Uncommon Criminals By Ally Carter: Character Analysis

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

Many individuals have flashbacks after experiencing trauma. Survivors of such horrible traumas sometimes can act out in violence, after something triggers them to remember the ordeal. The novel The Suspect by L.R. Wright, offers a realistic account of what goes on in the mind of an individual who has committed murder. Throughout the novel, I made connections to many real life examples of how trauma has affected the lives of criminals and their victims, through either alcohol or mental illness. Individuals affected by this sort of trauma can seek medical or social help in order to be able to learn how to cope with daily living.

1) Prescribed Text – The Book Thief a. Compose a summary/synopsis of the text (plot/themes/characters/key concerns). (100 words only)

The Book Thief, written by Australian novelist Markus Zusak, follows a young girl living in Nazi Germany, and employs innovative techniques to convey the central idea of the extremes of human behavior. This central idea was explored through stylistic techniques and conventions such as Death as the narrator, juxtaposition, irony, lack of chronological order, narrative voices, and themes, namely the power of words.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak follows the struggles and triumphs of a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany. The story begins when she is nine, and includes her death, so as expected, Liesel changes a lot during this time. The changes that are most important and noticeable to the reader are her discovery of words, becoming a thief, and growing up to be just like her Papa.

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.

The award-winning author, Luis Alberto Urrea, creator of The Hummingbird's Daughter, Into the Beautiful North, and The Devil's Highway, describes The Devil’s Highway which occurred in May of 2001, one of many that impacted the desert on undocumented immigrants. which is a desert located beyond Sonora, Mexico. It is a desert which few turn to in able to cross over. A group of illegal Mexican were left for dead after attempting to cross; they were left stranded after traveling for days in the wrong direction, through mountains, desert and only a small amount of water along with a few personal items. The Devil’s Highway name was set out to one’s belief “bad medicine” (5). Even though the desert is an obstacle itself, there are still other physical

The Book Thief’s main character is Liesel Meminger throughout the book she develops more and more by opening up and doing new things. At first she was very shy and would not do hardly anything for example, “It took nearly fifteen minutes to coax her from the car. It was the tall man who did it. Quietly.”(28) That is when she first got out of the car “There was the gate next, which she clung to.”(28) This shows all the more how shy she was at the beginning of the book when she first arrived on Himmel Street. Then as the book goes on she starts to adopt her foster-mother, Rosa or Mama’s style of speaking and starts cussing some when talking to her best friend, Rudy and even the mayors wife when she terminated her mothers washing and ironing

In The Book Thief, the author, Markus Zusak writes a beautiful story following a young German girl named Liesel who experiences the atrocities that occur during World War II. Early in the book, she is given by her mother to foster parents who raise her as their own. During her childhood, she begins stealing books and learns about the power of words. Throughout the story, she bonds with many people including her neighbors, her foster parents and a Jew hidden in their basement. Most of the characters end up dying due to the horrible living conditions and time period the book takes place in.

“The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure” (57). Two men that lived for their passion for adventure was Chris McCandless and Jay Moriarity. Chris McCandless was a young man who hitched hike to Alaska to explore and survive in the wilderness. Jay Moriarity was a young surfer who was determined to ride Mavericks, the largest waves. Chris's story was heard by a man named Jon Krakauer and Chris's story was developed and published into a novel for the world to hear, which got controversial feedback. Although both seem to come from very different lifestyles and had different pursuits for adventure, both share many qualities such as home life, preparation for goals, and the willingness to let people be there for them.

Many are familiar with Anne Frank's diary and have even sat down and watched the movie The Diary of Anne Frank. With her diary we learn a lot about Anne and her family, as well as the tragic story of their life, and the lives of many other Jews. However, this is not the only movie that gives us an insight in the life of a young girl during World War II. The Book Thief is in many ways similar to The Diary of Anne Frank in which the viewer is provided the experiences of the war between two very different young girls that have to adapt to a new home and possess an increasing hunger for knowledge.

When we had to choose book for our literature circle discussion, we had an option to pick one book out of six. I picked The book thief, because it looked very interesting and I never read it before. Basically, Liesel was taken in foster family to start the new way of life. She moved from her town to Molching, Germany, close to Munich. The book thief talks about struggles of German girl and her foster family during the World War II.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a moving, award-winning story that follows the life of a German girl, named Liesel, during World War 2.

Gender equality can be a very complex subject, throughout the years power has been correlated to gender. In Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, “The Rod of Justice” gender inequities are represented with a great level of complexity and difficult understanding. Throughout the text one can sense Machado’s involvement over authority and control, and how the characters portray this subject. The story is focus on Damiao, who is the main character. Damiao was seeking escape from his seminary obligations, and he requests the aid of his godfather’s mistress, Sinha Rita. He knew that if she could use her sexual powers over his godfather she could help him escape his obligations. She is portrayed in the story as having a power over the people who surrounded her, as her authority was not questioned nor overruled. She had sexual power over Joao Carneiro, and also had to power to manipulate the actions of Damiao, but this power was interesting as in society in those times women had limited power which was not compared to the power men had. Nonetheless, Rita proves to be a well independent women, doing things under her own power. She would have been a women of great power, if she had the chance to live in the 21st century, and how society has altered the gender role of a woman since.

On September 19, 2016, AEON publishes an article by Judith Lichtenberg, “How US prisons violate three principles of criminal justice”. Lichtenberg suggests the Criminal Justice System is a failure for society. Americans agree that there is a problem with incarceration achieving very little, Lichtenberg says, but disagrees about the expressing their concerns about the discriminatory judicial system. She insists that retribution is a major issue for why people are being sent to prison. Three basic principles should control the use of incarceration as punishment. Lichtenberg argues punishments should correspond to the severity of the crime, discrimination in sentencings have negative effects for African Americans, and prisons should rehabilitate