The Book Thief

Zusak, Markus. (2006). The Book Thief. Random House, New York, NY. ISBN: 9780375831003

What are words? What do words mean? Are words extremely powerful? “I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” (p. 528) These are a few of the questions and words of  “The Book Thief”, also known as Liesel Meminger, throughout this historical fiction story. Liesel is a foster child growing up in Germany during the World War II. “The Book Thief” is an exceptionally written novel following the life of a young foster child Liesel Meminger through Death, the narrator. Death, inevitable considers Liesel a “perpetual survivor” and initially reveals three different times in which he (Death) will have interactions with her. This is one event of foreshadowing of events, which is a prominent piece of the writing by Mark Zusak.

Growing up in Nazi Germany, Liesel is confused at her reasoning for being forced to move in with Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Her father has disappeared, her brother dies on the train ride, and her mother then leaves and disappears, leaving Liesel in the hands of Rosa and Hans. Rosa and Hans truly have love for Leisel, even though Rosa has a very different way of showing her love. Hans on the other hand, adores Liesel, and becomes an extremely important part in her life as well as the life of others he comes into contact. This is shown through his many nights of teaching Liesel how to read, which in the end, calms her neighbors during the bombings in their neighborhoods.

According to Nilsen and Donelson, “The book seems sprawling at times as more characters are introduced, but the cast of major characters remains small. Zusak’s novel is long and complex and rich. Some readers will be confused, but most will not forget Liesel. (p249). The book is so rich and full of multiple themes, it can be a bit overwhelming, yet so leaving the reader wanting to know more. The themes of courage, colors, and deception are evident throughout the story.

Liesel is both deceptive and courageousness in her thievery. She steals her first book at her brother’s gravesite, “The Gravediggers Handbook”. Even though she can’t read, she carries it with her wherever she goes, even to the extent of hiding it from her foster family. The book in itself is a handbook, but as the narrator reminds us, it could also be metaphoric to what is going on in the world surrounding Liesel. As the handbook is read, Death presents the idea that one gravedigger does what he is told by the other, and brings forth the question if it is similar to Hitler, commanding the entire nation, in which they all obey him unquestioningly.

The theme of courage is shown in Liesel’s ability to overcome her disability, but also through her willingness to speak up against her beliefs. Liesel, as she ages throughout the book, becomes more open to the truth of Hitler. Hans brings in Max, the son of a man who saved his life in the First World War, but is also a Jew. Liesel is introduced to the real idea behind Hitler, when they must hide Max in their basement.  Through her friendship with Max, she shows many more courageous moments including being a part of Max physically whitewashing the pages of “Mein Kampf” and painting and entirely different story over them. The text of “Mein Kampf”, which deals with the attacks on the Jewish race, peeks through under a story about the friendship between a hidden Jew and a German girl. This is very symbolic of the courage between both Max and Liesel. She later jumps on Max, hangs on him when he is being brought to a concentration camp after he had been captured knowing she will be enduring the pain and suffering of showing support to the enemy.

Hans, Liesel’s foster father shows bravery, that he later questions. Liesel learned her courage through watch Han’s selfless manner. Hans helped out an old friend who saved his life, even though he was a Jew. Hans provided bread for the captured Jews as they were embarrassed through the streets of Germany. He later regrets his decisions, not because he truly believes they are wrong, but because he feels now his family has increased scrutiny towards them. His act of kindness to nourish the Jews resulted in endangering a younger Max.

Throughout the story, Liesel rebels by stealing books, learning to read, and eventually writing her own book. She experiences death, friendship, and eventually love from her neighborhood friend and confidant Rudy. She experiences pain and hurt from the difficult things she is subjected to. “To tackle the subject of the atrocities of the Nazis in Germany at the beginning of the second world war with Death as it narrator, is to stumble into all kinds of sensitivities; then add to that the gentle humor throughout, with the horrors of the Holocaust looming in the shadows, well.” (Garton)

As readers, we are surrounded by book burnings, athleticism, childhood, poverty, and questioning authority all in one novel. The reader is introduced to many underground anti-Nazi Germans, even the Mayor’s wife. The reader is taken through a story from Death’s persective, which gives the reader the sense of a very dark tone, yet we realize the narrator even questions death “Did they deserve any better, these people? How many actively persecuted others, high on the scent of Hitler’s gaze, repeating his sentences, his paragraphs, his opus? Was Rosa Hubermann responsible? The hider of a Jew? Or Hans? Did they all deserve to die? The children?” (p. 375).

“The Book Thief” intertwines the life of a growing young lady and the life in war leaving a reader with a possible sense of confusion, but also with an agreement with the narrator, “I am haunted by humans.”(p. 550).

Garton, Helen. A BOOK I WILL REMEMBER. Reform Magazine, Feb2011, p33-33, 1/3p