Hans Hubermann In The Book Thief

It is easy to be happy when things are going right, but survivors find ways to be happy amidst trials, struggles and pain. Max Vandenburg, a character from the Book Thief, is a prime example of remaining happy when things go bad. However throughout the novel, Michael was unable to stay positive in all the turmoil and it eventually killed him. In the Book Thief, Markus Zusak uses contrasting characters to show the importance of finding happiness in the little moments when trying to overcome obstacles.

Their opinions are brought forward whilst there is a march in their hometown and the two characters feed the marchers. Whilst this is only a small action, they managed to change the course of the storyline and the consequences of their actions really did bring the context of war upfront and it allowed the reader to understand what happened to some of the German people that tried to help the Jews and the others that were tortured along with them. The most serious effect that the war had on the characters of The Book Thief, Liesel especially, was at the end of the novel was when a bomb was dropped on her home town. As a result of this everyone that was special to Liesel was killed, including Rudy. Children in war are not aware of what is happening around them, especially in Bruno’s case, he only knows what he has seen. For example when Shmuel tells him that there are a lot of children on his side of the fence he thinks that it will be like in Berlin where children are happy and playful and have liberty, but when Bruno crosses the fence and experiences what Shmuel does every day he is very surprised and in a way disappointed to see that the children here and all lethargic and gloomy, this may affect a child very harshly in the long run seeing such a place on the inside, such as Auschwitz. In the story we see that Bruno can not comprehend what is happening when he and Shmuel are taken into the gas chamber and they think that it

When Liesel had nightmares, “He came in every night and sat with her. The first couple of times, he simply stayed-a stranger to kill the aloneness. A few nights after that, he whispered, ‘Shhh, I’m here, it’s all right.’ After three weeks, he held her. Trust was accumulated quickly, due primarily to the brute strength of the man’s gentleness, his thereness”(Zusak 36). Hans helped Liesel through her brutal nightmares. To have a friendship that connects through Liesel’s nightmares, is beautiful because Hans and Liesel trust each other. Furthermore, Hans lived through World War One, described as, “The conversation of bullets. Resting men. The best dirty jokes in the world. Cold sweat - that malignant little friend - outstaying its welcome in the armpits and trousers”(Zusak 175). How brutal it must have been for Hans to watch friends die right before his eyes during war. However, it is beautiful because Hans was the only soldier to survive, because of his best friend, Erik Vandenburg. Erik saved his life, which is a debt that can not be repaid. To continue, Liesel noticed that Hans’ eyes “Were made of kindness, and silver. Like soft silver, melting. Liesel, upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot”(Zusak 34). Silver eyes represent sadness, reliability, and old age. It is beautiful describing eyes as “soft silver” but brutal because Liesel sees her foster father's sadness in his eyes. Liesel knew Hans was valuable to her life, and that he has experienced brutal things. Hans’ life was brutal and beautiful while having relationships with

Throughout “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak, we see a growth in the main characters, Liesel and Hans. Liesel is Hans’ foster daughter and together, their relationship has grown as if they are biological father and daughter. Hans took Liesel into his arms and unquestionably made her apart of his family. We can relate their relationship to the lyrics of “Butterfly Fly Away,” by Hannah Montana.

The first reason why I think Hans is the kindest character to Liesel in “The Book Thief” is when Rosa would scream at Liesel, and Hans would comfort her and somehow make her feel better. “There was nothing but dry paint, difficult breath, and the deluge of abuse from Rosa. ‘leave her alone.’ “Leave her to me.” “ ‘ You know how to roll a cigarette.’”(page. 33) In these quotes it shows that from the start Hans loved Liesel, Hans always showed love towards her. Hans took care of her and comforted her when Rosa would scream at her. This shows that Hans really did care about her because if he did not he would and done nothing. Perhaps he knew what it felt like to be in a new house with a new family. But Liesel was already very comfortable with Hans

The Book Thief starts out with a gloomy kinda character who starts off giving a truthful yet harsh fact. When you keep reading you realize that character is the narrator. The narrator in The Book Thief is Death. Death likes to observe colors so he can give himself a distraction. His favorite color is a very dark dark chocolate-colored sky. He uses these colors because he can't stand to look at the left over humans ( the survivor) but from time to time he fails. Death tells the story through his eyes. He tells you about the souls that he took. He tells you about the book

Liesel come to love her foster family, Rudy, and even Max. "Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children" (Zusack 37). When Liesel is still new to Himmel street Hans stays with her for hours of the night, this leads to their relationship building to that of a father, daughter type. "Rudy, please, wake up, Goddamn it, wake up, I love you" (Zusack 535) The bombs fells, the town was ripped apart, a 14 year old girl was sleeping in the basement. Liesel survived, she alone survived. Her best friend, the boy who loved her, was killed along with everyone else, Liesel was

He brings Lisel in who is very shy girl at first but teaches her the beauty of words and a dictionary. He opens her up and treats her well when her mom isn't in the greatest of moods. His accordion playing always seemed to put her in a good mood even when she was sad and lonely. Quirky and funny Hans does everything for his daughter. Teaching her that it's never too late to excel at something, he showed her how to read and made it her passion. He was just a great foster father for Lisel.

Liesel exhibits her newfound reasoning on Adolf Hitler to Hans Hubermann. Liesel’s new reasoning is finally deciphered from the fact that she realizes her mom is a communist. Hitler had Liesel’s mom taken away as he loathes communism. In this situation, the negative power of words comes into play. Liesel’s mom is labeled, negatively, as a “communist”, and she is taken away from Liesel. Liesel spells out her great dislike for her leader, and she starts to acquire power. Hans Hubermann persuades Liesel to keep quiet, but Liesel starts to manifest positive power. Due to this ordeal, Liesel acquires a new book, The Shoulder Shrug. With this new book, Liesel furthers her reading and writing skills. These skills are important as they will lead Liesel to empowering the people in the bomb shelters by her soothing

While living 9 years without a father, Liesel finally found her perfect father figure Hans Hubermann. Since the beginning, Hans made a strong connection with Liesel when he convinced liesel to come

Throughout all of The Book Thief, characters were put into decisions where they have to make difficult decisions. Due to the time period in which they were living in, some of them would be even harder to make than others. Each person would have to be brave, and well aware of the consequences they would face. Out of every scene and character where a decision needs to be made, Hans Hubermann is faced with the hardest. Hans Hubermann makes two difficult moral decisions that are both brave and dangerous, despite knowing what the consequences there would be.

Rochman describes his accordion, “By a sense of duty and guilt to shelter the son of the man who saved his life in World War I. After an act of compassion for a Jewish man being made to parade the streets of Molching with his fellows, Hans is subsequently sent off to war,” (Rochman 25). It is important to realize that not only does he symbolise a “Jew Lover,” but he’s also a father to Liesel. Hans is the role model and teacher that Liesel never had. He tenderly released Liesel out of her shell of grief after the abandonment of her mother and the death of her brother. Hans is simply the start of Liesel’s love for books. Additionally, his accordion also portrays a memory to Rosa and Liesel when he passed away in the raiding of Molching, Germany. Upon his death, Liesel placed the accordion on his body saying "The sound of the accordion was, in fact, the announcement of safety," (Zusak, 28). Given these points, it is clearly shown that Hans’ Hubermann symbolises a father that Liesel never had, and the effect that the accordion left in the town of

Death from The Book Thief declares, "I have seen a great many things. I have attended all the world's worst disasters, and worked for the greatest of villains. And I've seen the greatest wonders. But it's still like I said it was: no one lives forever." Hitler was the leader of Germany during the time of World War II, however a small percentage of people did not agree with Hitler's tactics. Therefore, it took gallantry to oppose Hitler for citizen believed you either with Hitler or against him. Within the movie The Book Thief directed by Brian Percival, the characters in the Hubermann household Liesel, Hans, and Rosa all demonstrate couragious behavior throughout the film.

When there were bomb raids approaching the town, the people gathered in a small basement and Liesel began to read to everyone there. It is amazing how her words would calm everyone present and made them forget that they could possibly die at any given moment. When everything in her life is at a downfall, reading and writing takes Liesel out of this cruel world. That is the main reason why she is attracted to words and books. Words kept her alive in a dull world but also literally kept her living. She was reading in that basement when the bombs hit her street so it saved her. She also developed relationships with people with words and storytelling. In a time like this, a normal conversation will not help. But in order to distract one from reality the best way to do that is to share stories. Max Vandenburg is not in great condition when he arrives, but creates a special bond with Liesel through words. The two have frequent nightmares about their past and losing the ones that they care about the most. Though all this has happened, they both enjoy to story tell and that’s how their bond grows. "Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out, like the rain (85)". Liesel’s words effected her situation and the perspective of it so much. As words bought friendship to Liesel, it also bought

This book reflects the Grimm brothers’ fairy tale, “Hansel and Gretel.” However, in Murphy’s parable, Hansel and Gretel are two Jewish children who are abandoned by their father and stepmother in order to save them from the Nazis.