Liesel Meminger From The Book Thief, By Markus Zusak

The Book Thief (2013), directed by Brian Percival, is about a young old girl living in Nazi Germany (between 1939 and 1943) in the fictional town of Molching, Germany. Death narrates the story of the main protagonist, Liesel Meminger, beginning when she is nine years old and suffering from the death of her brother and separation from her mother. Liesel then goes to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann (played by Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson). When Liesel arrives, she is illiterate and is made fun of in school by the other children. Hans, a painter and accordion player, teaches her how to read, using the book Liesel took from her brother's burial: The Grave Digger's Handbook. Over the course of the movie, Liesel develops a love for reading and decides to steal books because of the economical hardships associated with World War II. Liesel's foster parents also decide to help a young Jewish man named Max, whose father fought with Hans as in World War One as German soldiers. The Book Thief illustrates a different perspective in regards to the Nazi Regimen and its effects on the German people, specifically children.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a story set in Germany during World War 2. This novel follows the life of Liesel Meminger, a girl who develops greatly. With Death as the all knowing narrator of the story, the reader has the ability to see various perspectives. It tells the story of oppression, portrays the power of words, and shows the human ability for kindness or cruelty. I chose to do option four, in which I have chosen important sections from the novel.

As summer comes to an end, all seems to be running smoothly at St. George’s School; Students are grudgingly preparing themselves for the imminent school year, teachers are carefully planning the first term and the rest of the staff are making sure everything is in perfect condition. However, Dr. Webster, head of grade 10, has informed the school that he must take a year’s sabbatical due to personal issues. As having exceptional heads of grades, such as Dr. Webster, is a crucial element which makes St. George’s fit its title of “Canada’s World School for Boys”, headmaster Dr. Matthews is desperately looking for a fitting replacement. Luckily, Hans Hubermann from the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak would make a perfect substitute head of grade as he is compassionate, moral and firm.

In The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger is a caring person. When her foster father, Hans Hubermann, is lecturing Liesel about not telling anyone that they are hiding a jew named Max in their basement; Liesel starts crying. Hans tell her that if she speaks of Max, himself and Liesel’s foster mother Rosa, will be taken away and they will never come back. Liesel starts bawling at this point in the lecture. This shows how much she really cares about her family. Liesel cares about the people that she loves and their presence in her life. Liesel cares about others and fights for justice when she sees someone being treated unfairly. One example of this is when Liesel stands up for Rudy when she sees Victor beating him up and giving him a bloody nose.

Many people face challenges and cope in their own way and it can be difficult to move on based on the trauma. The characters in The Book Thief clearly exemplify that life can go on even if one goes through the most difficult point in their life. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, he uses Liesel Meminger, Max Vandenburg, and Ilsa Hermann to demonstrate that everyone goes through hard times but in their own way. The three characters show that even at their worst, they can get through it. One character in particular, Liesel Meminger, shows that if one has many harsh obstacles in their way, they can get through it.

The song “Sound the Bugle” holds significant meaning to more than one situation that has come up in my life. Often times, I find myself at a low point where it seems like nothing with ever be the same again, where “I’ve got nothing left - just an empty heart”. Whether it be something petty such as a breakup, or something much more significant, like the death of my last grandmother, this song has taught me time and time again that there is always something to strive for even when things seem to be at their lowest point. The lyric “There’s a voice that calls, ‘Remember who you are’” is the most powerful lyric in the piece, in my opinion. The beginning exemplifies the state of hopelessness, then this line marks a transition that never ceases to

This is followed by, “maybe you wonder where you are / I don’t care / here is where time is on our side / take you there” and “there’s a city in my mind / come along and take that ride / and it’s all right / and it’s very far away / but it’s growing day by day / and it’s all right.” The last lines are somewhat interesting in context: “They can tell you what to do / but they’ll make a fool of you.”

Allusion is utilized twice throughout the song, in both the fourth line of the first verse (Line 9) and in the first bridge (Line 17). The first allusion references a verse from the bible-Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” The second verse is a play on the famous quote by Friedrich Nietzsche, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” This quote was majorly popularized through Kelly Clarkson’s song, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Allusion helps the song by referencing other messages already popular within literature and media and using them to easily present a message to the audience.

Words can influence the mind in many ways that thought may not be able to. They are carefully placed and shared in different ways by each and every individual. Words have powerful impacts and can majorly impact how one may think, feel, or even lead others to feel. Written by Markus Zusak, “The Book Thief” describes a story of an innocent foster girl, Liesel Meminger, who resides in Munich, Germany at one of the most troubling time periods in history, Nazi Germany. A tale narrated by the one and only Death himself, shows the perspective from his point of view, as well as others, describing how Liesel had been seized away from her birth mother at a young age, and put into a foster family. Her new family, the Hubermanns. As she matures and grows into a more critical thinker, understanding and analyzing everything that carefully happens around her. Her foster-father, Hans guides her and teaches her how to read, which little does she know sparks her journey, the art of stealing books. Liesel soon discovers that words aren 't simply lines on a page, they are strong emotions packed into a form that merely is held in her delicate hands. Not only did she hold the pages of emotion, she held a power, a dangerous weapon of words, a weapon of control, and every book that she had stolen was giving her unimaginable power that made her think in ways that she would’ve never thought she could have. As with Nazi propaganda, and a gift that enabled her to broaden her worldview. Liesel evolves

She has proven determined, strong-willed, and courageous in her best moments. Death’s final visit to Liesel came when she was elderly and residing in Sydney, Australia. Death makes the statement that “Like her papa, her soul was sitting up”(Zusak, 543). Showing the effect Hans had on Liesel and how she became who she was because of her experiences on Himmel

The part of this song that I chose fit the novel really well in my opinion. I really saw a connection between this song and Tom Roberson. ”Oh can't you see, Oh you misjudge me,I look like a farmer, But I'm a lover,

The song I chose made some really good connections with the book I read. The song talks about freedom and being free, being cut free; let loose from the chains that hold you. This really relates to Gerda the main character in the book that I read; All But My Life. I chose this song because it really relates to the resolution of the book, when the war is about to end. She is marching around in the cold; forced to by the German Soldiers. She wants to give up after seeing everyone she loves die. But she keeps going and finally the war ends and she is free. The song says I’ma keep running cause a winner don’t quite on themselves. This relates to the book because at one point she wants to quit and die; but she doesn’t she keeps persevering through

“Puddles of Tears” best fits the song because you need to put what others say aside. “Puddles of Tears” depicts a man's sacrifices to overcome others for what he believes. This song shows that you need to do what you think is best for others. Personally I believe that you must not only be your own hero but you must have a greater hero to guide you. Overall this song shows that you must sacrifice it all for what you think is right.

The song was written by the lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury. The first time you hear the song, the lyrics might not make much sense. But the more and more I listened to it, I started to understand the lyrics and discovered what the song’s story is. The song is a representation of a play or opera.

After the death of Ben’s kid he goes into depression asking himself if his life really matter he has no one anymore. Bohemian Rhapsody ties to the idea of depression which is shown through the book in the flashbacks Ben has. 2.)It's a Hard Life Despite the fact the song It's a Hard life is a song about a break up the first stanzas of the song can be shown expressing the idea of loss. In the song the person is in a sticky situation where the only person to blame is himself but he knows its life.