1. Explain the symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator of the novel.
The symbolism of Death as the omniscient narrator fits the novel perfectly. In the story, it makes sense that Death is narrator because it was set during a time of war, where thousands of lives were lost. In my opinion, Death is a very ironic narrator. They say that wars demand more of death, and people think they go great together. Instead, Death disagrees and has a negative view on wars. In the story, Death says, "On many counts, taking a boy like Rudy was robbery" (242). Death shows compassion and feels sorry about Rudy’s death. Death is usually portrayed as a heartless and cruel character, but in the story the author shows a different side of death, with compassion and human-like feelings, which is very ironic.
2. What are Death’s feelings for each victim?
In this story, Death feels differently for each soul that he collects. Death is a very sympathetic character
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Hermann is beautiful in her suffering, and her passion for books. Her desire to help Liesel read shows her beautiful side. Mrs. Hermann’s ugly side came out when she fired Rosa Hubermann from doing her washings. Also, she can be ugly in her stern and cold treatment to most everyone.
5. Why is Death haunted by humans?
Death is haunted by humans because he is unable to change the fate of humans, which disturbs him. Death must endure the horrors of what humans do to each other, and it haunts him. He must witness all the inhumanity. Humans are either going above his expectations by saving lives or going way below them by killing and starting wars. Death finds it haunting how humans can show great acts of kindness and compassion as well as horrible acts of cruelty. In the story Death sates, “I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.” (page 491)
6. The Grave Digger’s Handbook is the first book Liesel steals. Why does she take the
It is stated, multiple times, how he gently carries the souls of people, which is different from humanity’s view of him. Death, in World War II, has become very busy with his job of collecting souls. It shows lots of people have recently died. I think it adds a subtle detail to the story. 2.
Death is introduced immediately as the narrator of the book, and he reveals some key information about his personality. One of his most prominent characteristics is how he feels bored and irritated by his job, a feeling we can relate to; "The trouble is, who could ever replace me? Who could step in while I take a break in your stock-standard resort-style holiday destination...?" In this quote, Death is shown to be more human than his usual image suggests.
Death plays a bigger role in life than life itself. When people die, people cry, and while people cry, a clear moment of lucidity occurs. Death is what makes every moment worth living and is told through stories of books and movies with symbols both subtle and blunt. Night, for example, is an autobiographical novel recalling Eliezer’s experience through concentration camps while The Book Thief is a historical fiction film where Liesel is a bystander who participates in activities symbolizing war. History is intertwined death.
The Hermanns fire Liesel, and when she returns home with no washing, Liesel’s foster mother, Rosa, confronts her. Rosa asks Liesel where the washing is, and Liesel explains what happened. Rosa would usually launch off on a torrent of verbal assault, but this time she is unable to because she is very stressed. Liesel is used to this oral battering, and after she does something that seems unspeakable, like badmouth the mayor’s wife, she feels the need to be scolded. She needs the confirmation that she has been bad, and on this evening, Rosa cannot do that for her.
Her favorite thing to do with the stolen books was read with her father. Her Papa frequently read with her. “ ‘ Do you want to read it?’ Again, ‘Yes Papa’ “ (Zusak 64). One of Liesel’s friends, Max, is constantly filled with guilt as well.
The suspense of the story shows the uncertainty of death throughout
Death can never be escaped no matter what. In “The Masque of the Red Death” Edgar Allan Poe shows the theme of death, a suspenseful mood, and an ominous tone. Through Poe’s use of literary devices, the reader can discover tone, theme, and mood. Throughout Poe’s life he experienced death with two of his mother’s and his young wife. Death is shown how inevitable it is with Poe’s writing and experiences combined together.
“One was a book thief. The other stole the sky.” In the book, The Book Thief, Markus Zusak uses this quote to compare two of the main characters, Max and Liesel. Brian Percival directed this movie.. This book is a Bildungsroman, set in Germany at the time of World War II.
It shows how he suffers every time he needs to collect a body, but he helps them by collecting their souls. He does not wish for people to die but he is the one who needs to deal with the result when they do. It hurts him to see what humans do to other humans, but by going through this suffering, he heals and continues to survive which shows the humanity that is in Death. Zusak also uses third person omniscient to convey the thematic message on suffering in healing. Readers can have a sense of how everyone feels and see how they develop as characters.
“The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both”. Death is the narrator of the novel ‘The Book Thief’. Death implies that there is something ugly and beautiful in every human being he has come across, but yet he doesn’t know how they can co-exist in one person. The Book Thief explores how beauty can co-exist with brutality.
Zusak hints at Liesel’s future after she picks up The Grave Digger’s Handbook by saying, “The book thief had struck for the first time-the beginning of an illustrious career.” (29). It was clear that in a book called The Book Thief, there were going to be a few books stolen. This quote however, makes the reader anticipate how.
Liesel and her father’s relationship grows each and every day they are together. She feels comforted by his presence. “Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father’s eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver… Upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot,” (Zusak Ch 6).
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
Through personification the speaker depicts death as a gentlemen, and not someone who brutally takes our lives quickly, but in a courteous manner. The use of symbolism to describe three locations as three stages of life. These three stages are used to show our childhood,adulthood, and us as elderly soon about to meet death, The speaker also uses imagery to show that all death is a simple cold, then we go to a resting place which is the grave, and from there on we move on toward eternity. Death is a part of life that we all need to embrace, and learn that it is not meant to be
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.