The Book Thief Analysis

In The Book Thief, a work of historical fiction, written by Markus Zusak introduces the main character Liesel Meminger, the reader starts to see how she keeps having many conflicts but always stays positive. Liesel has many conflicts, for example her brother dies early in the book and that shapes the way she is. Later on Liesel steals books and that makes her happy because the first book she stole was the grave digger's handbook and that is how she remembers her brother. Liesel steals and reads books this is how she finds happiness with all the bad things going on around her. In the end of the book most of the people she loves die and it is hard for her to find happiness again. The author uses the setting and point of view to express theme and to make the reader feel sympathy; He uses this because with the theme of finding light in the darkness, deaths perception, and the setting of Germany makes the theme clearer.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a girl living in Nazi Germany through perspective of death. Just nine years old when her brother dies and her mother leaves her in the care of the Hubermanns, Lisel turns to the comfort of books to ease her pain. However, as she grows up the innocent words in her books lead her to discover the immense pain words carry through the horrific doings of Hitler, a man beloved by many Germans. The portrayal of life in Nazi Germany depicted by the Book Thief is accurate due to events in the book such as the book burning, the Hitler Youth, encounters of hate shown to Jews, and Germany’s invasion of Russia.

The first three books that he wrote, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, and When Dogs Cry, won many awards in Australia and the US. I am the Messenger won Australian Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Award in 2003, and the NSW Premier’s Literary Award the same year. It was awarded the Deutscher Jugendliteratur prize in Germany, for children’s literature(“About Markus Zusak”).

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, takes place in 1940s Nazi Germany in the small town of Molching. The main character, Liesel Meminger, takes on a role as the foster child of Hans and Rosa Hubermann. She also meets a young boy named Rudy Steiner, who goes on to be her best friend and lover. In the book, Liesel faces many challenges big and small. From hiding a Jew in the basement to a thieving lifestyle, Liesel has to learn to overcome all of life's problems. Through all of this, she is supported by her foster father Hans Hubermann who is caring to people he barely knows, intelligence despite his lack of education, and generosity even when he has little for himself.

Liesel Meminger is the daughter of Paula Meminger. She is also the sister of late Warren Meminger. Consequently, she steals the first book in the novel, called The Gravedigger's Handbook. Therefore, Death gave her the nickname of “ the book thief” before us knowing that she would become “the book thief”. Liesel Meminger is the hardworking, book-thieving, kind-hearted protagonist of The Book Thief. She loves books so much that she steals them, even before knowing how to read. All of this started because stealing books reminds her of Warren Meminger. This is even she bonds more with Hans Hubermann, her foster father, dedicates his time to teach her how to read. We might be asking, why hasn’t she gotten an education at the age of 10. The answer is not as clear as others, but it definitely has to do with Liesel father’s communist affiliations. He was part of the German Communist Party, that was popular when Hitler took over. This is also the reason why she had to be fostered.

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, outlines the tragedies and events that take place in Liesel Meminger’s life, in Nazi Germany. Throughout this young girl’s struggle of living in the oppressive Nazi regime, she is able to learn crucial lessons about life and the art of survival- some that follow her to the grave. The most important lesson she learned and the pivotal theme of the novel is that rebellion can be and beneficial in certain situations.

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel Meminger discovers the power of words and how important they are in the lives of everyone. Young orphan Liesel makes a habit of stealing books before she even knows how to read. By learning to read and write she discovers a deeper understanding of herself and the world around her. Liesel uses stories to express herself and realizes how words can be used to manipulate the thoughts of others. By reading Liesel better understands herself and the writings of others. By reading books and stories Liesel helps contribute to her community and help others. Through communicating with Max and listening to his stories she starts to put together how Hitler rose to power and became so influential. Learning to read and write allows Liesel to better contribute to her community and herself. Liesel’s discovery of the influence and power words changed her life forever.

The Messenger focuses on selfishness. Mentor, who is a school teacher in the village is highly concentrated throughout the entire book. He has power to teach but because of the changes happening in the village he has focused on personal gain such as what he can trade and what his appearance is like. He does not bother to read poetry any more and hardly speaks to his daughter, Jean. Another example of selfishness is when wounded and starving visitors came to the village for help and sustenance, most of the selfish villagers shunned them, but the compassionate and caring villagers helped those in need. Compassion is another theme throughout this book, as Marty goes out to find Kira for his friend Seer, because Seer would not be able to find her because of his lack of eyesight. Matty sets out to find Kira even though he knows of the dangerous and ominous forest, this shows love and compassion. This is similar in many ways to the themes and messages delivered in Gathering the Blue. Gathering the Blue, has very heartfelt themes such as love and compassion through out the book. When Kira's is mother had been poisoned and Kira never gave up her job weaving and trying to find a place to live. A rather dark and disturbing theme reveals its self in this book and that is, control and the length that some people or groups of people, will go to in order to maintain control of a community, this is referring to the council of guardians that manipulate people and control them and will even go as far as killing valuable members of society just to maintain dominant over he community.

Markus Zusak's compelling story The Book Thief shows young Liesel and how she works through the heart wrenching reality of her brother passing away and her mother leaving her with a foster family she had never met before. As Liesel matures she learns more and more about what is going on in the world outside of Himmel street and the truth about her mother. She also discovers how she truly feels about the word communist and what it means to her family. Whether it was the message or the characters or even the settings, that contribute to a superb novel that everyone should read.

Markus Zusak’s The Messenger is a Bildungsroman, as it incorporates the idea of moral and psychological growth of the main character. When this idea is incorporated into it demonstrates the main character personal growth throughout the novel. Markus Zusak’s The Messenger can be best understood as a Bildungsroman because the novel focuses on the moral and psychological growth of Ed Kennedy. In order to access the accuracy of this thesis it is necessary to discuss who Ed was at the beginning of the novel and how Ed changed morally and psychologically when he delivered more messages.

The Messenger shows that by behaving in an altruistic way, our admiration towards a person grows. Throughout the novel many different altruistic acts have been achieved by the protagonist, Ed Kennedy. By the end of the book we have developed a level of respect and admiration for him as he managed to transform himself and others around him. Markus Zusak was sending Ed messages to get him to behave in that manner but he was also sending a message to the reader to also start behaving that way. All these can relate back to the altruistic tasks that have been achieved and how they influenced Ed's life and can easily influence ours.

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.

When you are done reading a book called, “The Book Thief”, by Markus Zusak, you may experience a lot of themes that support the human condition. In these stanzas, you’ll expect to see many themes that support the passage and it has many meaning toward readers. A main character, (Liesel), feels abandoned when her mother and brother leaves her life and Max feels abandoned because he abandoned his family. This is one part of the theme in the story and all readers can observe such passage every time they read each chapter from the book. Another example, can be Hans feels guilty over Erik’s death during World War 1. Therefore, two of these main points is an alternative way of the human condition. When a person who is thoughtlessness and

Markus Zusak’s intricate novel, The Messenger tells a story of a teenager living in a low socio-economic area of Sydney. Throughout the text Zusak employs a variety of literary devices to assist in the readers connection with Ed’s journey of self-discovery as well as questioning their own. Ed Kennedy narrates the book as the protagonist, following his ‘epitome of ordinariness’ life. Ed is faced with a number of challenges, which contributes, in his journey of self-discovery. Each literary device used in the book compliments the challenge during the text.

Earlier, I mentioned character growth and I think that’s what really appeals to me in this story. Being able to read a story, finishing it, then being able to identify how far that character has come. I’ve faced many emotional trails in my life, so reading about others victorious experiences over a rough life before makes me feel connected to it in an emotional way. It makes my heart flutter, and my mind generally gets excited for what lies ahead in that person’s life and everything else they have left to get through, —but from the point the story ends for the readers, the characters continue to live life stronger and much more mindful. The situations Ed had to help people from his town deal with were equitably realistic. They were situations anybody could be facing, which made it easier to relate to since the state wasn’t far from reality. I Am the Messenger is now one of my favourite books because of how heavily meaningful the quotes were, and how amusing the adventures were. I would recommend it to my friends, and I’m confident that they would take interest in this