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The Theme Of Death In The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

486 Words2 Pages

“The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.” Imagine fearing for your life, others’ lives, losing people that mean so much. Many people lost a loved one in The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. After a death, peoples’ actions are affected, their views on life are altered, and they begin to feel guilty about living. People begin to feel an obligation or debt to a dead person. The living have a responsibility to the dead.

The death of someone close affected three different characters’ actions. One of the earliest examples of the theme is shown on page 36. Liesel often has nightmares about her dead brother, Werner. She feels a lot of grief over his death, and the memory of his death affects her ability to sleep soundly. …show more content…

Hans explains to Erik Vandenburg’s wife how her dead husband had indirectly saved his life. Erik had volunteered Hans to write letters for the sergeant, causing him to be withdrawn from the battle that day. The men that fought that day never returned. Erik was killed and never saw again. Hans then felt that he owed his life to Erik Vandenburg and offered to help his family if they ever needed anything. Had Erik not had a part in Hans’ survival, Hans’ might not have felt so compelled to help the Vandenburgs. Isla Hermann was yet another character that displayed the theme. On page 146, the death of her son is explained. She tells Liesel that she thinks he froze to death. After his death, she decides to suffer over the frailest option, the weather. She leaves the window open so that her house will be an uncomfortable

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