Essay On The Power Of Words In The Book Thief

Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief demonstrates the duality of the power of words. It shows the importance of articulation, using both its absence, and presence. Words have the power to both heal and destroy a population simultaneously. Being set in Nazi Germany, the book explores words as a source of power and connection, yet also manipulation and control. This duality is shown through the transformation of the protagonist, Liesel. Beginning as illiterate and helpless, she soon transforms into an eloquent individual, who is able to serve as a source of serenity during the chaos of war. The use of words within The Book Thief indicates their importance, and how powerful they can be.

Without words, individuals are powerless, as they cannot express

The Book Thief takes place within Nazi Germany, a country heavily influenced by anti-Jewish propaganda “Jewry was now more than ever a label” (Zusak, 216). Hitler was able to manipulate Germany into believing a false reality, in which Germans are the superior race, through the strategic use of words. As Death narrates, “Without words, the Furher was nothing” (Zusak, 521). Words allowed Hitler to convey messages of hate and ignorance, in seemingly rational ways. George Orwell explains this in his essay, Politics and the English Language, stating “Political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible”. Politicians, such as Hitler, deliberately choose certain words in order to justify their nefarious acts. These words deceive the audience’s perception of the topic, placing them in agreement. For example, the Nazi that spoke to the crowd during the book burning described Jewish people as “The disease that has spread through Germany for the last twenty years” (Zusak, 110). The use of this type of language forced the country to believe that Jewish people were not human, and deserved to die. This allowed Hitler to commit unjustifiable acts, such as the Holocaust, without any opposition. Articulate individuals are able to influence others, by conveying emotion through