Theme Of Indoctrination In The Book Thief

The Book Thief is a historical fiction novel by Markus Zusak set in Munich, Germany during the Nazi reign from 1936-1943. The novel incorporates a main character that is, in the beginning, an innocent child who doesn't understand the world and takes her on a journey where she grows up and matures through the hardships and challenges of her life. The story is narrated by the character Death, who is a fresh take on the Grim Reaper, only wearing the black cloak when it's cold and never carries a syte. Death describes the life Liesel Meminger, an orphaned girl who witnesses her brother's death and burial and finds herself being adopted by the benevolent old couple, the Hubermanns. The rest of the story follows Liesel's journey through her incredibly challenging life with the Hubermanns and characters such as Rudy, The mayor's wife, and Max helping her along. Symbolism in The Book Thief deepens the story by conveying many different ideas and emotions that supports the reader's understanding of the story. This is especially apparent with the use of the gravediggers to help the reader remember characters, the use of color to help the reader feel the proper emotions and remember the correct events, and the use of Liesel's changing feelings about Rudy to convey how Liesel grows and matures through the book.

Embellished on Heck’s high school’s wall read, “the Jews are the traitors and our misfortune” (27). The constant appearance of propaganda in his childhood could possibly lead him to a place he never would have deemed to be true (Heck, 27). At the age of ten, when Heck was sworn into the youth program, he had already been exposed to the ideals of the Nazi party: “Belief in the innate superiority of the Germanic-Nordic race, and the conviction that total welfare of the state—personified by the Führer—was my first duty” (8). What I find interesting is that when Heck reflects on his Nazi education, he developed a feeling of resentment towards those of higher authority. This can be seen as ironic because later in the novel, Heck acknowledges that he enjoys having high authority.

Death states that, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both” (Zusak 491). This book shows us human doing things that weren’t even imaginable before this point. Many people give into ideas that were lies. But, we also watch a few people go out of their way and sacrifice everything for a man they barely even know. They do everything they can to keep him safe and alive. They work harder, the get another job, and they even steal. In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, death examines the ugliness and the beauty of humans.

The fact that prejudice prevents us from seeing the good that lies beyond a person’s appearance, religion or race is represented to a great extent in The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. The novel is set in 1930s Germany during the times of rising anti-Semitism when Adolf Hitler, the leader of the ruling Nazi Party put his discriminatory ideologies into practice and began persecuting people of the Jewish race. This persecution is known as the Holocaust in which 17 million Jews were killed by the Nazi Party who described them as a shame upon Germany even though over 100,000 Jews fought for the country in WW1. The Book Thief is riddled with examples of racial prejudice whether it’s when a Jewish shopkeeper is beaten in the name of German patriotism or when the character of

Through all of the irony and vivid coloring, The Book Thief is more easily understood after acquiring knowledge of reading literature with greater care and meticulousness. Applying chapters of How to Read Literature like a Professor can better enhance a reader’s awareness of hidden messages and symbols within certain works of literature. In Chapter Two, Foster explains how meals suggest a communion between all parties involved in it. Markus Zusak also uses meals and food to bring families together in The Book Thief. Foster also explains, in Chapter Eleven, how violence in literature usually stands for more than just violence.

The theme of the novel, The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak is that there is great power in word and it makes a huge impact on others. As Liesel begin to learn to read, she realize she hungers for words and that they are her source of comfort which is why she steals books. Soon she realize that can be an ugly thing. For example, the way Hitler use words to encourage the Germans to carry out cruel, violence on innocent people. I chose this theme because I agree on how words can influence people around you. Also how words cannot only be ….but can be a weapon. My favorite quote that supports this theme very well is “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right” (Zusak 528). This just says that it’s your choice

The Book Thief is set in the time of World War 2 where the Holocaust is present and disaster is everywhere. Throughout the story, Liesel, the main character, learns that words are extremely powerful and hold the ability for people to use them for good or for evil. Among the disaster and altercations, Liesel uses her literature to comfort her and make herself more powerful due to her knowledge, which demonstrates the theme of the story, the comfort and power of literature and words softens the pain of loss.

Why the book Thief? Why not “the food thief or the money thief”? What is the significance of the books? After reading the book thief we are left with many questions relating to the books. Do they mean anything? After reading the book it is very clear that there is, infact a very strong point to the books. The books in the Book Thief are a symbol of nonconformity.

Guilt is like a disease that plagues your thoughts, until it gets to much too handle. Why did I do that? Why had I not done something? Why him, not me? Guilt is a theme in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, from important characters, like Liesl's guilt for not telling her foster mother Ilsa Hubermann, that she loved her, to minor characters, like Michael Holtzapfel hanging himself over the fact that he survived Stalingrad, but his brother didn’t. Guilt directly affects the characters, changed how the story goes, and the tone of the story and the mood reader.

The acts of human nature can become a very difficult concept to understand. Markus Zusak uses Death throughout the The Book Thief to express the complexity of human nature. Death illustrates how complicated beings humans are and how they hold the capacity to act in both evil and beautiful ways. Throughout the novel Death helps give readers insight to the ignorance displayed and the pain it may cause a person. In the most troublesome and discriminatory times of the Holocaust, Death will point out the beautiful acts of compassion carried out by characters involved in the novel. Sometimes beauty and pain is mixed within the sacrifice some make for those they love and are loyal to.

An item is never just an item, an idea is never just an idea. There is always is deeper meaning behind an object's physical form. Throughout The Book Thief, Zusak uses elements of symbolism to create a novel layered with hidden values. Possessions in the book soon become representations of the memories and emotions the characters live with. This is why the theme of The Book Thief is simple objects can have complex meanings.

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.

Kindness is shown even through the worsts of people, there is a mix of good and evil in the reader.Death is kind and caring towards humans with their souls. Death also has no choice in choosing his job as well as he does not enjoy it , and Death thinks that there is only good and evil, not a mix of both.

The developmental stage of a young child’s life is very crucial and can be impacted by the media. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel Meminger is a young girl living in a very important part of Germany’s history, the Second World War. Liesel’s childhood unfolds and develops against the backdrop of a time when words, books specifically were used for power and control. Liesel is someone who has a love for reading and, as such, books become very important to her, not only for her education but for her rebellion and discovering her true identity. Throughout the novel, books become a crucial symbol used to convey the desires and discovery of identity for the main character as her childish ignorance changes to her mature adulthood.

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.