Happiness In The Book Thief

For my fiction book, I have decided to read “The Book Thief”, by the Australian writer Markus Zusak. The story begins with an introduction narrated by Death personified. I've found that unlike the many times I've read about this being and their thought process', this one is almost kinder in a way. It is not a heartless being that has merely grown bored of it's eternal task, it feels sympathy for those he effects, both directly and indirectly. It seems to take an almost childish interest in the main protagonist, Liesel Meminger, one filled with innocence and curiosity.

Death states that, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both” (Zusak 491). This book shows us human doing things that weren’t even imaginable before this point. Many people give into ideas that were lies. But, we also watch a few people go out of their way and sacrifice everything for a man they barely even know. They do everything they can to keep him safe and alive. They work harder, the get another job, and they even steal. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, death examines the ugliness and the beauty of humans.

Hope and courage are two feelings that are only powerful when used together. To be courageous and not hopeful is a suicide mission; on the other hand, having hope and no courage will never give one the urge to oppose the problem. In Markus Zusak’s novel The Book Thief, the whole story is the epitome of courage and hope. During the second world war, the young Liesel Meminger is adopted by the Hubermann family, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, who teach her the power of words, as well as the importance of kindness. Moreover, one of the themes of this novel is the creation of hope from courage, and it is shown through the author’s use of symbolism, allegory, as well as irony.

Hope is elusive and one needs courage to ensure it does not fly away. In The Book Thief, Markus Zusak develops the theme of courage and hope throughout the novel, showing people need both to survive. He portrays the theme effectively through the characterization of Liesel as well as the symbolism of Hans Hubermann’s accordion.

The Book Thief is set in the time of World War 2 where the Holocaust is present and disaster is everywhere. Throughout the story, Liesel, the main character, learns that words are extremely powerful and hold the ability for people to use them for good or for evil. Among the disaster and altercations, Liesel uses her literature to comfort her and make herself more powerful due to her knowledge, which demonstrates the theme of the story, the comfort and power of literature and words softens the pain of loss.

According to Napoleon Bonaparte, courage isn’t having the strength to go on … it’s going on when you don’t have strength. Liesel, Max and Hans are the main characters in “The Book Thief” that have acts of courage entirely change their lives. This novel takes place during WWII in Germany. Countless Jews are desperately looking for the courage to endure the harsh rule of the Nazis. On the other hand there are some Germans who use their courage to stand against the Nazis in their own exceptional ways. The characters in “The Book Thief’ show acts of courage and this greatly affects the course of their life and relationships with other characters.

Would you risk your life for someone else’s? Would you give up the only thing keeping you warm to keep someone else warm? If you had little food would you give some to keep someone else from being hungry? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you are compassionate. According to Webster's Dictionary, compassion is defined as literally, suffering with another; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration (Webster's Dictionary). Throughout the novel The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, the personality trait compassion was magnified. During the toughest of times, Markus Zusak showed that hope and goodness could still be displayed while the worst of people were being

In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury uses the character Mildred to convey how many people in society are discontent, even though they may seem happy. Throughout the novel Bradbury creates many characters that seem satisfied with their life of work and electronics, but Mildred in particular suggests that even one radiating happiness can still be broken and depressed inside.

The abstraction behind the term empathy is easily argued as one of society’s greatest misconceptions, actively acting as a redoubtable paragon of delusion. Much of this idea is founded upon the belief that the general collective are inherently good people. However, the concept, through its delusive facade, is repeatedly betrayed in the media as well as in various works of classical and modernized literature. As effectively portrayed in the novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, as well as in the film, The Boy in Striped Pyjamas directed by Mark Herman, this self gratifying concept created by society is recurrently illustrated and personified through the events of the holocaust. The basis of this argument is engendered by the belief that relationships— amatory or platonic— are radically based off the findings of common interests, more specifically those developed between the protagonist and supporting characters of each given story. This concept of empathy, although perceived in leading roles, is a non existent trait among humans that is recreated purely in the interest of convenience further demonstrating its delusory nature. Through friendships formed by elements of relatability, the struggle-some attempts at being sympathetically rounded, and prompted acts of benevolence that work in the favour of self image, this quality of empathy as argued inherent in humans is proven to be nothing more than an inventive trait idealized in fictitious characters.

Liesel most definitely could have trusted Rudy with the secret of having Max hidden in her basement. Rudy was clearly Liesel’s best friend and partner in crime when Liesel was doing her acts of thievery stealing the books from the mayor’s wife bookself. The devotion to Liesel Rudy also had was strong and I believe Liesel could have trusted Rudy.

The Book Thief has had a place on my “To Read” list for quite some time now. For that reason I decided to read another. I knew that if i hadn't read it by now, it wouldn't get the dedication it should. I turned my focus toward a book that spoke of adventure and discovery, that promised to teach me of the world as well as myself. I continued to read The Alchemist because it did just that with its beautiful writing style and enchanting tale.

In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, it seems that nobody is happy. The characters of the novel perceive themselves as happy, but in reality it is only their imagination. People in this society, such as Mildred Montag, fill their days with superficial activities and as a result they became depressed. Mildred keeps herself busy by watching television all day, and refers to the characters as her family.

Political Project- The book I am reading is The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. The political person who has a large influence on the events of the story is Adolf Hitler. Hitler was born April 20th, 1889, in Braunau Am Inn, Austria, as the fourth child of six children. By the age of 18 Hitler had become an orphan with his mother dying of breast cancer and his father of what is most likely pleural hemorrhage.

Throughout the novel The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, Rudy Steiner has shown his heroic capability by continuously putting other’s needs before his own. His interminable behavior towards the less fortunate, Liesel, and many different characters demonstrates his boldness and bravery to help others, just as a hero would do. From the beginning of the book, you can infer that Rudy is an altruistic character from his actions of defending Liesel in front of her classmates (page 51), to feeding the undesirable Jews on the streets of Molching (page 440). Therefore, under all of these circumstances, Rudy seems undaunted by the consequences that he may have brought upon himself. Now, with World War Two under way, the young boy feels the need to protect his family, friends, and the new girl on Himmel Street, Liesel.

The book that really impacted me was the book that I read for my Summer Reading, The Book Thief. First of all, it helped me understand more about the reality in the world that I live in. Furthermore, I can connect to the character and has dealt with similar problems. Also, it made me think more positively about the people around me and the things I do. Last but not least, this book made me wonder about and question my surroundings.