Free Essay On The Book Thief

The novel “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak, Death is the narrator and holds an important perspective on the issues at hand. The novel takes place in Nazi Germany, where the death toll is high and Death proclaims himself very busy during this time. Death would have been a way of life for Liesel as she experiences it in her everyday life in some aspect. Death has corrupted all of Germany and its aftermath leaving scars upon the characters that can be described best by death himself in terms of narration. As the story progresses, Liesel’s voice is heard over that of death and his voice is heard in other ways.
Color is also very important for its symbolism throughout the book. The death of individuals is often described by a different color. Many of the characters are described through the use of color such as the color of their hair or eyes. Silver seems the color most associated with love or safety. Liesel associated the color with Rudy and her father. White often represents a bleakness and coldness associated with death. It may also be used to describe a sense of innocence clouded by the experience of death. The tone of the book starts out by depicting the innocence of Liesel. The darkness that consumes her life makes her rebel by the end of the book and strive for something better. The color lemon yellow is often associated with youthfulness and a carefree attitude. Death associated the colors white, red, and black with the character of Liesel. Black may represent the deaths that she sees around her while white the innocence she has lost. Red may represent a sense of pain and loss.
Liesel often has nightmares about her brother’s death throughout the novel. By having these nightmares we are able to see the close relationship between Liesel and her father. Every night her father comes to comfort her and show his love building a closer relationship throughout the book. Her nightmares help tie her to Max and eventually led her to read “The Gravedigger’s Handbook”. By reading this book, her interest in reading grew eventually leading her to become a book thief determined to save banned copies.
Words are very important in “The Book Thief” the premise being that words have the power to build or destroy. The books represent a knowledge that will be lost because of its power to influence others and allow people to think for themselves. During this novel, Hitler uses his words to intimidate others and limits language that is not sympathetic to his cause. The books represemt the ability to be set free from ignorance building a better existence, while Hitler’s use of words shows the destructive power of words. This idea is explained in the quote, “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” I agree that words are very powerful although I found it a bit unclear as to if Liesel ever really accomplished much by stealing them.
The key in Max’s book was most likely placed there by Hans to represent that he is willing to take in Max and hide him from the Nazi’s. The key represemts of goodwill and opening ones house to a stranger out of kindness. The fact that the key was hidden inside the book shows the locked in life Max is forced to live within hiding unable to leave the house for fear of discovery by the Nazis. “I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.” The book thief almost represents the war itself, the fight to end ignorance and the blurred moral lines.
Overall, this novel presents many messages that describe the fragility of life and the darkness of death through the eyes of the less than innocent Death and the innocent Liesel. Liesel is unhappy about the presence of death and forced to grow up much too quickly because of the war. The novel presents the idea that books are important to give courage and knowledge to the world, preventing tragieties like Hitler’s from happening again. The showing of the holocaust makes one think and is heartbreaking. The author does a good job of humanizing the characters and making the reader understand their situations. Even the character of death is made human by giving him a voice in the story and explaining his thoughts on war. The narration greatly contributes to the overall theme.