Examples Of Survival In The Book Thief

The aspect of survival I will be focusing on is the protagonists doing unimaginable things to keep themselves and their families alive. This occurs in all four of the texts that I have studied. The texts I studied were; the Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow, the Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, the Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins directed by Gary Ross and finally 127 Hours directed by Danny Boyle. The Berlin Boxing Club is an extended text on a Jewish family's hardships during the Nazi era. The Most Dangerous Game is a

Liesel, the book thief herself, steals books in times of pain. All six books Liesel steals are metaphors for the feelings of loss and pain during the time of which the book was stolen. She uses the books to grow knowledge of the situations occurring around her, one stolen book in particular is “The Gravedigger’s Handbook” This book is the first of all books Liesel steals, and it is the book that caused her to grow to love words, coincidently, she finds this book in the snow on the day of her brother’s death, which is when she was filled with grief and abandonment. This book is a symbol for Liesel’s grief and as she tries to learn how to read the book, her twisted comfort in the story shows how the words had a powerful effect on her grieving process shown by the quotation, “…Not to mention the morbidity of the subject. As for the girl, there was a sudden desire to read it that she didn't even attempt to understand” (Zusak, 66)

The reader is able to see the emotional chaos the characters are subject to after trauma. It changes their behaviors and can make them take risks they wouldn’t normally take. Zucker opens readers to understand the sorrow of Jews and sympathizers that fled from their homes and families while under persecution during World War II, as well as World War I veterans. In the words of Death, the narrator “It’s the leftover humans. The survivors [...] I witness the ones who are left behind, crumbling among the jigsaw puzzle of realization, despair and surprise. They have punctured hearts. They have beaten lungs” (Zusak 5). It is true that this type of guilt is often paralysing to certain individuals; however, it can also create empathy and strength when survivors overcome these defining hardships in life. This is shown through Liesel’s friendships with Max and Hans, and the emotional maturity they each possess. These relationships help bring acceptance and joy back into survivors’ lives, and allow them to release the guilt of leaving one

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak narrated by death. It really shows the resilience of the human spirit by all people especially the people that lived during Hitler's reign. Resilience means “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties”,which is exactly what everybody struggles with in this book. The resilience of the human spirit is expressed by Liesel dieing at old age after everything she went through, Walter looking out for Max, who is a Jew while Walter is a Nazi, Max surviving everything just to live, by Desmond Doss surviving and saving 75 soldiers in World War II and by kids in Iraq being strapped with bombs.

Schachter had lost her mind. On the first day of the journey, she had already begun to moan. Later, her sobs and screams became hysterical. On the third night, as we were sleeping, some of us sitting, huddled against each other, a piercing cry broke the silence:

Tales Of The Survivors The definition of survival is; “The state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal or difficult circumstances.” My definition of survival is; to overcome something. “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park was a book mostly about survival. In this book, both Nya and Salva are trying to survive.

Survival is being willing to do anything, defying all odds, to make it through a situation no matter how hopeless it seems. An example of survival in our own world today, is the people in the Philippines. Although the people in the Philippines didn’t experience a holocaust, they are still struggling to survive after a super typhoon ripped apart their lives. One of the most intense battles for survival in our history is the Holocaust, where Nazi Germany persecuted the European Jews. Two of the greatest survival stories during the Holocaust are the stories of Anne Frank and Gerda Weissman Klein. Both, Anne Frank and Gerda Weissman Klein’s horrific experiences during the Holocaust exemplify their outstanding courage to try and

Life is very unpredictable, you might be enjoying a nice plane ride one moment, and plummeting toward death the next moment. Over the course of history, many people have survived the unsurvivable, the definition of survival can mean something different to everyone, it depends on how you react, the choices you make, and your instincts. In the novel “From Night” written by Elie Wiesel, “Deep Survival” by Laurence Gonzales, and “Is Survival Selfish” by Lance Wallace, all talk about different survival situations, and how certain humans’ characteristics play a huge role in how a person approaches the situation. In the memoir “Night” by Elie Wiesel, in the memoir he talks about the selection process that he had to go through, he also shares how

Liesel grew as a person, began to wonder about the world, and realized the power of words. Liesel saw the meaning in the smallest things. In the beginning of the novel, Liesel became attracted to words when she stole her first book, The Grave Digger’s Handbook from her brother’s grave site. Even without having a clue what the words meant, the book became representative of the last time she saw her family and “as for the girl, there was a sudden desire to read it that she didn't even attempt to understand” (Zusak, 66).

Chapter 2 - Liesel’s Relationships With Her Parents Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief contains complex character relationships. When, the main character, Liesel first arrives on Himmel Street it is immediately clear the relationships that Liesel will have with her new parents. The relationships between Liesel and her parents change as The Book Thief reaches its climax. For example, at the beginning of The Book Thief Liesel and her mother have a distant relationship.

Have you ever read any books that have had so many connections to each other? All three of the books; Animal Farm by George Orwell, Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding have many similar features. One of those features would be survival. These books show survival and the different methods used in order to survive. People will do whatever is possible to survive.

There are no boundaries when dealing with survival. For example, in the book “Night” the main character had to deal with the Holocaust in which the Jew had to battle for food when it was scarce among other starving Jews. When survival is at play our basic instincts tell us that we need to survive.

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

Survival is being able to endure and live through challenges that may wear you down (mentally or physically), and there are several ways of showing survival. “The Story of Keesh,” by Jack London, depicts survival through a harsh setting. “The Five People You Meet In Heaven,” by Mitch Albom, depicts survival through character development. In sum, the idea of survival is shown in literature through these two different ways.

The recuperative power of language is revealed when Liesel begins an intrepid career in book thievery, finding solace in books and words amidst the cataclysmic historical period of Nazi Germany. Liesel’s unconscious desire to overcome her traumatic experiences is discovered within the confines of the basement. This is symbolic as, in Freudian psychoanalysis, the basement represents unconscious drives, repressed fears, traumas and fantasies. In Liesel’s journey to process her trauma and acknowledge new traumas, she psychoanalytically seeks out the comfort of the womb due to the absence of a motherly figure in the form of the basement. Zusak alters the archetypal image of the basement, picturing it as a metaphorical ‘womb’ for Liesel, a place of salvation and safety. “Liesel revisited those dark rooms of her past.” (p. 117) When Liesel discovers it is unlikely she will ever see her biological mother, she retreads underneath the table in an attempt to alleviate her pain. However, when Liesel feels psychologically strong enough to face the trauma of her abandonment, she is able to leave her place of safety and security and share her story with Max. This demonstrates the complexities of trauma and how an individual utilises differing coping mechanisms to confront their psychological suffering. Liesel, whilst opening herself to the pain of others, learns to express and