Most characters in The Book Thief are naïve to the fact that one’s degree of morality seems to work both against and for people regarding their fate. Sometimes good people suffer while bad people benefit; sometimes bad people live while good people die. Fate, however, does not take morality into account. Instead, it is an unbiased, random phenomenon. Being one of high moral standing does not necessarily provide protection. Hans, Liesel, and Rudy all exhibit immense naiveté when it comes to the morality of humankind—especially how it can affect one’s fate.
With this naiveté in existence, all of these characters consistently put others before themselves—even if their selflessness may actually put them in danger. Despite each of their high levels …show more content…
His intention is to merely do what is right. He empathizes with those who are oppressed by the immoral and tends to be kind without thinking twice about it—especially with Jews. This would normally be an acceptable thing to do, but not in Nazi Germany where acts of kindness toward Jews could mean death. Hans’s need to be kind to others appears to be greatly due to the fact that his own life was saved by someone else’s decisions. Hans owes Erik Vandenberg his life. He attempts through acts of kindness to repay the debt that he cannot repay to Erik Vandenberg …show more content…
In this instance, he truly proves how naïve he is. He takes his son’s words of caution and proceeds to make two enormous mistakes. Death explains that the first mistake Hans made was punching the door to the Nazi Party office and claiming to one of the members that he could “no longer join” the Nazi Party. The second mistake was when Hans painted over another Jewish slur (Zusak, 180).
Hans’s first mistake, despite being an act of kindness, ironically leads to Max’s demise. This chain of events ultimately results in Max leaving the safety of the basement and later being captured and sent to a concentration camp. Another act of kindness that led to another’s ill fortune was when Hans gave up his spot on the bus for Reinhold Zucker, and Zucker ends up dying in the bus accident while Hans remains relatively unscathed.
Hans is also drafted into the German Army as a punishment for his kindness toward Jews. Through Hans’s experience as a member of the Air Raid Special Unit, the true randomness of fate is clearly exhibited. Adults—young and old—and innocent children are dead due to the immorality of Nazi Germany. Fate does not care what kind of person you are. Those who are immoral can influence fate just as significantly as those who are
With this naiveté in existence, all of these characters consistently put others before themselves—even if their selflessness may actually put them in danger. Despite each of their high levels …show more content…
His intention is to merely do what is right. He empathizes with those who are oppressed by the immoral and tends to be kind without thinking twice about it—especially with Jews. This would normally be an acceptable thing to do, but not in Nazi Germany where acts of kindness toward Jews could mean death. Hans’s need to be kind to others appears to be greatly due to the fact that his own life was saved by someone else’s decisions. Hans owes Erik Vandenberg his life. He attempts through acts of kindness to repay the debt that he cannot repay to Erik Vandenberg …show more content…
In this instance, he truly proves how naïve he is. He takes his son’s words of caution and proceeds to make two enormous mistakes. Death explains that the first mistake Hans made was punching the door to the Nazi Party office and claiming to one of the members that he could “no longer join” the Nazi Party. The second mistake was when Hans painted over another Jewish slur (Zusak, 180).
Hans’s first mistake, despite being an act of kindness, ironically leads to Max’s demise. This chain of events ultimately results in Max leaving the safety of the basement and later being captured and sent to a concentration camp. Another act of kindness that led to another’s ill fortune was when Hans gave up his spot on the bus for Reinhold Zucker, and Zucker ends up dying in the bus accident while Hans remains relatively unscathed.
Hans is also drafted into the German Army as a punishment for his kindness toward Jews. Through Hans’s experience as a member of the Air Raid Special Unit, the true randomness of fate is clearly exhibited. Adults—young and old—and innocent children are dead due to the immorality of Nazi Germany. Fate does not care what kind of person you are. Those who are immoral can influence fate just as significantly as those who are