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Theme: Markus Zusak emphasized the power of words in The Book Thief to…
Theme: Markus Zusak emphasized the power of words in The Book Thief to show how this power can be used for good or for evil.
Good
max
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Max begins storytelling in the living room every night. “Those nights in the living room were some of the clearest memories she had.
She could see the burning light on Max’s eggshell face and even taste the human flavor of his words.”
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This helps the family understand Max’s story and helps him to heal and shed some of his guilt about leaving his family behind.
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Liesel
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Liesel goes to read to Frau Holtzapfel and Michael Holtzapfel to help her cope with her son’s and his brother’s death.
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“The brother shivers. The woman weeps. And the girl goes on reading, for that’s why she’s there, and it feels good to be good for something in the aftermath of the snows of Stalingrad.
Hans
Papa discovers that Liesel has The Graver Digger’s Handbook and decides to teach Liesel how to read at night whenever she has nightmares.
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This helps develop Liesel’s passion for books and improves her reading skills. This also distracts her from her nightmares and bonds her to Hans Hubberman.
Bad
Hitler
Max starts writing a book and draws a picture of Hitler atop a podium with Germans beneath hailing him. It says “Not the Fuhrer- the conductor!”
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Nazis send letters to Rudy and Liesel's dad sending them to war as their punishment. “On Friday, a statement arrived to say that Hans Hubermann was to be drafted into the German Army.
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Michael
Michael Holtzapfel commits suicide because of War PTSD and feeling guilty for having survided. He leaves a suicide not or “the last goodbye” for his mom. This destroyed her.
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“The dilemma, of course, is that such people save their most important words for after, when the surrounding humans are unlucky enough to find them.” “He allowed her screams to fill the street.”
Liesel
“I have hated the words and l have loved them, and I hope I’ve made them right”
“‘You are your husband. Sitting up here.’ Now she became spiteful. More spiteful and evil than she thought herself capable. The injury of words. Yes, the brutality of words.” Unfairly goes off on mayor's wife in anger-regrets this afterward. “She was battered and beaten up, and not from smiling this time… All from her words. From Liesel’s words.”
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