Rudy In 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

Elie Wiesel is a survivor of the Auschwitz, Buna, and Buchenwald concentration camps while neither Markus Zusak nor his fictional protagonist have ever stepped foot beyond the infested prison-like walls, yet the Australian author still receives commission for every book he sells. To further contrast the two books, The Book Thief is narrated by Death (the grim reaper) while Night exemplifies Wiesel’s nonfictional life through his own words, “Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed.... Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.” The individual education of middle and high school students would benefit more from Elie Wiesel’s experiences by obtaining actuality and educating themselves on what really happened. The wording of Markus Zusak dulls the scorching bite of the Jews’ perspective and, much like Hitler’s reign of terror, takes their own stories away from

When readers first meet Liesel Meminger, she is a young girl standing quietly with her mother and brother on the train. At this time, she seems confused and a little bit afraid. She doesn’t know exactly

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.

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

Zusak. Zusak’s novel is about a young girl, named Liesel Meminger, who after losing her

Conflict and calm have been characteristics of the human spirit throughout the ages and have been visible since time began. Examining history, the reader can find examples of both, evident in times of great destruction such as war. In the novel, The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak explores and compares the closeness between great atrocity and beauty in the human spirit apparent in the German town of Molching during WWII. The author shows how each of the characters, in their own ways, overcome barbarity and horror with acts of extraordinary kindness and compassion. This is shown in the novel through Max and Liesel’s friendship, and when Hans gives one of the Jewish camp prisoners a piece of bread. Another example would be when Rosa and Hans protect Max from the Nazis despite the penalty of death looming before them. Zusak shows that a person's will and their hope is difficult to destroy no matter the circumstances.

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

In the story, “The Book Thief,” written by Markus Zusak a poor little girl loses everything, but then a family adopts her. A boy named Rudy took water on a winter time day and dispensed it on the road so it would turn into ice, on this road a boy called Otto Sturm voyaged it every day with a picnic basket of food. A boy named Max started to have daydreams during the course of the days. The sweet, lady named Rosa has a foster daughter.

Markus Zusak is the author as the well known book, The Book Thief. This book takes place during world war II, in the place known as Molching, Germany. The street named Himmel street, which translates to 'heaven street' is where young Rudy Steiner lives and begins his story. Rudy, the small, fast running, blonde boy has a special place in my heart for the story he shared, the lessons he learned, but more importantly the qualities the young boy possessed. Having bright blonde hair, big blue eyes, and strong muscles in his body, makes him an example of the ideal young boy Hitler is envisioning during this time. In the beginning of the story, compared to the end, Rudy's eyes were opened and his qualities were developed. In the beginning of the story, Rudy was beginning to see what's happening around him at the Hitler Youth Camp which he was an active member in at first, but being bullied by the kids in the youth who were seeing him with the love of his young life, Liesel.

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.

However with Zusaks choice in characters age being similar to mine, it made it easier to relate in the terms of maturity and growing as a person. The characters mirror the struggles which young people are going through, such as fitting in and being accepted for who you are. Mark Zusak’s story-telling created such beautiful images, I felt as if I could actually see Liesels little house on Himmel Street, Rudy’s white blond hair and rascal grin. The imagery is perhaps my favorite thing about this novel. Zusak doesn't only tell us what happened to all the characters in the novel Liesel, he the showed us; I find that is what makes the story

Liesel was a broken girl. Her father was taken away at a very young age because he was a communist. Her mother had to leave her because she could not take care of Liesel anymore and her brother had died. “The pale, empty-stomached girl was standing, frost-stricken. Her mouth jitter. Her arms were folded. Tears were frozen on the book thief’s face” (Zusak 8). When Liesel was grieving after her brother’s death she was very lonely and depressed. She was uneducated and received no form of love. She had no one to lean on or call her own. Liesel was in need of internal healing and love from everyone around her now that all her family had left her. She was told that she was loved by her foster parents, but she felt so abandoned she couldn’t feel the love. Through these harsh times Liesel was able to heal from the love given to her, to push past her brother’s death. Liesel’s journey from isolation and loneliness and towards healing and love was progressing. Liesel was starting to accept love and healing through the love of Liesel’s foster parents. Liesel was healed by love through Hans. She didn’t feel abandoned

Liesel Meminger faces many trials and tribulations in her life that influence her actions and behavior, and also her outcomes. After her brother’s calamitous death, Liesel is distraught with sorrow and melancholy, but after time passes she learns to let go. This is evident when it is shown how “it [is] with great sadness that she realize[s] that her brother would be six forever, but when she [holds] that thought, she also [makes] an effort to smile”. It is through this experience that she learns to be persevering and resilient through even the toughest of times. Although her brother has haunted her dreams for years after, she finally learns to accept the fact that her brother is gone, and continue living her life in his honor.

The book was written based on the stories of his parents, who were from Austria and Germany during WWII. His mother remembers a bombing in Munich and Jews being marched through towns toward Dachau, events included in the book (“Biography of Markus Zusak”).