The Book Thief Book Report

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

3. What are the best parts of this book? Why? What are the worst parts of this book? Why? Give details with page numbers from the book to explain.

The Book Thief is about a young German girl named Liesel Meminger as she goes through life while living in Germany in 1939. Liesel and her foster parents live a normal life on 33 Himmel Street. There is only one difference between their family and the others, they are hiding Max Vandenburg (a Jewish man) in their basement during the time of the Holocaust. This story, narrated by Death follows the life of Liesel from her first step into 33 Himmel Street, until the day she died in Sydney, Australia.

Relationship to meaning: Death is important to the story because he provides a detailed explanation of what is going on with all characters and he isn’t bias towards any specific character.

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, takes place in 1940s Nazi Germany in the small town of Molching. The main character, Liesel Meminger, takes on a role as the foster child of Hans and Rosa Hubermann. She also meets a young boy named Rudy Steiner, who goes on to be her best friend and lover. In the book, Liesel faces many challenges big and small. From hiding a Jew in the basement to a thieving lifestyle, Liesel has to learn to overcome all of life's problems. Through all of this, she is supported by her foster father Hans Hubermann who is caring to people he barely knows, intelligence despite his lack of education, and generosity even when he has little for himself.

The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, outlines the tragedies and events that take place in Liesel Meminger’s life, in Nazi Germany. Throughout this young girl’s struggle of living in the oppressive Nazi regime, she is able to learn crucial lessons about life and the art of survival- some that follow her to the grave. The most important lesson she learned and the pivotal theme of the novel is that rebellion can be and beneficial in certain situations.

In The Book Thief, a work of historical fiction, written by Markus Zusak introduces the main character Liesel Meminger, the reader starts to see how she keeps having many conflicts but always stays positive. Liesel has many conflicts, for example her brother dies early in the book and that shapes the way she is. Later on Liesel steals books and that makes her happy because the first book she stole was the grave digger's handbook and that is how she remembers her brother. Liesel steals and reads books this is how she finds happiness with all the bad things going on around her. In the end of the book most of the people she loves die and it is hard for her to find happiness again. The author uses the setting and point of view to express theme and to make the reader feel sympathy; He uses this because with the theme of finding light in the darkness, deaths perception, and the setting of Germany makes the theme clearer.

Liesel is kind-hearted because in The Book Thief she said, “ I don’t want to lose someone else”. She said this to Max after they became close friends. Given that, she is kind-hearted one can tell that she would do anything to protect her family from death. After WWII max and Liesel reunite and they hug and cry until they fell to the floor. Where Liesel use to live in 33 Himmel Street before there was a raid that destroyed the whole street, they hide Max. Her best friend is Rudy Steiner, he is a neighbor at first but then the friendship grows after each mischievous thing they do together. With Rudy, she grows and steals books for fun. Rudy might think it is fun, but to Liesel, it means for her. Like I said, she does this in memory of her brother. They have a race and it is a draw after falling. Rudy then said to Liesel, “If it’s a draw, do I still get my kiss?” Liesel then says, “ Not in a million years” and Rudy at the end he says “One day, Liesel, you’ll be dying to kiss me”. Therefore, at the end of the book and middle, she desires to kiss him but doesn’t until the end where he is dead. Later on, her family and she hide a Jew, Max Vandenburg, from the Nazis. Max and Liesel have grown close together. Liesel is competitive, compassionate,

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.

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, words can be very powerful. Words can either break a person down or build them up. There are several examples in this story where words either bring people together or tear them apart. While words prove to both heal and hurt in this story, the healing words leave a longer and lasting mark on the person that is being healed, while the damaging ones do less to hurt than the comforting ones do to help.

Hitler targeted the Jews in Mein Kampf, blaming them for the loss of war, which people agreed on. Hitler believed that he was “acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending [himself] against the Jew, [he is] fighting for the work of the Lord”(“Mein Kampf: Jewish Virtual Library” 6). He had convinced himself that the Jews were dragging down the Aryans, Hitler’s supreme race, from rightfully ruling the world. The “struggle for world domination” was an “ongoing racial, cultural, and political battle between Aryans and Jews” (“Adolf Hitler: Mein Kampf”12). Hitler could not trust the Jews who he believed to be founded upon lies (“Mein Kampf: Jewish Virtual Library” 6). These views were to be spread throughout the country even in school classrooms. The Hitler Youth program, which Liesel was in, was established to do so. When Hans Junior spots Liesel reading a book, he questions her. “She should be reading Mein Kampf,’ he comments towards Hans. The idea of being superior to

Death describes himself a little; he doesn't carry a scythe, or wear a black robe unless its cold, and he looks like any person. 1942 is a very busy year for him, and he needs a vacation. There are so many humans to collect and colors to see. War is not Death's best friend, as the saying goes, but more like a demanding boss. When he remembers that year he likes to think of a little beauty as well, though, so he returns to the book thief's story.

“The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it,” said comedian Roseanne Barr. A leader can overpower people; she can take control of what one can or cannot do, but only oneself can control how she treats others. In The Book Thief, Hitler is overpowering the Jews; Liesel, who is living with a foster family, and her family shelters Max, a Jewish man, during the Holocaust. Marcus Zusak’s characters, Liesel, Rosa, and Hans, explain their struggle of staying true to their core beliefs during Hitler’s reign in Nazi, Germany, showing the importance of making the correct decisions even when faced with a difficult situation.

“‘Rudy Steiner - the boy next door who was obsessed with the black American athlete Jesse Owens,” described Death. Rudy is a young boy in Markus Zusak’s death-narrated novel, “The Book Thief”. After befriending and falling hopelessly in love with the main character, Liesel, the two endure countless adventures together. Living in Nazi, Germany this pair spent their time delivering laundry, playing soccer, stealing, and even feeding parading Jews on an occasion. Rudy loved his partner in crime until his tragic death. Rudy Steiner was Liesel's trustworthy sidekick, a romantic, a kindhearted, and impartial young man.

Death narrates the novel we’ll be reading which is The Book Thief (yeah, you heard me it’s narrated by death) which proclaims to us the story of Liesel Memingers rough life. The date was January 1939, Liesel Meminger (who was ten at the time) was traveling via train, accompanied by her mother and little brother Werner. They were being taken to a small town called Molching, right outside of Munich, Germany, to be with her foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel’s brother Werner dies while riding the train from hunger, cold, poverty, and lack of medical treatment. Before Liesel had arrived in Molching, Liesel was present for her brother Werner’s funeral in a snowy graveyard. Liesel stole The Grave Diggers Handbook. The weird thing is …. Liesel can’t read.