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. Liesel is kind-hearted because in The Book Thief she said, “ I don’t want to lose someone else”. She said this to Max after they became close friends. Given that, she is kind-hearted one can tell that she would do anything to protect her family from death. After WWII max and Liesel reunite and they hug and cry until they fell to the floor. Where Liesel use to live in 33 Himmel Street before there was a raid that destroyed the whole street, they hide Max. Her best friend is Rudy Steiner, he is a neighbor at first but then the friendship grows after each mischievous thing they do together. With Rudy, she grows and steals books for fun. Rudy might think it is fun, but to Liesel, it means for her. Like I said, she does this in memory of her brother. They have a race and it is a draw after falling. Rudy then said to Liesel, “If it’s a draw, do I still get my kiss?” Liesel then says, “ Not in a million years” and Rudy at the end he says “One day, Liesel, you’ll be dying to kiss me”. Therefore, at the end of the book and middle, she desires to kiss him but doesn’t until the end where he is dead. Later on, her family and she hide a Jew, Max Vandenburg, from the Nazis. Max and Liesel have grown close together. Liesel is competitive, compassionate,
Lastly, Liesel and Frau Holzapfel develop a relationship, “Strangely, one of Liesel’s favourite distractions was Frau Holzapfel. The reading sessions included Wednesday now as well, and they’d finished the water-abridged version of The Whistler and were on to The Dream Catcher. The old woman sometimes made teas or gave Liesel some soup that was indefinitely better than Mama’s.” (Zusak 439). Although Liesel did not originally like Frau Holzapfel because she was quite rude and cruel but she begins to develop a fondness of her and even enjoys her company. This develops the theme because it shows that even an uptight old woman can learn to love life by learning to enjoy words. The theme, the power of words, is minimized in the film as only the scenes in which Liesel and Frau Hermann and Liesel and Rudy develop relationships. By only showing this one does not fully see how much words can impact a community. Therefore, the novel The Book Thief develops the relationship between Liesel Meminger and her neighbours more than the film The Book Thief thereby minimizing the theme.
Every time Liesel steals books from people, she consistently places the lives of others at risk. An example of this is when Liesel is worried about Max dying and wants to steal a book and read it to him
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.
Liesel Meminger is a main character described in “The Book Thief”. After her mother can no longer support her Liesel and her brother, although he does not make the journey, are sent to a foster home in a small town in Germany called Munich were Liesel meets Hans and Rosa Hubermann or Mama and Papa. Although the initial warming up is hard Liesel soon becomes very close to her Papa. “Over the next few weeks and into summer, the midnight class began at the end of each nightmare” (Zusak,69). Hans teaches Liesel each night how to read and write to ease her mind when all Liesel can think about is her dead brother. Hans truly becomes Papa when Liesel trusts Hans will never let her be
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.
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.
From what has been established so far in The Book Thief, I believe that Liesel is hungry for knowledge and the power of literacy. Since the beginning, she has longed for this ability which is why she stole books in the first place. It just so happened that Hans was willing to teach her how to read and to teach her the things that she wouldn’t learn at school. I think that she has many longings for things throughout the book, but this is the most important in her mind. Along with just the ability to read, I also think that she wanted the chance to show that
In the beginning of The Book Thief, the reader meets Liesel Meminger, her mother, and her brother, Werner Meminger. The father is never introduced. It is only said that he is a communist. Werner dies on the train to Himmel Street, the place that Liesel is left with a couple, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel’s mother is never seen again, but the reader assumes that she was taken away for being one of the Nazi’s targets. According to The Book Thief, “What came to her then was the dustiness of the floor, the feeling that her clothes were more next to her than on her, and the sudden realization that this would all be for nothing—that her mother would never write back and she would never see her again.” Nazis were the epitome of evil. They tore families apart and killed millions of innocent people.
Liesel stole a book for the first time before she knew how to read during her brother’s funeral. In the book, it reads, “When he walked away, after a few dozen paces, a black book fell innocuously from his coat pocket without his knowledge.” During this time, it was when the gravediggers were digging the grave for her brother and then a book fell out of one of their pockets. Liesel would then steal the book and kept it with her to remember her brother. Another time in the book that showed Liesel’s character was when she stole book during the burning of the books.
Liesel Meminger aka the book thief is not any ordinary kid. She lived without a father and lost both her mother and brother at the age of 9, while being sent away to a new family the Hubermann at the Himmel Street. In the Hubermann's home Liesel finds two loving, caring, and opposite people, Hans and Rosa Hubermann who would help and teach her to survive and grow. While foster mother, Rosa is loud, harsh, and likes to use the word saumensch or female pig to address Liesel, foster father Hans is softer and shows more affectionate to Liesel.
Liesel got her first book after her brothers funeral. Liesel first learned how to read and write from Hans her foster dad. When a jewish person named Max came in to hide. Liesel finally had a person to read too. When Max disappeared bombing started to happen. So Liesel had to hide in the basements with other people. People then started to get scared and worry. But Liesel found out a way to calm them down by reading to them. She calmed them down and they started to forget about the war.
Liesel’s life was difficult near the beginning of the novel. She was separated from her parents, and lost her brother. After joining her new foster family, she would have to work harder to adjust to it and it will not be easy. When Liesel was out with Rudy on their apple stealing activities, when Rudy was then caught by one of the nazis from injuring his leg. The nazi then disciplined Rudy by beating him up and they cut also his hair with a knife. After Rudy got disciplined, Liesel carries Rudy to the mayor's house. On page 251 Liesel says “I carried Rudy softly through the broken streets… with him I tried a little harder at comforting.” this shows that she was trying hard to comfort him even though she was already trying to carry Rudy. It shows that even when she’s at one hundred percent, she tries to reach one hundred and 10 percent. Near the end of the novel, on page 528, in the book written by Liesel called The Book Thief and on the last
Liesel loves to read and it doesn't take her long to withhold her title as Book Thief. She starts with The Grave Digger’s Handbook which is the book she picks up after her brother’s death. Hans teachers her to read and painted her a “chalkboard” in the basement so that she can write down the new words she has learned. There ends up being a town “parade” which is really a book burning event where Hitler and the Nazis are commemorated, during this time Germany was looking towards invading new countries. Liesel is handed a book and pressured to throw it into the fire, to which she eventually does so. However, once the fire has been put out and everyone has gone home, she notices a book that is only slightly charred, not destroyed by the fire and picks it up. A car drives by and a woman, who is Ilsa Herman, the mayor’s wife, sees her take the book, but Liesel hides it under her coat and runs away quickly back home.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is about a young girl named Liesel Meminger. Who grows up during World War II in a town called Molching, located in Germany. Throughout the novel, Liesel meets a variety of different characters who influence her down the path to womanhood. The three people who help her mature are Hans Hubermann, Rudy Steiner, and Max Vandenburg. Whether they are teaching her how to read or write, being her first love/best friend or giving her the power of words. They all helped her in many different ways to mature.
The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak has been recognized for its outstanding portrayal of the Holocaust. Set in the time Holocaust time period, death narrates the life of Liesel Meminger. After being dropped off in her new home, she creates a relationship with the Hubermanns. Throughout the book, she was exposed to the horrors of the Nazi regime, caught between the innocence of her childhood and the maturity demanded by the destructive settings whilst stealing books. Later on in the book, Hans Hubermann harbors a Jewish man. Liesel also develops a close relationship with him. Not only will the Book Thief steal your books, she will also steal your heart.