...The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Examines a wide variety of words. But with close analyzation of the words throughout the book, we find that it is the power of words that makes them stand out and have a purpose. Despite everything, even suffering, there are always words for Liesel to turn to for hope and an escape from the evil that was ruling Germany. Words are something we use and hear literally all of the time. In the novel, The Book Thief, words are used to create goodness, comfort, and sanity in a time of war. At age nine, Liesel is illiterate, and the first book she learns to read is a manual about grave digging. Learning to read brings Liesel closer to the understanding that Hitler's propaganda is the root of his power and the reason...
Words: 542 - Pages: 3
...Words primary function is to convey a message or information. It can be characterized as the most powerful instrument . Markus Zusak in his novel The Book Thief illustrate differents aspect of the power of words during World War II. Although the power of words can affect human being negatively, it can also build a sense safety,kindness and empower them. On one hand, Adolph Hitler used words to control people. On the other hand, Hubermanns family utilised their words to safely hide and care for a jew in their basement. Meanwhile Lisel utilized it to be empower. Words can be spoken and unspoken. It is used throughout the day and depending on the person that used it , it can impact negatively. During his leadership in Germany, Adolph Hitler...
Words: 698 - Pages: 3
...Ms. Wright May 23, 2015 The Kite Runner: 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. The novel The Book Thief develops the relationship between Liesel Meminger and her neighbours more than the film The Book Thief therefore minimizing the theme. First, Liesel and Rudy become best friends, “Insane or not, Rudy was always destined to be Liesel’s best friend.” (Zusak 48). Rudy introduced himself to Liesel as soon as she moved in, he developed a liking for her and they soon become best friends. Rudy used his charming, and sometimes insulting, words to win over Liesel. This develops the theme because it shows that even if one does not want to like someone, their words can change them into a likable person. Second, Liesel and Frau Hermann develop a relationship, “When she came and stood with an impossibly frail steadfastness, she was holding a tower of books against her stomach, from her navel to the beginning...
Words: 1736 - Pages: 7
...Sheet Emmalee Smith Slide 1: Sarah’s Key & The Book Thief Slide 2: The Comparable Parts Both Sarah’s Key and The Book Thief take place in the 1940’s. Both Sarah and Liesel lost their brothers at a young age. Sarah lost her brother by locking him in a cupboard trying to protect him Liesel lost her brother on the train ride to their new home Both Sarah and Liesel's adopted families were very caring and against the Nazi party Both girls were caring. Sarah tried everything she could to save her brother from the cupboard Liesel cared very deeply for Max who she treated like her brother Slide 3: The Book Thief Slide 4: Why we should read The Book Thief The theme of the individual vs. society Sometimes being an individual is seen as a bad thing in today’s society. The Book Thief teaches us that it is okay to have your own opinions and it’s alright not to always follow what everyone else is doing. Slide 5: Why we should read the book thief How characters/people either agree to or rebel against societies expectations Today we are always looking to an outside source to receive approval of what we are doing. Rebelling against societies norms is seen an outrageous act and people are often punished for it The book thief shows us that is okay to sometimes swim against the currant and do or say what we feel needs to be done or said Slide 6: Sarah’s Key Slide 7: Why we should read Sarah’s Key Knowledge is power Today we have many ways to learn about lots of different...
Words: 391 - Pages: 2
...If it came down to it, would it make sense for one to steal something for their survival? What if it was only for the betterment of oneself? How about if one did not care or even fully realize what they were doing? Would all of these still be considered thievery? Questions like these have the power to shroud opinions about what is defined as right and wrong. These certain questions are able to challenge people on their take of the difference between stealing for survival and stealing for greed. Ideas like these, revolving around the rightness of thievery, present themselves many times throughout The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak. This novel follows the life of the main character Liesel Meminger as she adapts to her new life while trying...
Words: 1890 - Pages: 8
...Words can have a source of power for an individual. In The Book Thief, books become a source of power for Liesel. Liesel’s life changes as she picks up a book, The Grave Digger’s Handbook. She becomes interested in books and learns how to read with the help of her foster father, who plays a crucial role in her life. She then begins to steal multiple books wherever they are found. She overcomes many obstacles in her life and those obstacles shape her to who she has become. In the short story The Book Thief, Markus Zusak uses the books The Grave Digger’s Handbook, The Whistler, and The Book Thief to demonstrate Liesel’s understanding and development of how powerful words can be. The Grave Digger’s Handbook becomes the first ever book Liesel...
Words: 547 - Pages: 3
...Historically, people have used literacy to obtain political power. In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, it is evident that books, reading, and words themselves represent power for different characters in different ways. Close analysis of Liesel Meminger and Max Vandenburg reveals that power can be achieved through literacy in a context where literacy is severely limited. Literacy plays a major role in Liesel’s adolescence. Liesel obtains power through literacy as it gives her a sense of comfort and control. The act of reading and writing gives Liesel the strength to cope with and heal from her emotional trauma. Reading and finishing the book The Gravedigger’s Handbook helps Liesel find the courage to move on from the loss of her brother. Although Liesel does not yet know how to read when she arrives at the Hubermann’s on Himmel Street, she keeps the book to comfort her, as it is the last object she has relating to her brother. When papa and Liesel finish reading the book, Liesel “trot[s] out, involuntarily” (Zusak 87) by explaining to Hans that her brother’s name “‘was Werner’” (87). The act of Liesel’s words being spoken involuntarily suggests that “she is finding some freedom in the effects of her disturbing experiences” (Lee 14). Liesel does not have to force herself to speak to Hans about her brother as she has gained emotional stability. Additionally, literacy helps Liesel recover from her distress as Hans reads to her nightly. Hans reads to Liesel “to soothe...
Words: 2006 - Pages: 9
...words are the most controlling force in the universe. They can be utilized in many ways, gracious or crude. Nevertheless, words can have a major effect on an individual level, in addition to on society as a whole. Throughout The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, he thoroughly explores this idea. The reader of The Book Thief gets to experience Liesel mature and flourish alongside literature. Words play a big role within the life of Liesel Meminger, also in the lives of all individuals and societies on earth. The Book Thief takes place in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. The holocaust was made possible by words, mentioned in the book that Max wrote for Liesel “The Word Shaker”. “The Word Shaker” explores the idea that Hitler uses purely words to take control of Germany. Hitler used words to manipulate a large amount of people into hating the Jewish people for irrational reasons. This is a superb example of how words alone can control human beings and their...
Words: 625 - Pages: 3
...The novel The Book Thief is based on the life of Liesel Meminger, a nine year old girl, who lives in Nazi Germany during World War II. In the story, Death narrates the experiences of Liesel’s life. These experiences brought both magnificence and devastation that effected many lives that were in this era. After Liesel’s brother's death, she arrives in an upset state at the home of her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. While Liesel was there she saw many terrible things that the Nazi ruling has brought to Germany. As she sees these horrific things going on in Germany she struggles to find a way to defend her guilt in the disturbing surroundings. While the political situation in Germany gets worse Liesel’s foster parents decide to hide a man named max who is a Jew. While Max remains in the house it makes it dangerous for Liesel and her parents to stay in the home. Liesel’s foster dad, Hans, who has a close bond with Liesel, teaches her to read in...
Words: 552 - Pages: 3
...The crucible would be against the book Percy Jackson and the Lightning Bolt Thief due to the fact it involves law abiding citizens, no respect for authority, and involves the supernatural. The crucible would not be for the book Percy Jackson because of the fact it involves law abiding citizens. In the crucible it's all about following the rules.If someone were to break the rules there would be consequences. Children were not allowed to look at adults unless they were being talked to. Kids had to act mature, couldn’t mess around with adults or else they would be punished. There discipline involved being whipped, beat, or they would get grounded. In Percy Jackson, it involves nothing but law abiding citizens. Percy ran away from Camp Halfblood to find his Mom, in which Hades took from him. He ran away from the authority at Camp Halfblood even when they told Percy not to go after Hades. Throughout Percy’s journey he ends up breaking into a museum. In which he steals a blue marble from, he needs three blue marbles in order to save his mom. He also steals a car from a casino in order to get away with another marble, to continue his journey....
Words: 631 - Pages: 3
...As most of society today knows Hitler used propaganda to capture his followers and supporters. Hitler was such an imposing persuasive person, that he assembled many citizens to believe the circumstances he did in which was that the Aryan race was destined to rule the world by using propaganda. In The Book Thief which is taken place in the fictional city, Mulching Germany, Hitler also compelled families to join “The Youth” using advertisment. Hitler was utterly becoming “more and more influential in German politics” because of how our world was then (“Propaganda In Nazi Germany” 2). During World War II, there was much propaganda involved with the reasoning that Hitler’s intentions were to over power the Jews. For example; in “The Book Thief”...
Words: 757 - Pages: 4
...“Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” The Book Thief centers around the life of Liesel Meminger, a young girl in Germany during World War 2. The story is narrated by Death who describes the beauty and the carnage during this time period. Throughout the novel, we see the immense impact books and words have on the charecters and their surroundings, They hurt, they heal , they instill hope, and most of all, they bring the world together wether it be for good or evil purposes. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, the theme of words and their power can be seen throughout the whole book. In the beginning of the novel, Liesel Memigner’s brother dies on the train on the way to their new foster parents. This has a traumatic effect on Liesel and the only thing she has to remember her brother is a book that she found at the graveyard titled The Gravediggers Handbook. This is...
Words: 761 - Pages: 4
...Because the man is exuding his power, he orders the thief to remove all of his clothing, and goes on to say, “I’m going to leave you the way you left us.” (McCarthy 257). Opposing the moralities of the Old Testament, the son encourages the New Testament moralities that consist of love and forgiveness. This part of the novel can also connect to the New Testament story of the thief who was crucified next to Jesus. Jesus says so him, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). The thief in the bible saw the goodness in Jesus, and looked to him for mercy. The thief in the novel did the same to the boy because he saw his goodness, as well as his ability to love and forgive. The novel states, “The thief looked at the child and what he saw was very sobering to him” (McCarthy 256). The boy’s sense of divinity is reveled through these scenes by exemplifying the moralities of the New...
Words: 1158 - Pages: 5
...Review on The Prophet’s Hair by Salman Rushdie The Prophet’s hair is a magical realistic short story from the book ‘East, West’ written by Salman Rushdie. Rushdie is an author, novelist, essayist and sometimes a critic. He blends myth and fantasy in a world of reality and that is what he is famous for. The prophet’s hair is based on the story of the theft of the prophet Muhammad’s hair. Whoever comes in contact with this relic, faces strange or miraculous events. The story takes place in the early 1980’s during winter season in a rural area called Srinagar in India. Srinagar is a Kashmir valley. This story also depicts a setting that can be assumed as the beginning of the 20th century where religion and government structures were reaching its heights. The social environment revolves around money, honor, respectable values and religion; in this case the Islam. Every character is concerned about his place in society and his greed for money. The story is written in third person omniscient point of view. The writer as he describes the setting, moves from character to character narrating the story. In this short story, Hashim is the protagonist. He is the father of Huma and Atta. Hashim comes upon the stolen hair accidentally. He does not return the relic as greed consumes. He justifies his act as a community service basing it on the Islamic views of deity. Hashim turns into a religious hypocrite from a secular person. Hashim’s son Atta knows the truth about the hair and steals...
Words: 899 - Pages: 4
...The Power of the Human Spirit A person’s reaction to an event can change the course of their entire life. Adolph Hitler was a German man who believed his race should rule over all other races. Blue eyes and blonde hair is what kept a person safe in the 1940’s. Hitler used the power of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis) and the strength of the paramilitary organization Schutzstaffel (SS) to establish himself as dictator of Germany. He was a very charismatic man, which was beneficial to his goal to have people support his desire to rid Germany of all “undesirable” people. Under his direction and with the aid of his followers, Hitler was successful in “exterminating” millions of non-Germans and non-Christians in a dark segment...
Words: 1744 - Pages: 7
