Liesel Meminger's The Book Thief

The Book Thief, written by an Australian author, Markus Zusak, is a devastatingly powerful historical-fiction novel that bears several re-readings. Being one of the greatest, most divinely-written epilogues in my school library, The Book Thief, is a soul-shattering, thought-provoking story that undoubtedly can be recommended to the young and old alike. This poignant, prolonged, but achingly sad book, is the pinnacle of contemporary historical-fiction, poised to become a classic. Phenomenally breathtaking, and inspiring, bringing nothing but anticipatory dread, this lyrical, surreal book, though depressingly morbid at times, was my “gateway” to historical-fiction. The tribulations and trials provided in the novel, had inevitable passion, perspective

In The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger is a caring person. When her foster father, Hans Hubermann, is lecturing Liesel about not telling anyone that they are hiding a jew named Max in their basement; Liesel starts crying. Hans tell her that if she speaks of Max, himself and Liesel’s foster mother Rosa, will be taken away and they will never come back. Liesel starts bawling at this point in the lecture. This shows how much she really cares about her family. Liesel cares about the people that she loves and their presence in her life. Liesel cares about others and fights for justice when she sees someone being treated unfairly. One example of this is when Liesel stands up for Rudy when she sees Victor beating him up and giving him a bloody nose.

Explore the presence of a postmodern writing style in The Book Thief, and subsequently determine how each element elevates the narrative and themes.

The Book Thief (2013), directed by Brian Percival, is about a young old girl living in Nazi Germany (between 1939 and 1943) in the fictional town of Molching, Germany. Death narrates the story of the main protagonist, Liesel Meminger, beginning when she is nine years old and suffering from the death of her brother and separation from her mother. Liesel then goes to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann (played by Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson). When Liesel arrives, she is illiterate and is made fun of in school by the other children. Hans, a painter and accordion player, teaches her how to read, using the book Liesel took from her brother's burial: The Grave Digger's Handbook. Over the course of the movie, Liesel develops a love for reading and decides to steal books because of the economical hardships associated with World War II. Liesel's foster parents also decide to help a young Jewish man named Max, whose father fought with Hans as in World War One as German soldiers. The Book Thief illustrates a different perspective in regards to the Nazi Regimen and its effects on the German people, specifically children.

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

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.

Rhetorical reading helps the reader understand what is happening in a novel, and how to interpret it. There will be a part one, part two, and a part five explained in this essay by using this tool. The novel used for this is, The Book Thief, it takes place during World War II with an adventure of a little girl named Liesel Meminger and her life through this time in history. She soon learns what it’s like to let go of loved ones and how to overcome fear. Liesel starts this journey only at nine and continues until she is an older woman. The next following paragraphs show Liesel’s life towards the beginning and middle of the novel.

Human mentality is always changing due to emotions and expressions. From that in many literature, it demonstrates to the reader how powerful certain perceptions can be and truly the importance of it. In the novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, he cleverly displays important insights that teach readers the impact of the three main attributes in the book. Set during WWII in Nazi Germany where a young girl is building into a breathtaking character that creates an influence throughout adolescents who is reading the book. Escort by other characters whom adds depth to the story by contributing to the overall insight is making a revolutionary novel in society today. The three main insights the characters conduct is perseverance, friendship and sacrifice.

After losing her mother and her brother, Liesel’s life and identity is changed drastically many times. It is through books that she discovers and becomes comfortable with this change. When she first meets Hans and Rosa Hubermann, her new foster parents, she does not wish to speak with them or get to know them. However, once Hans discovers Liesel with the book she stole when her brother was buried, The Gravedigger’s Manual, they bond over Hans teaching Liesel to read. Liesle describes the first time her and Hans have a lesson in the middle of the night: “She had done this at school, in the kindergarten class, but this time was better. … It was nice to watch Papa’s hand as he wrote the words and slowly constructed the primitive sketches” (Zusak

Liesel had become of age when she wrote the novel “The Book Thief”, she was telling her story with others. In the novel she writes about what she went through, how she grew to become the person she is, how she has lost people in her life but has also met new people who have become important to her. As well as how at the end a bomb had hit Himmel Street where she lived and unfortuenetlley killed everyone who lived there but her.

Liesel’s character begins as an illiterate young girl, but she ends as a passionate lover of literature. From the beginning relies on books to get her through tough times, such as her brother’s death. Reading becomes her way of coping. Now when Liesel goes to read she sees her brother telling her she is doing well instead of haunting her in her dreams. Eventually, her thirst for words leads her down the path of stealing which is described as, “[feeling] like magic, like beauty” (135), and her criminal acts end up benefitting a majority of the characters.

The Book Thief repeatedly shows that humans, no matter how full hearted we are, always have a flaw in it. Something that always brings out the worst and continues to show the ruthless side to the human race. Liesel Meminger obtains nine books total. Liesel steals one from a bonfire of banned books, called The Shoulder Shrug. She realizes a shortly after that the Mayor’s Wife was watching her. The fifth one she gets, is Mein Kampf, written by Hitler Adolf. This book was significant to her because within it held Hitler’s plan to take over the world, and he was who she blamed for her mother’s disappearance. The first book she steals from the Mayor’s Wife, is The Whistler. She steals this one mostly for Rudy, the boy who ends up teaching her regret. Next she

In the story “The Book Thief”, which was written by Markus Zusak, one of the main characters, Liesel Meminger, arrives at the home of her new foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Realizing Liesel cannot read, Hans decides to teach Liesel how to read, so she wouldn’t be held back. The more he teaches her the more Liesel becomes enamored with books. This passion for books soon made Liesel be known as the “Book Thief”. Although having her be known as the “Book Thief” it makes Liesel sound more intimidating, but Liesel is the type of person that I would consider a good friend. She is a caring person who cares deeply about her family and friends. Also, on page 202 - 203 Liesel learns how to keep the secret of having Max the jew hide in her basement

After the death of Liesel’s brother, she arrives in the home of her new foster parents. During her time there, she is exposed to the horror of the Nazi regime. Hans, Liesel’s foster father teaches her to read, and even in the midst of chaos, Liesel recognizes the power of writing and written works. Liesel begins to not only steal books the Nazis are looking to destroy, but also write her own stories and share the power of

The main characters in The Book Thief are Liesel Meminger, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Rudy Steiner, Ilsa Hermann, and Max Vandenburg. Liesel is a girl and is ten through fourteen throughout the novel. She called the book thief by her best friend, she loves being called this, she received the name when she told him that she had stolen five books. In the beginning of the book Liesel moves in with foster parents after the Nazis take her mother away. Hans and Rosa Hubermann are Liesel’s foster parents. Hans is a painter, plays the accordion, and helps Liesel learn to read. Rudy is Liesel’s best friend, he also has wanted a kiss from her. Ilsa is the mayor’s wife and a customer of Rosa, who irons clothing for her. Ilsa lets Liesel read in her library