In a world of over 7 billion people, there tends to only be two characteristics one can have: kindness or cruelty. Yet the power of both kindness and cruelty are underestimated. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the kindness and cruelty of humans is displayed through people like Liesel Meminger, Adolf Hitler, and Max Vandenburg.
The Book Thief’s name herself doesn’t sound appealing, but Liesel truly had a heart of gold. During WWII, going to a bomb shelter was a weekly event. In this particular raid, Liesel decides to calm people down by reading.“When she turned to page two, it was Rudy who noticed. He paid direct attention to what Liesel was reading, and he tapped his brother and his sisters, telling them to do the same. Hans Hubermann …show more content…
But, Liesel decides to surprise Rudy and give him his very own suit from his father’s tailor shop. Liesel displays a kind trait by showing Rudy what friends are for. She looks out for Rudy, because she knows what it’s like to say goodbye to a person she loves. Whenever the Jews were being sent to concentration camps, they were often sent through Liesel’s street, where she often went to find her long lost friend, Max.“He let his mouth kiss her palm. ‘Yes, Liesel, it’s me,’ and he held the girl’s hand in his face and cried onto her fingers...‘Liesel, get out of there!’ The book thief did not get out. She closed her eyes and caught the next burning streak, and another, till her body hit the warm flooring of the road. It heated her cheek.” (p.510-511)Since The moment Max left the Hubermann household, Liesel had been looking for him. Everytime a parade of Jews had come through Molching, she was there, looking for him. One parade brought Max right through, and Liesel saw him and ran to him. Unafraid of the punishment, she spoke with him, reciting lines of the book he had given to her. Liesel’s unconditional love paves a way of kindness for others. Although the knew the punishment ahead of her, nothing would stop her from reuniting with an old friend, and a true part of her family. Truly, Liesel had shown kindness like no other, yet Hitler shows a different side to the people of …show more content…
Hitler had firm beliefs in what he stood for, his words spreading through town after town. “He was performing now what is called a Schreierei- a consummate exhibition of passionate shouting- warning the crowd to be more watchful, to be vigilant, to seek out and destroy the evil machinations plotting to infect the motherland with his deplorable ways. The immoral! the Kommunisten! That word again. That old word. Dark rooms Suit-wearing men. Die Juden- the Jews.”(p.110) Although Hitler isn’t necessarily speaking in this quote, his words are being put into another person's mouth. His way of speaking is affecting everyone who follows him, like the Nazi’s. Hitler shows the cruelty of humans by his idea of Jews and Communists being the reason of the depression. He takes his blame on someone else instead of owning up to it like a hero. His cruelty spreads like a disease, becoming a part of anyone who follows him. Hitler’s revolution affected the best and worst of people, changing everyone’s lives forever. “When the soldiers pulled over to share some food and cigarettes and to poke at the package of Jews, one of the prisoners collapsed from starvation and sickness… I climbed through the windshield of the truck, found the diseased man, and jumped out the back. His soul was skinny. His beard was a ball and chain”(p.389)When the first parade of Jews traveled
The Book Thief’s name herself doesn’t sound appealing, but Liesel truly had a heart of gold. During WWII, going to a bomb shelter was a weekly event. In this particular raid, Liesel decides to calm people down by reading.“When she turned to page two, it was Rudy who noticed. He paid direct attention to what Liesel was reading, and he tapped his brother and his sisters, telling them to do the same. Hans Hubermann …show more content…
But, Liesel decides to surprise Rudy and give him his very own suit from his father’s tailor shop. Liesel displays a kind trait by showing Rudy what friends are for. She looks out for Rudy, because she knows what it’s like to say goodbye to a person she loves. Whenever the Jews were being sent to concentration camps, they were often sent through Liesel’s street, where she often went to find her long lost friend, Max.“He let his mouth kiss her palm. ‘Yes, Liesel, it’s me,’ and he held the girl’s hand in his face and cried onto her fingers...‘Liesel, get out of there!’ The book thief did not get out. She closed her eyes and caught the next burning streak, and another, till her body hit the warm flooring of the road. It heated her cheek.” (p.510-511)Since The moment Max left the Hubermann household, Liesel had been looking for him. Everytime a parade of Jews had come through Molching, she was there, looking for him. One parade brought Max right through, and Liesel saw him and ran to him. Unafraid of the punishment, she spoke with him, reciting lines of the book he had given to her. Liesel’s unconditional love paves a way of kindness for others. Although the knew the punishment ahead of her, nothing would stop her from reuniting with an old friend, and a true part of her family. Truly, Liesel had shown kindness like no other, yet Hitler shows a different side to the people of …show more content…
Hitler had firm beliefs in what he stood for, his words spreading through town after town. “He was performing now what is called a Schreierei- a consummate exhibition of passionate shouting- warning the crowd to be more watchful, to be vigilant, to seek out and destroy the evil machinations plotting to infect the motherland with his deplorable ways. The immoral! the Kommunisten! That word again. That old word. Dark rooms Suit-wearing men. Die Juden- the Jews.”(p.110) Although Hitler isn’t necessarily speaking in this quote, his words are being put into another person's mouth. His way of speaking is affecting everyone who follows him, like the Nazi’s. Hitler shows the cruelty of humans by his idea of Jews and Communists being the reason of the depression. He takes his blame on someone else instead of owning up to it like a hero. His cruelty spreads like a disease, becoming a part of anyone who follows him. Hitler’s revolution affected the best and worst of people, changing everyone’s lives forever. “When the soldiers pulled over to share some food and cigarettes and to poke at the package of Jews, one of the prisoners collapsed from starvation and sickness… I climbed through the windshield of the truck, found the diseased man, and jumped out the back. His soul was skinny. His beard was a ball and chain”(p.389)When the first parade of Jews traveled