Major Works Review
General
1. Title- The Book Thief
2. Author- Markus Zusak
3. Date of Original Publication- 2005
4. Novel Type- Historical Fiction
Structure
1. Point of View- Death
2. Relationship to Meaning- As an omniscient force Death can provide insight on several different events happening all over the world at different points in time, and thoughts running through all the characters’ heads, while also being able to share his own thoughts and feelings about humanity.
3. Plot Structure-
a. Exposition- Death is introduced as a thoughtful and observant narrator. He then reveals Liesel’s brother’s death, her journey to Molching, and her background as the book thief. Death talks about the three times he will see Liesel, foreshadowing the rest …show more content…
Other Significant Structural Elements- Liesel comments on a quote from her book, The Last Human Strange., “The sun stirs the earth. Around and around, it stirs us, like stew.” She adds that the world is an ugly stew and says that she can’t stand it, and that the world does not deserve the good that it gets.
Characters
1. Protagonist
a. Name and significance- Liesel Meminger is a young girl who must face the trials of living in Nazi Germany while struggling to retain her compassion.
b. Characteristics and thematic significance- Liesel is a bright young girl who is living through a horrific event, World War II. She sees cruelty and despair all around her. In spite of all this though, she stays compassionate, and makes it through the horror and violence while learning valuable lessons about life, love, and the bond between people.
c. Change or epiphany and thematic significance- In the beginning of the book, Liesel is withdrawn and she is not as perceptive about the injustice happening around her, but as she grows up her empathy also grows and she is able to overcome the trials life has to offer.
2. …show more content…
The person who taught him the accordion saved his life. He uses it to make money, and bring joy. Sometimes it is the small things that keep people alive and moving forward.
Mein Kampf Hitler’s book is a symbol of how powerful he is, and how he permeates the characters’ everyday lives. There is always a force in our lives restricting us, a force we need to break free from.
The Standover Man Max uses pages from Hitler’s Mein Kampf to make his book. This demonstrates Max taking back power from Hitler. We can always regain power over ourselves by defying those who restrict us.
Significance of Title
“The book thief had struck for the first time-the beginning of an illustrious career.” Death is talking about the first book she steals, The Gravedigger’s Handbook. It is the first of many that she steals. The book is one that propels her to learn to read, fueling her love of words.
Thematic Statements (2-3)
Compassion can prevail over horror and violence.
We should face life’s trials bravely to emerge stronger on the other side, rather than succumbing to our own misery.
We should always pick ourselves back up, even if we feel that we cannot go on any longer.
General
1. Title- The Book Thief
2. Author- Markus Zusak
3. Date of Original Publication- 2005
4. Novel Type- Historical Fiction
Structure
1. Point of View- Death
2. Relationship to Meaning- As an omniscient force Death can provide insight on several different events happening all over the world at different points in time, and thoughts running through all the characters’ heads, while also being able to share his own thoughts and feelings about humanity.
3. Plot Structure-
a. Exposition- Death is introduced as a thoughtful and observant narrator. He then reveals Liesel’s brother’s death, her journey to Molching, and her background as the book thief. Death talks about the three times he will see Liesel, foreshadowing the rest …show more content…
Other Significant Structural Elements- Liesel comments on a quote from her book, The Last Human Strange., “The sun stirs the earth. Around and around, it stirs us, like stew.” She adds that the world is an ugly stew and says that she can’t stand it, and that the world does not deserve the good that it gets.
Characters
1. Protagonist
a. Name and significance- Liesel Meminger is a young girl who must face the trials of living in Nazi Germany while struggling to retain her compassion.
b. Characteristics and thematic significance- Liesel is a bright young girl who is living through a horrific event, World War II. She sees cruelty and despair all around her. In spite of all this though, she stays compassionate, and makes it through the horror and violence while learning valuable lessons about life, love, and the bond between people.
c. Change or epiphany and thematic significance- In the beginning of the book, Liesel is withdrawn and she is not as perceptive about the injustice happening around her, but as she grows up her empathy also grows and she is able to overcome the trials life has to offer.
2. …show more content…
The person who taught him the accordion saved his life. He uses it to make money, and bring joy. Sometimes it is the small things that keep people alive and moving forward.
Mein Kampf Hitler’s book is a symbol of how powerful he is, and how he permeates the characters’ everyday lives. There is always a force in our lives restricting us, a force we need to break free from.
The Standover Man Max uses pages from Hitler’s Mein Kampf to make his book. This demonstrates Max taking back power from Hitler. We can always regain power over ourselves by defying those who restrict us.
Significance of Title
“The book thief had struck for the first time-the beginning of an illustrious career.” Death is talking about the first book she steals, The Gravedigger’s Handbook. It is the first of many that she steals. The book is one that propels her to learn to read, fueling her love of words.
Thematic Statements (2-3)
Compassion can prevail over horror and violence.
We should face life’s trials bravely to emerge stronger on the other side, rather than succumbing to our own misery.
We should always pick ourselves back up, even if we feel that we cannot go on any longer.