The Book Thief Sacrifice

Grief is defined as keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss, and through the various ways both these characters coped with grief, each character’s thoughts and actions reveal aspects of his personality. In life “Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life's search for love and wisdom”

Death who is the narrator of this book is mesmerized by humans. He is intrigued by all that the world has but what he has trouble with is understanding how humans can commit so much cruelties and hideous action but at the same time have others who are so nice and make the world a much better place to live in. One thing that death tries to accomplish is to treasure new ways that he could make his job and his work more purposeful. One of the ways he attempts to do this is by compiling stories that he finds of brave human beings. He stumbles upon one fascinating story of human named Liesel. He believes that Liesel is like none other than he has ever seen before. He thinks that stories are truly beautiful. He is intrigued in her because of who

In conclusion, by choosing death as the narrator Markus Zusak provides the reader with the information that Liesel does not know and death knows but also describes Liesel, her life and how she feels about the things that are happening in her life. Also, by choosing death as the narrator it allows Zusak to describe the other characters and their thoughts which is effective because it does not create confusion and makes the reader eager to read more. For example, “AN ATTRIBUTIVE OF ROSA HUBERMANN She was a good woman for a crisis”. This is written in bold which means that it has been used as a distraction and to give information about the characters who death is talking about and it also provides the reader with the opinion of

“Even death has a heart.” (The Book Thief, pg 242) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a book of death, love, and survival. There is the death of a friend, love of a parent, and survival of those who can take it. World War II was a devastating period and many did not have the mental strength to survive it. The Book Thief is about Liesel Meminger and all her accounts with death and how she coped with it, how she survives it all through words. The book is narrated by Death, and throughout the book, he adds in his own input at times. The Book Thief makes you realize the power that words can have, you just have to pay attention to them.

Again, a main protagonist, Henry, links to the theme of death through some key events involving a character who was once alive in the novel but is now dead. This theme is evident when Henry’s “friend” named Trot, dies in an unexpected car crash. “Trot was dead. Dead. The word, although Henry had not said it out loud, began to take on some form, as if it was solidifying. He’d never had to deal with the word, or the world like this before. Trot was dead. He was gone. Now. Gone. Henry sat, hands draped, the silver case of his watch glittering at the corner of his eye. He felt weak and infinitely clueless.” (pg. 174) This quote establishes how Henry was completely and utterly shocked about the death of his friend. He couldn’t even bring himself up to saying the word. This shows a huge similarity to how individuals react to the death of a friend in today’s society. Metzenthen strongly represents the theme of death using Henry’s character. Similarly, with Henry, we sense that he is weary and heartsick over the thought of death. Throughout the novel, the author is able to illustrate the idea of death, and show how many people in today’s society also see it as a horrible and heartbreaking

When a person observes/encounters death their willpower shows determination that helps them survive. The first glimpse we see of this is on page 21. On the train to Munich liesel's brother dies. His name is Werner. He later gets buried at a graveyard just by the train tracks. There was a little ceremony and Liesel and her mother carry on. One thing Liesel takes is the gravedigger's handbook. This is portraying to us on how she will eventually turn into a thief, hence “The Book Thief”. This quote is portrayed by death; “One eye open, one still in a dream. It would be better for a complete dream. I think, but i really have no control over that”. (5, 9) In this quote Liesel believes that the situation that had just occurred was a dream, but she knows that it is not. She learns to read the gravediggers book and it opens up the opportunity of books into her life. Another example of death is when Hans trades cigarettes for Mein Kampf. Hans’ history with Mein Kampf has been a wild one. On Hans’ way back from WWI he

It’s interesting to see Death’s perspective and view on humans change throughout the book. At the beginning, it was almost sarcastic or lighthearted but at the end it realizes how terrible the human race actually is. “I am haunted by the humans” was the last line of the novel and it is such a hard hitting sentence (Zuask 550).

The novel is narrated by Death, a guy who’s getting tired and bored of his job. He wants a vacation, but sadly no one can replace him. He tries to find ways to give meaning to his job. He is fascinated by humans and colours of the world, and he is curious of how humans are capable of so much ugliness and so much beauty. Death is some way more human than a lot of people.

It depicts death as a man who has the ability to make conscious decisions, as a human would. Death is not a person, but giving it human qualities creates an air of mystery and curiosity as to why death would simply walk away or why it would stay and take a life. There is no rhyme nor reason for why death comes at a specific time or to claim a specific person.

Death is preparing the reader for the novel’s subject by acknowledging that the living always feel as if they owe the dead. Sometimes it is more sad to see the leftover humans and their guilt. Throughout

In the poems “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”, by Emily Dickinson and “Home Burial”, by Robert Frost, literary elements are used throughout both poems to get the message the authors are trying to portray. One main important literary element that is used to entice the reader, is symbolism, because it helps the authors describe something without actual describing it. Symbolism is also used because it shows how significant an object is. Characterization is also an important literary technique because it, gives the reader an idea on how the character would act, work, and their values in life. Death is a topic that is used in both poems. Also, every character express their opinion about death differently.

The theme death has always played a crucial role in literature. Death surrounds us and our everyday life, something that we must adapt and accept. Whether its on television or newpaper, you'll probobly hear about the death of an individual or even a group. Most people have their own ideas and attitude towards it, but many consider this to be a tragic event due to many reasons. For those who suffered greatly from despair, living their life miserably and hopelessly, it could actually be a relief to them. Death effects not only you, but also those around you, while some people may stay unaffected depending on how they perceive it.

Where there is life, there is death. Writers around the world have tried to define death; to give it meaning and explain its impact. A common literary device known as personification is often used to attribute human-like characteristics to death in an attempt to show their interpretations of death. Personification allows us to “use insight about ourselves to help us comprehend such things as forces of nature, common events, abstract concepts, and inanimate objects” (qtd. Quinn). In Billy Collins’ “My Number”, Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop For Death”, and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Death has been personified into characters that range from civil to malicious and content to discontent. “My Number” is about a man who is fearful of what he believes to be a cunning and cruel Death.

In the book, the narrator is Death, who foreshadows Liesel about her past and the family and friends she has lost. Throughout the novel, Death is a symbol of abandonment to Liesel. One of the reasons Zusak uses Death as the narrator instead of a live character is because of death’s prominence in Liesel’s life. An example is when Death states, “Curiosity got the better of me, and I resigned myself to stay as long as my schedule allowed, and I watched”(Zusak 7). Death continues to follow Liesel around and watch over her. Death meets Liesel three times in the book to watch everyone leave

Death is the main character, as well as the narrator of this story, yet the author provides us with no real description of her other than calling her a woman. Death narrates this tale in a way that leads us to believe that she is almost an omniscient being in the way that she is able to describe the dialogue between the servant and his master, but an omniscient narrator is incapable of being surprised himself or herself and we find this not to be the case in this story. I believe the author intended to do this in order to make Death appear mysterious, yet also familiar to the reader. Once Death is given human elements, like the ability to be surprised, it gives the illusion that one can cheat death.