Characterization In The Book Thief
Character is what you are in the dark
The evangelist and publisher Dwight Lyman Moody once said that ‘Character is what you are in the Dark’. Simple as it is, this quote has a deeper meaning. The darkness may be interpreted as either isolation or danger. It, therefore, means that the actual nature of a person is revealed when they are alone or in a dangerous situation. It is a quote brought to life through the character of Hans Huberman in Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’ (Zusak, 45).
The book is set in a small German town during the Second World War- by far Europe’s darkest period. The fact that the narrator in this book is no other than death reveals just how dire the situation was. It is a time when the Third Reich is at its peak. The Nazi …show more content…
This is a treasonous thing to do and could easily land him and his family in front of a firing squad. He reluctantly joins the Nazi Party and keeps the Swastika flag for the sake of keeping his household safe. It is also revealed later that Hans painted over the insults plastered on the homes and businesses of Jews, risking his reputation in the process. He felt that it was wrong to treat people that they had lived alongside for decades in such a manner. Hans makes the ultimate sacrifice when he hides a Jew, Max Vandenburg, in his basement. He ensures that Max eats, even with the little food they have, and plays for him an accordion to entertain him. Such actions show a deep sense of integrity and loyalty as Max is the son of a Jewish friend who saved his life during the First World War. Suspicion of his actions later gets him conscripted into the army and sent on a deadly mission despite his advanced age (Zusak, 307).
In conclusion, it is suffice to say that the actual strengths and weaknesses of humans are only revealed in the face of adversity. Markus Zusak beautifully brings this fact to life in the way through his treatment of the character of Hans
The evangelist and publisher Dwight Lyman Moody once said that ‘Character is what you are in the Dark’. Simple as it is, this quote has a deeper meaning. The darkness may be interpreted as either isolation or danger. It, therefore, means that the actual nature of a person is revealed when they are alone or in a dangerous situation. It is a quote brought to life through the character of Hans Huberman in Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’ (Zusak, 45).
The book is set in a small German town during the Second World War- by far Europe’s darkest period. The fact that the narrator in this book is no other than death reveals just how dire the situation was. It is a time when the Third Reich is at its peak. The Nazi …show more content…
This is a treasonous thing to do and could easily land him and his family in front of a firing squad. He reluctantly joins the Nazi Party and keeps the Swastika flag for the sake of keeping his household safe. It is also revealed later that Hans painted over the insults plastered on the homes and businesses of Jews, risking his reputation in the process. He felt that it was wrong to treat people that they had lived alongside for decades in such a manner. Hans makes the ultimate sacrifice when he hides a Jew, Max Vandenburg, in his basement. He ensures that Max eats, even with the little food they have, and plays for him an accordion to entertain him. Such actions show a deep sense of integrity and loyalty as Max is the son of a Jewish friend who saved his life during the First World War. Suspicion of his actions later gets him conscripted into the army and sent on a deadly mission despite his advanced age (Zusak, 307).
In conclusion, it is suffice to say that the actual strengths and weaknesses of humans are only revealed in the face of adversity. Markus Zusak beautifully brings this fact to life in the way through his treatment of the character of Hans