Liesel's Comfort During The Air Raid In The Book Thief

a. "She had watched a bomber pilot die in a metal case. She had seen a Jewish man who had twice given her the most beautiful pages of her life marched to a concentration camp"(521). - Liesel has been through so many struggles. Her brother died in front of her, her mother sent her away, and she witnessed almost everyone she loved depart from the world. She had more than enough reasons to quit, but she decided to stay strong through it all. She is brave enough to live with the memories, and rather than thinking of them as a burden, she wears them as a badge of honour.

“She saw it so clearly, her starving mother, her missing father, her dead brother” (Zusak 111). This thought had occurred to Liesel during the book burning. After witnessing all the Hitler supporters chant and scream Liesel had realized on harsh fact, she was truly alone. Not only, but also Liesel had come to realization she has truly lost her freedom and rights as a human being. “A collection of men walked from a platform and surrounded the heal “Heil Hitler” they chanted “Die Judens”(Zusak 113). 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. Losing rights and privileges truly prepares you for the worst and transforms you for better.

The theme of this book is learning to love and care for the people around. How I came to this conclusion is by how Liesel acts towards Max, her foster parents, Rudy, and her neighbors. Liesel cares for people even if they weren't like her and she doesn't understand why there is hatred in this world. She wanted the world to be a happy place for everyone including Jews to be friends with one another. On page 426 in ‘The Book Thief’, when Rudy’s father went to war Liesel could relate to Rudy because “her mother. Her brother. Max Vandenburg. Hans Hubermann. All of them gone. And she’d never even had a real father.” Also, when Mama was depressed about Papa going to war, Mama would sleep with Papa’s accordion Liesel acknowledged “that there was great beauty in what she was currently witnessing, and she chose not to disturb it” (Zusak, 429). Finally, when Liesel’s papa gave a Jew bread during the parade and what Liesel did during the parade, she gave Jews bread by placing them in the street.

Courageously, Liesel went ahead and befriended Max. Liesel made Max feel wanted and his whole attitude changed. Instead of feeling like an unwanted Jew that represented everything wrong with Germany, Liesel made Max feel like a human. In other words, Liesel took Max how he already was and left him better than he was previous to their relationship. Liesel courageously developed loyalty toward Max in a time when she could have seen him as an enemy. For this reason, Liesel best illustrates courage in The Book Thief by befriending

“Look proud, he advised himself. You cannot look afraid,”(Zusak Ch 25). Max fought for the safety of his life for two years by hiding out. No matter how hopeless your situation might look, keep fighting because you never know what will happen unless you try. Having Max living in Liesel's basement teaches her first-hand how serious things are, and the dangers of what Hitler can do. Max not only is in danger himself, but puts Liesel's whole family at risk. “Now I think we are friends, this girl and me. On her birthday it was she who gave a gift to me,”(Zusak Ch 12). Liesel gave Max the gift of friendship, and that meant a lot to Max. Liesel hugs Max as an act of pity, but Max sees it more than that. After years of being lonely, Max feels like he has a friendship with Liesel. They try their best to protect each other as they both go through this hard time

Liesel had a very tough childhood with her mother abandoning her and her brother dying, plus everybody else she lost. Even though she suffered many terrible events during her childhood, she still prevailed through it by reading books and using her words. Her obsession with stealing books and living in the Hubermann household represented the beauty in her life in the wake of the brutality caused by the Nazi party. She spent quality time learning how to read with Hans, and was amazed how kind and patient Hans was. Liesel bonding with Mas was also a part of the beauty in her life, in spite of the brutality and the despair happening in her life. She read books with Max and spent a lot of time with each other, even writing books together. Their friendship adds to the beauty that Liesel’s life represented, even though Max was a Jew, she still befriended him. Markus Zusak’s poetic writing enhances Liesel’s story by adding imagery and many bold headlines to write important statements. Without these elements, the story would have been overwhelmingly boring and depressing. The bold headline is used as emphasis, such as “I am haunted by humans” to add more meaning to the quote. (Zusak

Their relationship dominates the middle section of the book, as Max comes to Himmel street just as part three starts, and Liesel thinks about him almost constantly as soon as he arrives. Consequently, the first quote I chose for them was when Liesel first catches a glimpse of Max in the kitchen. “She lingered a moment before her feet dragged from behind. When she stopped and stole one last look at the foreigner in the kitchen, she could decipher the outline of a book on the table” (Zusak 186). In this scene, Liesel sees Max’s book, and this is the start of the two of them and their connection with words that appears continuously through the rest of the novel. The second quote comes from a very sweet scene in which Max asks Liesel to cut his hair. “He carried his own scissors and came forward, handing them not to Hans or Rosa but to the twelve-year-old girl. She was the calmest option. His mouth quivered a moment before he said, ‘Would you?’” (Zusak 245). In this scene, Hans and Rosa are arguing, and Hans remembers the girl’s comment about his hair being like feathers, so he asks her to cut it for him. It shows a trusting between Max and Liesel for one of the first times, after a while of awkwardness and quietness. The third quote I chose was “‘Often I wish this would all be over, Liesel, but then somehow you do something like walk down the basement steps with a snowman in your hands’” (Zusak 313). Max is speaking to Liesel and telling her that, even though his life is incredibly hard, some people make it worth it. Just a few little things someone does can make it all worth it, to keep living, like bringing someone a snowman. The final quote I chose for Max and Liesel is another moment of closeness for them. It happens just after Max wakes up from being sick and asleep for days and days, and he confides in Liesel. “Trepidation found its way onto his face and he made a

At the beginning of the novel, she developed her first friendship with Hans. Hans is a warm-hearted and compassionate man who was the first that connected to Liesel. When Liesel first arrived at Himmel Street, she refused to leave the car and meet her new family. While it took them quite a bit of time to persuade her to leave, “It was the tall man who did it”(28). The first encounter between Liesel and Hans is a memorable and significant moment because it is the moment that shows how their friendship initiated. If Hans would not have sat by Liesel’s side and coaxed her to leave the car, then she would not have developed that initial trust that transpired through this. Another moment that helped the connection between the two is when Liesel had nightmares and Hans would come in and comfort her by teaching her how to read or when they would go to the basement to teach Liesel how to spell and write. These moments shared between the two created a bond through books since Hans and she spent a lot of time together which developed the trust in Liesel towards

Rudy of course would do anything for Liesel, like jumping into a river during winter. Rudy jumped into the water to save the book that got thrown in. Rudy could have said it’s just a book, but he knows how much books mean to Liesel. I think Rudy did this to make Liesel happy, books make Liesel happy. I believe that Rudy did this to get the kiss he has always been dreaming of. I also think that Zusak made Rudy so perfect and sweet to remind the boys in today's age to be like him. I think that Rudy is very caring because he knew Liesel would be upset, and he didn’t want

In the novel, Liesel’s behavior shows justice and love through her friendship with Max. Although her relationship with Max in the beginning of the book was rather awkward, soon her perspective towards Max soothes and their relationship bonds to a friendship. There are some times when Liesel’s actions were unbelievable, especially during the Jew parade. “ ‘ You have to let go of me Liesel.’ 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. In front of the whole nation, she ran up to Max and hugged him tight. She knew the people would not support her, and rather turn their back at her, but Liesel valued justice more than the atmosphere in German. Liesel’s bravery shows the readers how much she truly loved Max, and she cared about him more than just a Jew hiding in her basement. And the significant part of this scene is a hug. A warm hug

As I ran through the scrub and forest, seeing all the smoke and hearing the engine sputter over and over only made me need to get to him faster. I had to save him; I had to do it for Liesel.

Liesel was an illiterate due her past and thus once she started going to school she was “humiliatingly,… cast down with the younger kids” (pg. 39, Zusak). Liesel dreaded reading tests and if not for Hans’ help in their midnight classroom sessions, Liesel would have never got over her “excruciating fear” (pg. 75, Zusak) of having to read out loud. As the novel progresses so does Liesel’s adoration for reading books. Soon one after another she begins to read books by herself and their role in her development is priceless. The truly pivotal point which arises from Liesels love of reading happens once she uses the power of her words to soothe the residents of Himmel Street while they are stuck in the bomb shelter. Liesel thus surpasses her fear of reading for a crowd along with demonstrating her maturity as she focuses “only [on] the mechanics of the words” (pg.381, Zusak). All together the simple act of Liesel reading to soothe everyone nerves, thoroughly reveals how her education and maturity have drastically grown since her arrival on Himmel

Everything Rudy does after that moment, when you know he’s going to die at the age of 14, everything is in the shadow of that.’ (Zusak, 2010). Max Vandenburg is the Jewish man who seeks refuge in the Hubermann’s basement putting their lives in great danger. Max’s father saved Hans’ life in World War II and caring for Max is Hans’ way of repaying Max for what his father did for him. Max and Liesel’s match of personalities and shared qualities enable the two to become such great friends, giving each other’s life purpose and the drive to survive the horrors of the war. 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

Liesel, by miracle, is in the basement writing in her journal and survives. When she emerges from the basement, she finds the bodies of those she loves — Hans, Rosa, as well as Rudy. She is taken away by air raid officers, and it is at this moment that Death finds and takes her book, The Book Thief. This is how he knows her story. Alex Steiner, Rudy’s father, is relieved of duty after he hears about the bombings and finds Liesel. They spend a lot of time together, going for walks and hiking to the nearby concentration camp after its liberation. She spends a lot of time with Alex in his shop. One day in 1945, Max Vandenburg shows up. They have a tearful

Change is an important part of life. Change could mean a lot of things. It could mean how the character changes their personality or attitude or it could mean how the character learns from their mistakes. In the novel, the book thief, the change that Liesel undergoes as a dynamic character is fascinating. After moving into a different town, she makes a lot of new relationships, also she shows her determination and passion towards books, she also starts understanding the power of words. Firstly, after moving into a different town, she makes a lot of new relationships. In the beginning of the novel, Liesel starts having a hard time trusting and allowing herself to be vulnerable