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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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Adversity is a large factor in the shaping process of one’s character development, but it always varies from person to person. In his novel The Book Thief, Markus Zusak integrates adversity into the lives of his characters through the political struggles during the era of World War II, to ultimately shape their personal character and identity. The development by adversity is demonstrated largely through three different characters: Liesel Meminger, Hans Hubermann, and Max Vandenberg. Liesel Meminger faces a couple accounts of hardships, or adversities, before even arriving at the doorstep of her foster parents Rosa and Hans Hubermann. In the fifth chapter of The Book Thief, Liesel’s brother dies directly in front of her own eyes, resulting in endless dreams every night about her brother, always ending in his death; this also creates pathos for the reader because Liesel’s pain and agony is visible every single day, but is being used to strengthen her relationship with her foster-father, Hans (“Papa”). Another factor in the development of Hans and Liesel’s relationship is the loss of Liesel’s mother. A loss usually signifies a death, but in Liesel’s case, it signifies her mother leaving and never to answer the letters that are continuously sent to her. Hans Hubermann has a soft and docile character, and is not only used to comfort Liesel after her nightmares, but to become the parent figure that Liesel craves as a young 10-year-old girl, especially after losing her entire

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