Markus Zusak, in his novel The Book Thief, set in 1939 Nazi Germany, raises many ideas, one of which is the power of words. Through various techniques including characterisation, personification, and similes, Zusak conveys messages about the power of words such as their intent, their ability to form bonds between people, and their importance as vessels of language. Many times, throughout The Book Thief, Zusak describes words as if they were living things, which gives them personality and shows us that words can have intent separate to that of the speaker. Through clever personification he gives personality and traits to words, and helps describe the feelings of characters, such as Hans’ “visible” hangover that “heaved itself to his shoulders and sat there like a bag of wet cement.” The words also come to life with descriptive language that shows words were “perched on their shoulders, resting on their heads and hanging from their arms,” as Liesel and Hans spoke, and, in a different light, the weakness of Liesel’s words as they, “fell off the side of the bed, emptying onto the floor like powder.” Words are also described as having a, “human flavour.” This makes the audience …show more content…
The most obvious relationship is that between Hans and Liesel, which is at first facilitated by their reading The Gravedigger’s Handbook. However, words also act as a catalyst for Liesel’s relationships with Max and Rudy, as well as for the comfort of everyone in the shelter. Liesel’s relationship with Max started by asking about Mein Kampf, and upon learning that it was the, “best book ever,” and, “saved [his] life.” Also, stealing books from Ilsa’s library brought Liesel and Rudy, her, “best friend,” closer. Through these scenes and the development of Liesel’s relationships with other characters the audience is shown the power of words in bringing people
In the story The Book Thief, the author Markus Zusak does and amazing job of using literary devices in his story. From metaphors, to similes, to personification and even onomonopeias. It puts images in your mind that in other looks you could not even imagine. It shows and tells what the person is doing and how they are doing it. These literary devices bring excitement and engagement to the writing. It makes you want to keep reading the book. His forms of figurative language come easy to zusak.
Words are stronger than people think; they can put ideas in a person’s head without much effort. The power of words used in The Book Thief are different and similar to the power of words Hitler uses in Mein Kampf. This theme is very important in many ways and it helps represent how people can be very persuasive and vigorous. The power of words used in the Book Thief and in Mein Kampf can be compared and contrasted revolving around certain topics, such as: the effects words have on others, the way words are used to make it become persuasive, and who the words belong to.
Onyeka Aladiume Period 4 9-21-17 Week 2 Personification: attributing human traits to something non human. Hyperbole: eexaggerated statements or claims meant not to meaning literally. Example: “Tree wore blankets of ice.”
Words are everywhere, words make up books, and the power of words make The Book Thief which will never be able to be improved upon. Words help us communicate with others, but mainly they have positive and negative sides to them. In the novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Death narrates the story while Liesel Meminger also tells her story of living in Nazi, Germany. We will discuss how there are many people such as Max Vandenburg and Liesel Meminger who choose to use to use their power of words in the positive way. We will also discuss how people also like to use their power of words in the negative way such as Adolf Hitler. The power of words are very effective especially in Markus Zusak’s writing, and we’ll discuss the main parts of the book which have been effected with the power of words.
The acts of human nature can become a very difficult concept to understand. Markus Zusak uses Death throughout the The Book Thief to express the complexity of human nature. Death illustrates how complicated beings humans are and how they hold the capacity to act in both evil and beautiful ways. Throughout the novel Death helps give readers insight to the ignorance displayed and the pain it may cause a person. In the most troublesome and discriminatory times of the Holocaust, Death will point out the beautiful acts of compassion carried out by characters involved in the novel. Sometimes beauty and pain is mixed within the sacrifice some make for those they love and are loyal to.
"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right" (528.) In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the power of words is a reoccuring theme that leads to Liesel forming a strong bond with a tall man with silver eyes, a feather haired jew, and a woman with fluffy hair that is always in a bathrobe, and changes all of their lives. Words are dangerous and beautiful, they can tear worlds apart and rebuild them, they can hurt and heal, and they are one of the most powerful forces on Earth. In The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger recognises the power of words, and rather than using them like Hitler did, out of hatred, she uses language to fight against injustice and share her thoughts. Words help Liesel connect to 3 specific people, that all change the course of her life through words. Hans Hubermann: the silver-eyed man, Ilsa Hermann: the woman with fluffy white hair, and Max Vandenburg: the feather haired jew. Liesel's story begins with Hans teaching her how to read, and gradually grows to Ilsa sharing her library, and finally, Max inspiring her to write and tell her own story.
In Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief, the principle character, Liesel Meminger, tries to make due through World War 2 while attempting to figure out how to peruse and compose. All through the book the writer needs the peruser to see that words are a thought or story, as well as an energy to control a man's psyche or activity, and this spared Liesel at last.
"Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble." (Economy). Consequently, this quote exemplifies the illustrious meaning of words being so powerful that they will never be forgotten and only be remembered by those that they affect most. Words give us the power to communicate and explain our thoughts, which can affect change on others in the society. Therefore, they are not as influential and manipulative as they seem to be. In the novel, The Book Thief, power of words are used as emotion, influential, and building knowledge.
“…‘don’t you know I love you…’” (534). After saying this, she realized the best way to show him how she felt one last time was to kiss him. “Liesel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips” (536). Next she saw her mama and papa. She went up to her mama first and went back to the first time they met, and then special times with her. “‘Do you remember what you said to everyone on the street that day?’ Her voice wavered now. ‘You said, ‘what are you a*sholes looking at?’’” Liesel went back to how even when Rosa was being rude, like her usual self, she also always made Liesel feel safe. Then she went back to another time she was rude, but made Liesel feel better and safer. “‘Mama, i know that you… I liked when you came to school and told me Max had woken up’” (537). Then, finally she moved on to Hans, the person she loved the most. Liesel thought of papa as her home. Whenever they were together, they were home. One of the things she loved most was his accordion. To say goodbye, it
Human nature is full of complexities. It has inclinations towards violence as well as kindness and empathy – both at different times. These complexities are baffling for one to keep up with. These complexities are clearly emphasized in Markus Zusak’s novel, ‘The Book Thief’. Taking place during the Holocaust, Liesel Meminger loses her family members and she then lives with her foster parents, the Hubermans. While she creates wonderful memories with Rudy, mama, papa and other members, Molching is bombed in the end, killing everyone but Liesel. In this book, Zusak uses archetypal characters and symbols to show the complex human nature and how far one can go in terms of kindness and cruelty. The mentor, Hans, shows the act of kindness while the villain, Hitler shows so much cruelty that most of the people living in
Words, something we blindly hear, listen and feel. Humans do not think twice of the harm or good doing power they possess. In the novel, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, shows how words can give the characters such robustness during the war. As well as how strong they use their words so they can get out of difficult situations. Adolf Hitler, Max Vandenburg, and Liesel Meminger are characters that hold power throughout the novel in both positive and negative ways.
“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair” (Yehuda Berg). Each word in the English language has a specific meaning, and many are meant to provoke emotion. The power of words in The Book Thief is used to control individuals and gain power if rooted from bad intentions; however, the power of words can create goodness, comfort and sanity during a time of war. In The Book Thief, Markus Zusak, illustrates many different themes that share important insights, but there is one theme that is consistent throughout the novel; the power of words.
“I have hated the words, I have loved them, and I hope have made them right.” (Zusak 528) This quote then represents words in the story as they are shown in several purposes. Throughout The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, he exemplifies how words are both used for positive and negative purposes. The word choices used by Markus Zusak gave The Book Thief life and a meaning. The words used by Marcus Zusak had the power to negatively influence people and the society. Words within The Book Thief were also able to positive opportunities and chance. Words have the ability to make a stronger bond betwwen friendships. Words are weapons with the power to affect someone’s community, their opportunities, and their own friendships.
Since their invention, words have shaped the lives of billions. Whether their influence was positive or negative, however, depends heavily on the situation. For example, horrifying wars have been initiated through written declarations, but those same wars have been brought to an end by written treaties. One such instance was World War II, a war brought about predominantly by Adolf Hitler, who used carefully chosen words to convince his people to support his despicable cause, resulting in the slaughter of millions. In his novel The Book Thief, Markus Zusak teaches that words are immeasurably powerful through the experiences of Liesel Meminger, a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany.
Words can influence the mind in many ways that thought may not be able to. They are carefully placed and shared in different ways by each and every individual. Words have powerful impacts and can majorly impact how one may think, feel, or even lead others to feel. Written by Markus Zusak, “The Book Thief” describes a story of an innocent foster girl, Liesel Meminger, who resides in Munich, Germany at one of the most troubling time periods in history, Nazi Germany. A tale narrated by the one and only Death himself, shows the perspective from his point of view, as well as others, describing how Liesel had been seized away from her birth mother at a young age, and put into a foster family. Her new family, the Hubermanns. As she matures and grows into a more critical thinker, understanding and analyzing everything that carefully happens around her. Her foster-father, Hans guides her and teaches her how to read, which little does she know sparks her journey, the art of stealing books. Liesel soon discovers that words aren 't simply lines on a page, they are strong emotions packed into a form that merely is held in her delicate hands. Not only did she hold the pages of emotion, she held a power, a dangerous weapon of words, a weapon of control, and every book that she had stolen was giving her unimaginable power that made her think in ways that she would’ve never thought she could have. As with Nazi propaganda, and a gift that enabled her to broaden her worldview. Liesel evolves