were traveling down toward Munich, where they would soon be given over to foster parents. We

It was noon when suddenly on a train Liesel’s brother died. On that same day Liesel said goodbye to her mother forever. Soon Liesel joins her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. A couple days later Max arrives, a grown man who was a jew. Back then during World War 2 if Hitler and his army found Max hiding in the house of the Hubermanns he would be killed because he was a jew. The Hubermanns risk their lives and Max’s life when they hide him in their basement for protection. The next few days went by and Hans was caught giving bread to a Jewish man who was Max. Unfortunately, Max was forced to flee, causing Liesel considerable desperation. Hans was soon drafted to go to war and Liesel continues stealing books and reading books. After