The Book Thief Rhetorical Analysis Essay

The thought of Death being capable of emotion and speech is not something people normally think about but Zusak made this idea come to life. In Mark Zusak's book, The Book Thief, Zusak tells the story of the protagonist Liesel through the narration of Death. Although Death is a concept most people fear, Zusak made the narrator have more human qualities that makes them seem more empathetic, relatable and sympathetic.

Author Markus Zusak, in his historical fiction novel, The Book Thief, exposes hatred and prejudice in a society. However, Zusak’s characters Rudy and Hans help main character Liesel overcome the evil surrounding her. The Book Thief demonstrates the power of strong relationships and love that sustain people in life’s tragedies. Hans, Liesel’s stepfather, provides a gentle, loving attitude towards Leisel. Similarly, Rudy, Liesel’s best friend, provides companionship and love.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to view life through the eyes of death? Markus Zusak effectively portrays this in his novel, The Book Thief. This is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young girl living at the peak of Nazi Germany. The narrator, Death, follows Liesel through her life and gives a different perspective on one of the most controversial time periods in history. With endearing characters and a timeless plotline, The Book Thief changed the way I perceive humanity.

A poet named Rumi once said that “Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life's search for love and wisdom”(Rumi). In Markus Zusak The Book Thief, the theme that even though people are surrounded by hatred, compassion from others can transform the hatred into love is shown when Hans protects Max and hides in the basement, and Ilsa Hermann’s sharing of the books in the library, and when rudy jumped in the river for Liesel's book. In this novel, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, a girl named Liesel overcome the powerful dictatorship of hitler, through her papa’s help, and many friends. The Hubermann household helps with many of the Jews persecuted by Hitler. The Hubermann family gets through the hardest times together.

The Book thief is about the life of a little girl named Liesel who lives with her foster parents in the fictional town of Molching, German during World War II. She was sent to her foster parents because her mother was believed to be a

In the Book Thief, Markus Zusak uses death to narrate a story of perseverance and courage. The story is set in Molching, Germany during the late 1930s-early 1940, specifically during World War II. The exact location completely alters the outcome of the book, as in the end Himmel Street, where most of the characters lived, is bombed, killing almost everyone there. The key characters are Liesel Meminger, and orphan, and her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Other important figures include Rudy Steiner, Liesel’s friend on the block, and Max Vanderburg, a Jew who the Hubermanns are hiding. The book thief is Liesel, who over the course of the

he book thief is a novel, written by Markus Zusak, and told by death. Death narrates the life of Liesel Meminger, throughout her time in Nazi Germany. The book thief follows liesel through her brother dying, her being separated from her mother to her moving in with foster parents and learning to read. When liesels brother was buried, she picked up a copy of the book The Grave Digger's Handbook coining the nickname Book Thief. When her foster papa, Hans Hubermann, found the book under her mattress, he taught he how to read. Liesel quickly learns to love reading. After attending the book burning for Hitler’s birthday, Liesel decides Hitler is her sworn enemy. Seeing the book burning tempted liesel to steal her second book, The Shoulder Shrug.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak was published in Australia by Picador, an import of Pan Macmillan Pty Ltd., Sydney, in 2006. Markus Zusak, wrote the book thief on based on inspiring stories his parents told him and his siblings when they were kids. He used their life experiences during the war of Nazi Germany to make an epic story of suspense, compassion, and sorrow. He has also, written four books prior to The Book Thief. He attended the University of New South Wales with a bachelors of arts and a diploma of education. He majored in writing and and history. Besides being a writer, he taught for a while at Engadine high school where he once was an alumni. Other books that he wrote; I am the Messenger, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, and Getting the

Death is the narrator of The Book Thief. He introduces himself in the first chapter;

As I sat at the desk reading my copy of Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, I was transported to a different world. How can a mere book take one to a different place? The question may never be answered, but Markus Zusak found a way to take his readers on an unforgettable and life changing journey. The Book Thief, not only can change the reader’s viewpoints on the world, it can change the way they think from the inside. Markus Zusak’s novel is work of art, a masterpiece and what I would consider the book of the century.

When the idea of a thief comes to mind one does not think of a book thief, but that is the description of Liesel Meminger. Set during Nazi Germany in World War II, political unrest is shown throughout Markus Zusak’s novel, “The Book Thief”. It is during this time that books are banned and burned in Nazi Germany under the direction of Adolf Hitler to suppress freethinking and ideas. Books are important to Liesel for numerous reasons. Liesel is compassionate, simple, and forgiving in her quest to acquire knowledge through books and survive the home front of World War II.

Markus Zusak who is born in Sydney, Australia wrote a novel entitled The Book Thief. He began his career writing fictions for young adults. His first novel entitled The Underdog was published in 1999 and followed by two sequels. The Book Thief was Zusak’s first adult fiction anf fifth novel that was published last 2006 in Australia. Zusak received a Michael L. Printz award, a citation given for literary excellence in young adult literature in writing this novel. His father was born Australian and his mother is a German and both of his parents experienced World War II in their own countries. Markus Zusak wrote this novel based and inspired on the real stories that his parents told him about the wartime in Munich and in Vienna when he was a child.

The Book Thief, a novel written by Markus Zusak, takes place on Himmel street in Nazi Germany during WWII. The story begins with a young girl named Liesel meeting her new foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann. In her new home in Molching, she meets her best friend Rudy. Throughout the book, Liesel attempts to overcome past and present hardships, including losing both her mother and brother, the only family she had. She also deals with hiding a Jew in her basement, whom she later becomes very close with. Despite Liesel and her family's struggles, they all attempt to find time to laugh and love and and enjoy their life as much as possible. Hans Hubermann is kind to everyone, loyal to those who have helped him in the past, and patient with those he cares about.

While The Book Thief is narrated by death, the story is primarily about the young Liesel Meminger. Her journey begins on a train with her mother and brother as she and her brother are being forced to live with foster parents. Death meets Liesel for the first time when he comes to take the soul of Werner, Liesel’s brother, who died suddenly on the train. During his burial, Liesel spots the The Grave Digger’s Handbook in the snow. Despite not knowing how to read, she steals the book, therefore committing her first act of book thievery. Not long after, Liesel also loses her mother when she is taken to the Hubermanns, her new foster parents, on Himmel Street in the small German town of Molching. Although Rosa, her new Mama, often berates her, Liesel forms a close relationship with her new Papa, Hans.

“I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness; I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more” (Anne Frank). The Book Thief is a magnificent story about a little German girl, Liesel, who has to survive during the Holocaust. Throughout the novel, Liesel and the other characters have to mature through tough situations that have emotional effects on them. The author of The Book Thief, Markus Zusak, uses extraordinary imagery about the sky to describe these emotional feelings and situations that Liesel is in and the people she encounters. Similar to Anne Frank’s quotes about the sky, characters from the novel repeatedly refer to the sky to express their feelings. Over the course of this novel, Zusak writes about the Nazi propaganda, the relationship between characters, and the bombings that occurred by using imagery about the sky.