The Book Thief: Character Analysis

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.

One of the main characteristics of war is its ability to take away individuals’ feelings of strength. Such individuals will become unable to feel a sense of identity unless they find some source of power, no matter its form may be. The main characters in The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray use art and literature as a means for empowering themselves within the conflict-ridden setting around them: World War II. The “testimony [of these characters is produced] to create an absolute record, to speak in a world where [their] voices have been extinguished” (Sepetys 338). Liesel, the main character in The Book Thief, and Lina, from Between Shades of Gray, create testimony of their endurances by leaving behind writing and drawings that tell their story to future generations after being forced into silence during their own lifetime.

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.

In the beginning of The Book Thief, the reader meets Liesel Meminger, her mother, and her brother, Werner Meminger. The father is never introduced. It is only said that he is a communist. Werner dies on the train to Himmel Street, the place that Liesel is left with a couple, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel’s mother is never seen again, but the reader assumes that she was taken away for being one of the Nazi’s targets. According to The Book Thief, “What came to her then was the dustiness of the floor, the feeling that her clothes were more next to her than on her, and the sudden realization that this would all be for nothing—that her mother would never write back and she would never see her again.” Nazis were the epitome of evil. They tore families apart and killed millions of innocent people.

Liesel Meminger is the daughter of Paula Meminger. She is also the sister of late Warren Meminger. Consequently, she steals the first book in the novel, called The Gravedigger's Handbook. Therefore, Death gave her the nickname of “ the book thief” before us knowing that she would become “the book thief”. Liesel Meminger is the hardworking, book-thieving, kind-hearted protagonist of The Book Thief. She loves books so much that she steals them, even before knowing how to read. All of this started because stealing books reminds her of Warren Meminger. This is even she bonds more with Hans Hubermann, her foster father, dedicates his time to teach her how to read. We might be asking, why hasn’t she gotten an education at the age of 10. The answer is not as clear as others, but it definitely has to do with Liesel father’s communist affiliations. He was part of the German Communist Party, that was popular when Hitler took over. This is also the reason why she had to be fostered.

The Book Thief Essay Tyler The struggles in Markus Zusak’s Novel The Book Thief are the obstacles that main characters such as Liesel and Rudy have to deal with. By themselves it is hopeless but together the pain and suffering becomes better for them. One of the many reasons why support is essential is because it helps get pass many obstacles and adversities. An example of this is Ilsa when she gives Liesel some books to read.

Human nature is full of complexities. It has inclinations towards violence as well as kindness and empathy – both at different times. These complexities are baffling for one to keep up with. These complexities are clearly emphasized in Markus Zusak’s novel, ‘The Book Thief’. Taking place during the Holocaust, Liesel Meminger loses her family members and she then lives with her foster parents, the Hubermans. While she creates wonderful memories with Rudy, mama, papa and other members, Molching is bombed in the end, killing everyone but Liesel. In this book, Zusak uses archetypal characters and symbols to show the complex human nature and how far one can go in terms of kindness and cruelty. The mentor, Hans, shows the act of kindness while the villain, Hitler shows so much cruelty that most of the people living in

The word struggle is given a whole new meaning in Markus Zusak’s, ‘The Book Thief”. Throughout life, several humans go through struggle one way or another, but have overcome them.

The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak is a novel about a young girl named Liesel living in Nazi Germany. Her whole world is turned upside down at the young age of nine when her brother dies and she is separated from her mother. This story is unique in the sense that it is not narrated by Liesel, but instead by death, giving us insight on all perspectives throughout the book.

If you believe in yourself and have dedication, pride, and never quit, you will be successful. Markus Zusak, the author of The Book Thief, creates a story of a young orphan named Liesel Meminger, who is living with her new foster family. She learns the wonders of reading from her foster father and grows to love books. During Liesel’s time with her new family, she shows determination through her efforts and kindness with her encounters with other people. Liesel in The Book Thief expresses her traits, such as hardworking, and bravery.

As The Book Thief continued, I started to enjoy reading it. I was thinking in my head, this is gonna be one of those lame nonfiction books.From the prologue. The reason I made that first assumption was because, the prologue was hard to understand, boring, confusing, I would also say that it was very unique. There are a lot of very bold and courageous acts produced by different characters. There are a lot of little acts of courage that foreshadows the main events.

This prompt that were writing about, “What is the theme of The Book Thief?”, lets us give our opinion on the book. Even though it’s not fully our opinion, we still get to state some of our opinion in our writing. This is my first time writing about a prompt like this. What I think the theme of the book is that Liesel steals books, her family keeps Max in the basement, and the kindness of words.

In “The Book Thief” Death comes in as the narrator of the novel. The first time he saw the book thief, he says, was on a train. The next time he saw her was when he came for a pilot who had crashed his plane. And the third time was after a bombing. He associates a color with each sighting: white, red, and black, the colors of the Nazi flag. Death then begins the story. Liesel, her mother, and her brother Werner are traveling on a train to Munich when Werner suddenly dies. Liesel and her mother get off the train to bury the body, and Liesel steals a book from one of the gravediggers.

In "The Book Thief" Death comes in as the storyteller of the novel. The first occasion when he saw the book hoodlum, he says, was on a prepare. Next, he saw her was the point at which he wanted a pilot who had slammed his plane. Furthermore, the third time was after a shelling. He connects a shading with each locating: white, red, and dark, the shades of the Nazi banner. Liesel, her mom, and her sibling Werner are venturing out on a prepare to Munich when Werner all of a sudden bites the dust. Liesel and her mom get off the prepare to cover the body, and Liesel takes a book from one of the undertakers.

What is the time period in which the book happens and how did this impact the story?