‘The Book Thief’

The Author Markus Zusack took over three years to write ‘The Book Thief’ Zusack’s own parents grew up in Germany during WWII and some of the events in the novel are based on their experiences: “Zusak […] has said that writing the book was inspired by two real-life events related to him by his German parents: the bombing of Munich, and a teenage boy offering bread to an emaciated Jew being marched through the streets, ending with both boy and Jewish prisoner being whipped by a soldier. ” It was first published in 2005 in Australia and has won numerous awards and millions of copies have been sold.

Setting The novel begins in January 1939 (WWII: 1939-1945) Liesl stays in a town called Molching, just outside of Munich, Germany. Germany was being ruled by Hitler and the Nazi Party Hitler made the German people believe that they needed to regain their power and be the ‘superior race’, leading to the persecution and mass killing of millions of Jews, amongst other people considered ‘undesirable’ by the Nazis. Most of the novel mostly takes place in Himmel Street (Himmel = ‘Heaven’).

The Narrator “First the colours. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.” The narrator is Death. He has real feelings which makes him seem very human. Throughout the novel he experiences sadness, joy, depression, guilt and grief.

‘It’s just a small story really, about, amongst other things:

The Novel ‘The Book Thief’ follows the story of a few extraordinary ordinary Germans during the Second World War: Hans and Rosa Hubermann and their adopted daughter, Liesel Memminger. They reveal what life was like for common German people who did not necessarily support the Nazi regime.

Main Characters Liesel Meminger ~ protagonist Hans Hubermann ~ Liesel’s foster father Rosa Hubermann ~ Liesel’s foster mother Max Vandenberg ~ a Jew whom the Hubermanns hide in their basement. Rudy Steiner ~ Liesel’s best friend

Liesel Meminger A hard-working, caring girl who loves books She is given up for adoption by her mother – her father was a communist, and the Nazis saw communism as a threat. Her father is arrested before WWII starts and his family is left destitute. The Hubermanns adopt Liesl. Her brother dies on their way to the Hubermanns. She likes stealing books. Hans teaches her how to read. Liesel cares a lot for Max and helps to look after him when he’s sick. Max and Liesel form a close friendship based on a common love for words.

Books that Liesel stole: Books that were given to her: Liesel’s Books Books that Liesel stole: A Gravedigger’s Manual The Shoulder Shrug The Whistler The Dream Carrier The Last Human Stranger A Song in the Dark Books that were given to her: Mein Kampf Standover Man The Word Shaker The Complete Duden Dictionary and Thesaurus Liesel writes ‘The Book Thief’ – it is her life story.

Hans Hubermann A gentle, kind man who is described as a man with silver eyes. He loves Liesel and plays the accordion. He takes in a young Jewish man and agrees to hide him – remaining true to a promise he made to the Jewish man’s mother. He has true strength of character, shown when he hides Max. Hans doesn’t support the Nazi party but he does what is necessary to appear loyal and spare his family. He’s been able to avoid Death several times. He always comforts Liesel when she has her nightmares.

Rosa Hubermann Liesel’s foster mother. She does the washing and ironing for upper class families. She seems like a hard woman with her wooden spoons and constant scolding and criticism but she has a big heart. She proves to be the perfect woman for a crisis and she accepts responsibility for keeping Max alive. Rosa changes from a mean foster mother to a comforter and even a role model.

Max Vandenberg A German Jew. He is a fist-fighter – and he fights hard throughout the novel to save his life. His German friend, Walter Kugler, hides him during Kristallnacht. He arrives at 33 Himmel Street, Molching, and places the Hubermanns in a treacherous position, yet his arrival also brings out some of the strongest characteristics of Hans, Rosa and Liesel. He is a Jew in hiding. He constantly feels responsible for the people who help him. He is also hampered by guilt – guilt that he left his family behind and went into hiding.

Max and Liesel Liesel and Max become good friends as they share a passion for words and stories. Liesel’s spontaneity and joy for life provide Max with hope for life. Liesel’s friendship and love encourage Max to continue to fight for his life. Her love and care for Max is demonstrated when Max is sick – she collects little gifts for him from the streets and she reads to him everyday. Liesel’s recognition of Max and her love for him re-humanises Max after he no longer sees himself as a human worth loving. Max writes two books for Liesel – ‘The Standover Man’ and ‘The Word Shaker’. Both books acknowledge the role that Liesel has played in his life.

Rudy Steiner Liesel’s neighbour and soon becomes her best friend. They spend most of their time together playing soccer, stealing, running, and going on adventures. He has lemon-coloured hair and is athletically gifted (he loves Jessi Owens.) He is the picture of the Nazi ideal. He draws the attention of Nazi officials who are recruiting the best children for a special school. He refuses to go to the school, and eventually his father is recruited into the war. He loves Liesel from the day he meets her…until the day he dies.

Themes Love – many characters learn to love in the face of extreme hatred The Power of Words – Nazis relied on the power of words (propaganda); the novel also shows how language can heal and save. Literature and Writing – Liesel loves books…and the novel also shows the destruction of literature when the Nazis burned ‘dangerous literature’. Mortality – Death keeps the reader constantly focused on mortality Identity – Max is a Jew in Nazi Germany; Liesel’s parents were Communists; Hans is a German but refuses to identify with the Nazis… Courage – It takes great courage for the Hubermanns to hide Max; Max needs a lot of courage; Rudy shows courage in saving Liesel…

Any questions?