THE BOOK THIEF

THEMES AND QUOTES

THEMES AND IDEAS

DEATH HUMANITY

RELATIONSHIPS WORDS AND BOOKS

GUILT COURAGE

IDENTITY AND BELONGING

DEATH AND LOSS

The story is narrated by ‘Death’ – what impact does this have?

‘Death’ as the narrator is reluctant to do his ‘job’. He is sentimental and cares for souls:

- He is “haunted by humans” p584 Max and Liesel have been touched by death and

loss are haunted by death in their nightmares Death is all around:

Devastation of war Hatred of the Jews- loss of freedom and identity

DEATH AND LOSS

Frau Hermann’s grief following the loss of her son is evident.

Michael Holtzapfel hangs himself after his brother dies in war

THE BEAUTY AND BRUTALITY OF

HUMANITY ‘The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at

their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both . . .’ (p584)

The novel describes Rudy Steiner: ‘In years to come he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer – proof again of the contradictory human being. So much good, so much evil. Just add water.'(p 178)

Even ‘Death’ cannot comprehend how humans can be so cruel and yet so good at the same time.

Human compassion and kindness Hans’ patience in teaching Liesel and his selflessness through

buying her the books for Christmas Hans helps Max by allowing him to stay with the family, despite the

obvious risks Frau Hermann sharing her books with Liesel

THE BEAUTY AND BRUTALITY OF HUMANITY

Erik Vandenburg (Max’ father) saves Hans’ life Walter helps Max to initially escape the concentration camps Hans gives one of the starving Jewish camp prisoners a piece of bread- a

risky decision Max and Liesel’s friendship, developed amidst war and suffering Rudy leaves a teddy bear on the chest of the American pilot who crashes his

plane (Part Nine) Hans and Rosa accepting Liesel into their home, despite their own lack of

wealth and food Brutality of humanity

Suffering endured by Max, Liesel and many other characters in the novel The atrocities committed in the war, the persecution and deaths of millions

of Jews The horrors of war, e.g. The dying pilot scene “I am haunted by humans” p584

COURAGE Hans rebels against Hitler and the Nazis

by hiding Max in his basement He is trying to uphold his beliefs and

morals in a society where they are not tolerated and accepted.

“Since 1933, 90% of Germans showed unflinching support for Adolf Hitler. That leaves 10% who didn’t. Hans Hubermann belonged to the 10%” p65

Who else shows courage in the novel?

WORDS AND BOOKS Liesel finds solace and sanity in books she has stolen or

salvaged from the Nazi bonfires of banned books. The Shoulder Shrug- stolen at the bonfire

Liesel develops a bond with the Mayor’s wife after she is allowed into the library.

She is striving for knowledge at a time when ideas are being squashed

She is comforted by reading after her nightmares She is able to tell her own story through her book Max’ books “ The Word Shaker” and “The Standover

Man” “she knew how powerless a person could be without

words” – (Max, The Word Shaker p476)

WORDS AND BOOK CONTINUED “The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there

wouldn't be any of this. Without words, the Führer was nothing.” – Liesel p553 She “wanted to kill the words” p554

‘It was a nation of farmed thoughts…our Führer also planted seeds to create symbols.'(p 475) Max's story suggests that Hitler's power lay in the words he planted

She said it audibly now, to the orange-lit room. "What good are the words?"(p.521)

I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. (p.528)

Liesel understands how words are used to invoke and spread feelings of hatred during the war, and how powerful they can be (i.e. To the Nazi Party)

 Gravediggers Handbook is a link to Liesel’s past. Why?

WORDS AND BOOKS CONTINUED Storytelling – The Book Thief, ultimately saves Liesel “The words were on their way, and when they arrived,

Liesel would hold them out like the clouds and she would wring them out like the rain” p85

Liesel reads aloud to calm everyone as they await the bomb raids

Frau Hermann gives Liesel a blank book to record her story. Liesel reads aloud to Frau Holtzapfel as a favour Max and Mein Kampf

He carries it with him on his journey to Munich, which saves him from the German soldiers

He uses it to make The Standover Man (he paints over the words)

RELATIONSHIPS Liesel and Rosa

“a woman with an iron fist” Made to clean Frau Holtzapfel’s spit off the doorstep, made to help with

the housework and ironing “She did love Liesel Meminger..her way of showing it just happened to

be strange. It involved bashing her with wooden spoon and words..” p35

Liesel and Hans The accordion Education in the basement, and night-time reading He buys her two books for Christmas after selling his cigarettes Hans gains Liesel’s trust early on when she is suffering from

nightmares every night “a stranger to kill the aloneness” . He convinces Liesel to take a bath when she arrives in Molching.

His eyes were made of “kindness, and silver” p34

RELATIONSHIP CONTINUED

Liesel and Max Max makes a book for Liesel as a birthday present (The Standover

Man) Max and Liesel have many things in common Max asks Liesel to cut his hair The Word Shaker is a symbol of their strong friendship which has

developed throughout Max’ stay with the Hubermanns. Liesel diligently watched the Jewish marches looking out for Max,

signifying her affection and hope for Max. “Often I wish this would all be over, Liesel but then you go and do

something like walk down the stairs with a snowman in your hands” p313

Rudy and Liesel A strong friendship from the start “He was there for her at the beginning and he would be there later on...

But he wouldn’t do it for free” p53 Liesel finally gives Rudy the kiss he always wanted after he dies from

the bombs in Himmel Street.

GUILT Max’ guilt for leaving his family behind to be

arrested Feels guilty for sleeping in Liesel’s room like a guest

and moves into the basement Liesel’s guilt at calling Frau Hermann “a pathetic

woman” Rudy feels guilty for his father being drafted into the

Nazi Party to fight in the war Frau Holtzapfel’s son’s guilt at wanting to live while

his brother is dead.

IDENTITY AND BELONGING Liesel is unsure of her identity as she is taken

away from her family to be raised with an unknown foster family

She suffers ridicule at school because she cannot read well

Through her education at home with Hans, Liesel creates her own identity as she becomes independent in her reading.

She becomes the ‘Book Thief’