Analysis: The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

Forty million people a day view Instagram stories, 79% of teenagers use Snapchat once a day, and 51% use it at least eleven times a day. In fact, teenagers use on average five screens a day (Patel, Deep “10 Tips”). This use of social media makes teenagers happier and gives them something to do after school. But is it a problem that young people are finding all this satisfaction in “likes”? All this time spent on social media and screens could end up with a bad outcome and could be bad for their health. Teenagers know screens could cause them to lose sleep, become more anxious, and even stop communicating with the outside world (Schupak, Amanda “Does Technology”). The Book Thief by Markus Zusak has a similar theme. Liesel, the main character
In the chapter “The Snowman” Liesel brings down handfuls of snow to Max, and her family makes a snowman with him. Hiding Max places the Hubermann family in danger. When bringing down snow Liesel would have to first “[check] that no one else was outside”, and then bring down her buckets of snow (312). As the family built the snowman they “could not contain small snatches of laughter” (312). The basement was “freezing”, yet still, “there was an accordion in their ears [and] a snowman in their eyes” (313). The frigid basement with a family quietly making a snowman with their hidden Jewish person is easily visualized by readers. Zusak uses the imagery behind this paramount moment to allow readers to not merely understand what was happening, but feel exactly what it was like for families who were hiding Jews during the holocaust. Zusak shows the fear of what was seen as sinful by creating the powerful image of Liesel sneaking around getting snow, but also the excitement using images of laughter and accordion playing. While the imagery behind the joy discovered through a family’s choice that could lead to hardship for everyone is important, there is one further reason to
The chapter “The Whistler and the Shoes” is about Liesel and Rudy going to the mayor’s house to steal the book The Whistler. Rudy believes the pair makes the trip to do the usual stealing of food, however, Liesel’s only intention is to steal the book. Liesel is “Starving. For a book”, but Rudy does not know that (287). Once Rudy understood Liesel’s only intention in stealing from the mayor was to get the book, he “wondered what it was about”, and why it was of such great importance to her (291). Rudy did not understand why the book was of such great importance to Liesel, but he knew it was, and readers were now aware as well. Zusak uses the book The Whistler to symbolize Liesel’s happiness. Liesel steals this book after yelling at the mayor using quite a few severe phrases, which could definitely get her in a great deal of trouble considering the power the mayor has. However, stealing this book seems to do the opposite for Liesel and instead brings her delight. Zusak uses this small act of revenge to symbolize the happiness people encounter through their mischievous