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Symbolism In The Book Thief

Decent Essays

What would the story of a book be like if many important parts were just removed? What if many symbolic items were just taken out? Symbolism is when items hold a deeper meaning within a story . The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a great example of symbolism within a book. Through symbols such as the accordion, the Nazi Flag, and books, Zusak demonstrates how ordinary objects can represent a deeper meaning to readers and the characters within the story of The Book Thief. Humans have likely been listening to music since the first caveman banged two rocks, or two sticks, together to create sounds, not that would have sounded great, but some of us pay hundreds to go listen to another person sing, or play popular instruments. The popularity of the …show more content…

Books also represented the destruction of Jewish ideas by Nazis because the Nazi’s specified people to bring books and other works from “such times” to the book burning. “ “Any materials,” it requested, “from such times—newspapers, posters, books, flags—and any found propaganda of our enemies should be brought forward to the Nazi Party office on Munich Street.” Even Schillerstrasse—the road of yellow stars—which was still awaiting its renovation, was ransacked one last time, to find something, anything, to burn in the name of the Führer’s glory.”(pg.102). Burning has been a way to get rid of items for centuries, whether the thing is diseased corpses, forests, or possessions, Nazis burned works and other works from before Jews were treated as the scapegoat of Germany to attempt to snuff out any good propaganda about the Jews. The books Liesel stole showed her development through the story and the method of how she stole them, while the memorable book burning that took place represented Nazi attempts at destroying ideas that favored the Jews so that they could turn Germany against

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