‘The Book Thief’ (2013) is a film adapted from a novel written in 2005 by Markus Zusak focussed on a ten year old girl, living in Germany during World War II, the Nazi era, Liesel Meminger. The death of Liesel’s brother left her with foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Most of the characters in ‘The Book Thief’ are opposed to the Nazi regime such as Liesel, and Max Vandenburg, who is a Jew that the Hubermanns’ are hiding in their basement. Franz Deutscher on the other hand, is the face of the Nazis as he fully supports the regime. These three characters are vital to the film because it portrays different views on the war.
Liesel Meminger, the film’s protagonist, both openly and passively opposed Nazi ideas through her actions and words. This was shown through various scenes e.g. during the book burning, Liesel picked up an almost unburnt book from the ashes which was an act of defiance towards the Nazi government. Liesel did not know of the consequences of her actions as she was newly introduced to the ideas of Nazism and did not, yet, fully grasp the regime. One of the foremost act of defiance Liesel made, specifically against Hitler, was when she was at the lake with Rudy Steiner alone. Repeatedly,
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Germans, like Hans and Rosa, had to make moral decisions during the war because Jewish people who they had been friends with all his life were being taken to concentration camps, as well as having Max to take care of. Liesel and Max defied Nazi ideas differently. Liesel did so unknowingly at the beginning and as her knowledge of the situation broadened, she came to hate Hitler. Max, on the other hand, defied the Nazis just by existing and surviving the war. It was very difficult for ordinary people to oppose and stand up for Jews to fascist governments without bringing on consequences for
Liesel has realized she must respect the man who was the reason for her and her entire families suffering. She has realized she officially has lost her home, that she is completely isolated from the community. “It was quite a sight seeing an eleven year old girl try not to cry on church steps, saluting fuhrer”(Zusak 115). After losing all of these emotionally wrecking things Liesel learns and understands she needs to keep going forward. She refuses to give up she although times are rough manages to think, it could be worse.
For most people, childhood is a time that should be celebrated because of the bliss and innocence one experiences then. For others, it is the complete opposite. Childhood for those few can be described as being full of uncertainty and fear. In The Book Thief, Markus Zusak portrays Liesel’s childhood and adolescence as a time of tribulation and terror after being separated from her family, having to conform to a society she did not agree with, and living surrounded by war and violence. At only nine years of age, Liesel was separated from her biological family.
Liesel, known as the book thief to the audience has a distinct passion for books and how much they mean to her. Stealing book after the book becomes a hobby for the young girl whose love of books is fostered by her foster father, Hans Hubermann. As Hans teaches Liesel how to read and write they develop an
Writer Markus Zusak’s number one best-selling book The Book Thief written in 2005 demonstrates a story about a young German girl living in Nazi Germany. Zusak’s purpose of the story is to describe life growing up in Germany during World War II. He uses a serious tone to describe his reader's rhetorical devices that can have a deeper meaning. This can be demonstrated through the use of Symbolism, Imagery, and even Liesel herself.
Liesel Meminger, otherwise known as the book thief, is a foster child who lives during World War ll. Everything started at her brother's burial where she finds a The Gravedigger's Handbook. From there she continues to steal books. In The Book Thief , written by Markus Zusak, story of a tells the story of a jew, a little german girl, and Death. Max Vandenburg has always loved to fight and he always will.
- Liesel, knowing the outcome of running through a stream of Jews, wanted to find Max and see him for the last time before he would disappear for years. She wanted to see him and thank him for everything he 's done for her; the stories, the fun times they 've had. She willingly put herself in a bad situation because she loves him, and she knows that he loves her too. She knew that if Max saw her, it would make him the happiest
She hated him because he took her mother and her friend Max away. The Book Thief how a dominant culture can use censorship to control how others are seen. By censoring books Hitler stopped questions from arising about his beliefs, and controlled how the Jewish were perceived. The censored book The Shoulder Shrug changed how Liesel saw the world around her, broadening and changing her point of view.
A main reason Liesel develops into the character she is by the end of the novel is due to the individuals she meets and her relationships with them. When Hans Hubermann becomes
Liesel trusted her papa even more after this encounter, Hans knew to keep this a secret to protect Liesel’s feelings. With all the negativity and poorness in Hans’ life, he would have been expected to respond negatively, but in reality, Hans did the complete opposite. Hans Hubermann showed his morals, a comforting essence, and trustworthiness despite living under horribly negative conditions. Under the tireless regime of Adolf Hitler, Hans clung to his personal beliefs. He did this in several ways, he helped two Jews, and helped Liesel develop into a better person.
Growing as a Character Every event in our lives happens for a reason, whether it is to learn from our mistakes or to gain experience from them. In Markus Zusak's novel “The Book Thief,” Liesel Meminger uses her experiences with living in the 1940s to learn life lessons and experience first hand the many terrible things Hitler is doing to people around her. She learns how to deal with the many obstacles that are thrown at her. Liesel grows as a character by following her step-father’s footsteps in being a kind and generous person, going through childhood with her best friend Rudy, and being aware of what is going on around her by learning from Max.
Markus Zusak has assembled ‘The Book Thief’ using a variety of narrative conventions. These include a unique narrative viewpoint, plot structure and use of imagery, all of which provide meaning to the reader. (33 words) A narrative’s point of view refers to who is telling the story. In this case Zusak’s narrator identifies himself as Death.
An important role model in Liesel’s life is Ilsa Hermann. After seeing Liesel steal a book at the book burning, she gives her the ‘window of opportunity’ (Zusak, pg. 155) inviting her into her library and sharing her own love of books with Liesel. The reader eventually learns that Ilsa is still mourning the loss of her own son many years before. Ilsa takes Liesel into her care after the tragedy of the bombing raids that results in the death of Hans and Rosa leaving Liesel traumatised and
He even tried to push her away, but the girl was too strong.’” (511) The time of the Holocaust was hell-like for the Jews. Just because of their religion, they were harassed and and abused by the Germans in inhumane ways. However, Liesel was a girl who stood up for humanity and justice.
The Book Thief, directed by Brian Percival, is a film adaptation of a book by Mark Zusak centred around adolescent girl Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nelisse). Set in Germany during the early-mid 1940’s, leading up to the war, Liesel is sent away from her family to live with foster parents since she is at risk of being killed due as her parents are communists. Percival uses skilfully chosen aural and visual elements as well as cinematic techniques such as lighting and camera angles to communicate and explore the central theme to the audience: the power of human spirit, especially when dealing with adversity. Percival designs the aural elements in the scenes that make up the film The Book Thief to communicate and allow the audience to explore the power of the human spirit when dealing with adversity. Percival does this by using the aforementioned techniques to create juxtapositions, contrasting the power of the human spirit against adversity.
The Book Thief revolves around Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Rudy Steiner, Max Vandenburg, and the infamous ten-year-old book thief, Liesel Meminger. The setting is Himmel Street, Germany during World War II and the narrator is Death, who busily runs to and fro taking souls and stumbles upon the Book Thief’s very own handwritten book. Though Death might not be the narrator someone would think fit to be point of view for the book, he manages to catch and describe the beauty and destruction of war whilst telling the stories of the people living on Himmel Street. Along with Markus Zusak’s captivating writing, he will tell an unforgettable story set during the Holocaust from the views of a Jew on the run and four Germans while a war wages on. Whereas other authors would prefer writing from the victim’s perspective during the war, Markus Zusak gives insight on the Germans that had no choice but to grudgingly obey throughout Hitler’s rule.