Book Thief Quotes

In the novel, The Book Thief, author Markus Zusak illustrates the theme that words have the potential to be more harmful than physical violence, if used in the wrong way.

Throughout The Book Thief, Hans Hubermann, constantly shows courage and humanity when putting a Jew's life before his own. Hans, being the kind of man to care for others, regardless of religion, notices his friend’s Jewish shop being terrorized by some Nazis and decides to help him(Zusak 181). Hans Hubermann’s greatest obstacle throughout the book was that he didn’t believe in persecuting people of the Jewish faith, when the greater majority of German people did. He, unlike everyone else, was a rescuer, not a bystander. Instead of watching what was happening to the man, Hans decided to take action and help him. In doing this he has put a target on himself and risked his own life and family just because he didn’t agree with Hitler’s convictions.

Every time Liesel steals books from people, she consistently places the lives of others at risk. An example of this is when Liesel is worried about Max dying and wants to steal a book and read it to him

When most people think about a life of abandonment, they probably see that life as one filled with suffering. In “The Book Thief” abandonment is a central topic throughout this novel. The abandonment through Liesel’s life helps develop her character in the novel. This abandonment happens through family, friends, and mentors. Through acts of both circumstance and heart she constantly feels abandoned, but through the course of these events she eventually finds happiness from it all.

Liesel is given a black book from Ilsa Hermann where she will write about everything that happened in her life this far. When she starts writing she learns that words are good and bad for people. She wants to make sure she made it right by writing a story of love and friendship.

Challenge: The truth that he is used to these words. Anti-semitism prejudice against jewish people is a fact of life in warsaw as many european cities, warsaw 350,000 jews, Ben doesn't dwell on the petty hatreds of ignorant people. (6 )

Heartbreak and sadness is all around, but so is beauty, love, and triumph. Which should people choose to focus on? In Markus Zusak’s, The Book Thief, the main character, Liesel Meminger constantly is being reminded of the grief that comes with living in the 1940s, the prime of Hitler’s power. But, she also endures light and beauty during this period in her life. Two dominant contrasting ideas entered her world, and for Liesel, she focuses on each of them. Liesel Meminger endures multiple heartbreaking darknesses in her few years on Himmel Street, from her brother dying when she first arrived, to Max Vandenburg and Hans Hubermann leaving, and then almost everyone she grew to know on Himmel Street dying. However,

Upon arriving at the home of her foster parents, housepainter Hans Hubermann and his wife Rosa, Liesel finds it difficult to adjust. She is haunted by nightmares about her mother and dead brother. She eventually develops a bond with Hans, who comes to her every night and stays with her until she is able to fall sleep again, Hans, upon noticing “The Grave Digger's Handbook” tucked under Liesel's mattress, decides to take advantage of the sleepless hours he spends with Liesel each night by teaching her how to read and write. Rosa Hubermann, whose personality is much coarser than Hans', takes Liesel under her wing in her own way by having her help with her job of washing and delivering laundry for other households. Shortly after

Furthermore, people are shaped and adapted from interactions with others which impact their own decisions and behavior. In The Book Thief, the narrator, Death, is struggling to keep his attention away from humans. He attempts to use colors as a distraction from the sadness of his job and the humans, but he became too intrigued by a young girl, Liesel’s, reaction to her little brother’s death. Death reflected on his choice he made- to pay attention to Liesel: “Curiosity got the better of me, and I resigned myself to stay as long as my schedule allowed, and I watched,” (Zusak 33). Shown by this quote, Death’s behavior and the choices he made were weighed by the interactions he tried to stay away from previously, human interactions. Even though

Her enthusiastic attitude can only be calmed down by the sound of Papa’s accordion. Nothing can come in between her and her words, not the darkness of the room, and of course not even the Nazi Germans. Furthermore, in the book A Girl Made of Darkness, it is shown that Liesel is intrigued by the smallest thing in life as she questions her parents about her Christmas present (Zusak, 89). Understand her family situation, Liesel is not expecting for any present for Christmas, however her dad has been able to trade cigarettes for some books . To most of us, when we receive presents we will just accept the present, no questions asked. On the contrary,many questions have been proliferating in Liesel’s mind when Papa gives her the gifts. Not to mention another obvious evidence is when Max first arrived at the Hubermann’s house. As can be seen, Zusak has portrayed Liesel as the book thief because her inquisitive characteristic indicate those who questions the Nazi German

Liesel stole a book for the first time before she knew how to read during her brother’s funeral. In the book, it reads, “When he walked away, after a few dozen paces, a black book fell innocuously from his coat pocket without his knowledge.” During this time, it was when the gravediggers were digging the grave for her brother and then a book fell out of one of their pockets. Liesel would then steal the book and kept it with her to remember her brother. Another time in the book that showed Liesel’s character was when she stole book during the burning of the books.

When there were bomb raids approaching the town, the people gathered in a small basement and Liesel began to read to everyone there. It is amazing how her words would calm everyone present and made them forget that they could possibly die at any given moment. When everything in her life is at a downfall, reading and writing takes Liesel out of this cruel world. That is the main reason why she is attracted to words and books. Words kept her alive in a dull world but also literally kept her living. She was reading in that basement when the bombs hit her street so it saved her. She also developed relationships with people with words and storytelling. In a time like this, a normal conversation will not help. But in order to distract one from reality the best way to do that is to share stories. Max Vandenburg is not in great condition when he arrives, but creates a special bond with Liesel through words. The two have frequent nightmares about their past and losing the ones that they care about the most. Though all this has happened, they both enjoy to story tell and that’s how their bond grows. "Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out, like the rain (85)". Liesel’s words effected her situation and the perspective of it so much. As words bought friendship to Liesel, it also bought

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.

Liesel loves to read and it doesn't take her long to withhold her title as Book Thief. She starts with The Grave Digger’s Handbook which is the book she picks up after her brother’s death. Hans teachers her to read and painted her a “chalkboard” in the basement so that she can write down the new words she has learned. There ends up being a town “parade” which is really a book burning event where Hitler and the Nazis are commemorated, during this time Germany was looking towards invading new countries. Liesel is handed a book and pressured to throw it into the fire, to which she eventually does so. However, once the fire has been put out and everyone has gone home, she notices a book that is only slightly charred, not destroyed by the fire and picks it up. A car drives by and a woman, who is Ilsa Herman, the mayor’s wife, sees her take the book, but Liesel hides it under her coat and runs away quickly back home.