Power Of Words In Liesel's Book Thief

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)

“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.” (Ziglar) In The Book Thief, Liesel uses the power of words to positively influence how people feel. This can be seen through Liesel’s interactions with Max throughout the novel. Similarly, the story of “The Word Shaker” shows the powerful influence of words both good and bad. Finally, Liesel’s interactions with Max, provide yet another example of how words can make a positive impact on another person. The positive effect of words can be seen through the actions of Liesel’s character in “The Word Shaker”. However, words can also be used in a negative way in like in“The Word Shaker” when Max is trembling at the words of Mein Kampf and when in “The Word Shaker

Her enthusiastic attitude can only be calmed down by the sound of Papa’s accordion. Nothing can come in between her and her words, not the darkness of the room, and of course not even the Nazi Germans. Furthermore, in the book A Girl Made of Darkness, it is shown that Liesel is intrigued by the smallest thing in life as she questions her parents about her Christmas present (Zusak, 89). Understand her family situation, Liesel is not expecting for any present for Christmas, however her dad has been able to trade cigarettes for some books . To most of us, when we receive presents we will just accept the present, no questions asked. On the contrary,many questions have been proliferating in Liesel’s mind when Papa gives her the gifts. Not to mention another obvious evidence is when Max first arrived at the Hubermann’s house. As can be seen, Zusak has portrayed Liesel as the book thief because her inquisitive characteristic indicate those who questions the Nazi German

The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak shows how the impact on the power of language has on Liesel Meimeger through the structure of the novel. The structure of the novel shows the development of the character Liesel, highlighting the impact of the power of language. In her development, she finds the ability to express herself as well as to connect to others. Books become a comfort to her and heal her, they help her grow strong relationships with other characters in her life. However, she also sees the damage words have caused through Nazi propaganda, understanding that Hitler 's words have been the cause of suffering of the people in her life. Despite this, the structure of the novel shows the ability of the character to understand that

11 million people died during the Holocaust. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Liesel Meminger loses many of her loved ones. At the beginning of the book, Liesel’s brother dies of illness on a train, and her mother is taken away by the Nazis for being a communist. After losing everyone she ever cared about, the story drags Liesel into a humble household where she discovers her passion for books, and her love for her family and friends. However, her loved ones are once again torn away from her as Himmel Street, the street she lives on, gets bombed. She loses her foster parents, her best friend, and everyone else she came to know. As a result of these adverse events, Liesel’s innocence was stolen from her. In The Book Thief, loss plays an essential role in developing characters, especially Liesel. After losing Werner, her brother, Liesel is plagued by

In the novel The book Thief, Markus Zusak explores that death and war are often more difficult for those who survive. At the center of the text is the idea that those who are left behind after tragedy suffer greatly. This is revealed through the hardship of life and experience a gentle transition. This was shown as an experience of Liesel who struggles as well as the other characters that have difficult processing their grief and guilt. Zusak’s novel acts to alert his readers the dangers of war and by the hardship of life and experience a gentle transition.

3). In addition, literacy empowers Liesel when she reads to others to comfort them, and to feel in control of herself. During a bomb raid, Liesel reads to her frightened neighbours to help calm them down: “everyone was silent but Liesel…for at least twenty minutes, she handed out the story. The youngest kids were soothed by her voice, and everyone else saw visions of the whistler running from the crime scene” (Zusak 381). Liesel also begins to read to Frau Holtzapfel which helps console her during her time of grieving over her lost son. Frau Holtzapfel even offers to “‘stop spitting on [Rosa’s] door’” in exchange for Liesel to read to her. Being literarily educated, which is restricted during World War II, results in great power for many people. For Liesel, the power of words, writing, and reading help comfort her during her emotional trauma. Literacy “ultimately save[s] [Liesel]” (Smith para. 3) in the sense that books give her a strong purpose to her life. As Grace Lee has said, “not only does Liesel steal books, but she also steals her life back from death itself” (Lee 21). During a time where she is distraught and

Liesel’s intense love for books engulfs her and yet she lived in a nation where the revulsion words and books has reached its peak. The fact about her is that “she was a girl. In Nazi Germany. How fitting that she was discovering the power of words”(Zusak 147). This passage really captures the true meaning of The Book Thief. The author’s way of incorporating such gorgeous language is incredible and very attractive to the eyes. Zusak’s use of sentence fragments increases the reader’s need to continue reading and understanding the novel. The qoute shows how Liesel was determined to keep what was most beloved to her closest, her books. Liesel enjoyed All around her were book burnings where beautiful literature was destroyed and it broke her heart

Markus Zusak focuses the novel on a distrait young girl, Liesel Meminger, which through her the audience captures the spectrum of existence. Each human, having a stand on a certain place at random, waits for chance to give its say. Liesel experiences tragedies and disasters alike that only engulf the fear of being either alive or dead. The same way the act of no longer breathing is terrifying, so is the incidental continuation of a pulse; having of seen other characters die before her adds to it. The author takes points of views from characters, aside from Liesel, that’ve been chosen to live through traumatizing events. Their dialogue and surroundings further act as a basis for survivor's guilt--- which causes those who survived to continue

The developmental stage of a young child’s life is very crucial and can be impacted by the media. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel Meminger is a young girl living in a very important part of Germany’s history, the Second World War. Liesel’s childhood unfolds and develops against the backdrop of a time when words, books specifically were used for power and control. Liesel is someone who has a love for reading and, as such, books become very important to her, not only for her education but for her rebellion and discovering her true identity. Throughout the novel, books become a crucial symbol used to convey the desires and discovery of identity for the main character as her childish ignorance changes to her mature adulthood.

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

The Book Thief, a novel by Markus Zusak illustrates the power of words and how, if used properly, can create a difference in the world. Liesel’s numerous experiences shows that words are a significant way of communication. It begins when Hans Hubermann, Liesel’s foster father, teaches her the alphabet after her reoccurring nightmares and it is what creates the tight bond between them. Liesel and Max, the Jewish who takes refuge in the Hubermann household, develops a special friendship together. Max writes a book for Liesel in which he titles The Word Shaker. There, he accentuates the spiteful nature words hold. He also emphasizes how Hitler manipulates his followers to turn to genocide with nothing but words.

Seven hundred and twenty pages in a single book changed history. These pages are found in Mein Kampf, the influential book written by Adolf Hitler. This book altered the lives of many people, including Liesel Meminger, a girl moved to Himmel Street in Nazi Germany. Thrown into a place, Liesel is forced sees how words affect day-to-day life. Her world becomes an experience of those words in action.

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 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