Morality is a particular system of values and principles of conduct held by one person or society. Each person has their own set of morals, and they can be influenced by things such as culture or other people. There is no universally right moral value system, and as far as morals go, there is no right or wrong. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, a man named Adolf Hitler persuaded the citizens of Germany that jewish people were a threat to their society. Adolf Hitler took control over Germany and established his Nazi government. Hitler brainwashed the people living in Germany during that time to torture anybody who is not a German Catholic. The citizens who believed what Hitler said would have never done this if it weren’t for Hitler, so their
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Hans Hubermann is a very well-liked man with that had mostly good morals before he was influenced by Hitler. He is against the Nazi’s and does not agree with their actions or accusations about the Jews. Hans is called a “Jew lover” by some people because he gave a piece of bread to a Jewish prisoner and he sometimes sticks up for them. Erik Vandenburg was a German Jew who didn’t care what religion his friend Hans practiced. Hans feels like he owes his life to Erik, so his family hides Max Vandenburg, Erik’s son in their basement. When Hans hides Max, he tells Liesel, “If I ever ask you to keep a secret for me, you will do it” (Zusak 127) . Hans says this because he does not want Liesel to tell anyone about the Jew living in their basement. If anyone ever found out the Hubermanns’ secret, both Max and the family would be horribly punished. Hans contemplates applying for a membership to the Nazi party because “a Jew had once saved his life and he couldn’t forget that” (Zusak 180). Applying for a Nazi party membership would keep up the appearance of loyalty in the family and help to keep them from being caught. Later on, Hans becomes selfish and he kicks Max out of his basement in fear of him and his family being caught. Before, Hans would do anything to help his friends when they needed it. However, now that his morals have changed for the worse due to Hitler’s propaganda, …show more content…
Rudy Steiner is known as “the boy next door who was obsessed with the black American athlete Jesse Owens” (Zusak 46). Rudy’s father, a Nazi party member, tells him he shouldn’t want to be like Jesse Owens, but Rudy doesn’t understand why. At the beginning of the novel, Rudy is uneducated about Hitler and the Nazis. Eventually, his father talks about politics with him and forces him to believe what Hitler is saying. Rudy, being young, listens to his father, and his morals are morphed with the others in the Nazi Germany
Hans Hubermann is a very well-liked man with that had mostly good morals before he was influenced by Hitler. He is against the Nazi’s and does not agree with their actions or accusations about the Jews. Hans is called a “Jew lover” by some people because he gave a piece of bread to a Jewish prisoner and he sometimes sticks up for them. Erik Vandenburg was a German Jew who didn’t care what religion his friend Hans practiced. Hans feels like he owes his life to Erik, so his family hides Max Vandenburg, Erik’s son in their basement. When Hans hides Max, he tells Liesel, “If I ever ask you to keep a secret for me, you will do it” (Zusak 127) . Hans says this because he does not want Liesel to tell anyone about the Jew living in their basement. If anyone ever found out the Hubermanns’ secret, both Max and the family would be horribly punished. Hans contemplates applying for a membership to the Nazi party because “a Jew had once saved his life and he couldn’t forget that” (Zusak 180). Applying for a Nazi party membership would keep up the appearance of loyalty in the family and help to keep them from being caught. Later on, Hans becomes selfish and he kicks Max out of his basement in fear of him and his family being caught. Before, Hans would do anything to help his friends when they needed it. However, now that his morals have changed for the worse due to Hitler’s propaganda, …show more content…
Rudy Steiner is known as “the boy next door who was obsessed with the black American athlete Jesse Owens” (Zusak 46). Rudy’s father, a Nazi party member, tells him he shouldn’t want to be like Jesse Owens, but Rudy doesn’t understand why. At the beginning of the novel, Rudy is uneducated about Hitler and the Nazis. Eventually, his father talks about politics with him and forces him to believe what Hitler is saying. Rudy, being young, listens to his father, and his morals are morphed with the others in the Nazi Germany