The Book Thief Speech Analysis

There are many terrifyingly horrid topics that have been presented with the introduction to World War II that give insight into the basic German civilian’s life. Isabel Allende states “Write what should not be forgotten,” which ties in perfectly with The Book Thief in that the audience gets to participate in Markus Zusak’s work on the fictional life of the German girl, Liesel, and her newfound poor family as society evolves around them. Through this family's struggles the audience witnesses how the power of words can be able to shape a whole nation’s perspective. This in turn can both lead to discrimination and even to some citizens becoming impoverished. Remembering how poverty, discrimination, and the power of words affect a society is essential …show more content…
One piece of discrimination that citizens witness on a somewhat regular basis was the parades of Jewish concentration camp prisoners throughout the streets. These Jewish people were described as “suffering faces of depleted men and women… Stars of David were plastered to their shirts, and misery was attached to them as if assigned… the soldiers also made their way past, ordering them to hurry up and to stop moaning… Their gaunt faces were stretched with torture. Hunger ate them as they continued forward… Others pleaded for someone, anyone, to step forward and catch them in their arms” (392). This statement alludes to many clear forms of discrimination in itself. The first of these is that the Jewish people are both singled out through the usage of stars to make them stand out, not to mention the fact that they were forced to walk through the streets for all to see like some kind of animal. Also another way in that discrimination is shown is in how the Jewish people were treated. Jews were starved, depleted of all energy, and were moaning and literally dying due to hunger and malnutrition. Another example of Jewish discrimination lies in the fears of being seen with one, “When a Jew shows up at your place of residence in the early hours of morning, in the very birthplace of Nazism, you’re likely to experience extreme levels of discomfort. Anxiety, disbelief, paranoia. Each plays its part, and each leads to a sneaking suspicion that a less than heavenly consequence awaits” (199). The mere fact that the Hubermanns were in a great deal of stress over Max suddenly showing up on their front porch proves that discrimination played a major role in Nazi Germany. Jews were heavily persecuted and the idea that a person may be harboring one, meant