The Book Thief Analysis Essay

Anne Frank once said, “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.” This powerful quote runs with a prominent theme seen in The Book Thief. That in which there is beauty in and after destruction. When good is seen in the midst of evil, that is truly a beautiful thing. In the novel The Book Thief written by Markus Zusak, the author expresses his inspiration and disgust towards humanity. As death narrates Liesel Meminger, we look into her life during world war two. She has gone through many struggles including losing her brother and her mom. One will see how she handles the ugly in the world using her love for words. Death targets Liesel because he is amazed with what she’s survived. Zusak shares these feelings. He expresses …show more content…
Zusak uses diction to help express his tone. During another Jewish march, Liesel finds Max amidst the crowd. He has just been whipped by a soldier, along with Liesel. His reaction to the punishment is much different than expected: “He did not drop to his knees. People and Jews and clouds all stopped. They watched. As he stood, Max looked first at the girl and then stared directly into the sky who was wide and blue and magnificent. There were heavy beams-planks of sun-falling randomly, wonderfully to the road. Clouds arched their backs to look behind as they started again to move on. ‘It’s such a beautiful day,’ he said...” (512). Max looks up to the sky and explains it during this hard time. By using words such as “magnificent” and “wonderfully”, Zusak intensifies his inspired tone. These words are connected with bright and positive ideas. He is especially inspired by this being the position Max is in. He has been beaten, starved, and humiliated, but above that, he is happy. He looks to the beautiful, personified day and is grateful for it. he is happy to be able to witness the beautiful blue sky. This fills Zusak with amazement. The idea of being happy through horrible times inspires him. In addition, the author adds more detail to help express his inspired tone. Death shares his thoughts as he watches Liesel after the Himmel Street bombing, “It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on, coughing and searching, and finding” (536). Death is explaining his thoughts about humanity. Zusak is also amazed by it. He is especially inspired by Liesel’s strength. She is able to keep going through all of her struggles. That is the beauty seen in the midst of destruction. By adding this detail through Death’s thoughts, Zusak is able to show his inspired tone from a different perspective. On the other hand, the author shows his