Monday, April 26, 2010
The Book Thief #1
All I have to say is: the Book Thief. Ah!!! So, good. But what is yet to come? It's killing me. As I buckle down for a long night I wonder who will be the unfortunate victim of death….Through Marcus’s use of delicious imagery and ridiculous characters the tone is conveyed at once. Not only does it cause emotion and feeling it brings all our teachings of German history into play as we revisit and solidify Nazi Germany. The figurative language in this story is never ending as death brings to life the story of the book thief and her life during the reigns of Hitler. I noticed thus far that Markus’s use of imagery is mainly set on simple visuals. The basis to Markus’ rich imagery is colors. These simple visuals create the solid base to the meaningful text within. Red, black, white can be seen as the central symbolic colors of the novel. From death, fire and the Nazi colors. And death associates the death of a person to colors of the sky. Here’s another example. when Liesel talks about Rudy’s hair, “he has hair the color of lemons” bringing more meaning behind the symbolic colors. In Liesel’s case, describing Rudy to a delicious yet sour fruit which can sum up their relationship. The lemon’s color also creates a vivid picture of his bright hair color. As I read some more I look closely for more themes as I already have spotted the meaningful colors used and the power of literature and reading in Liesels life and its progression. AHH! And the haunting question: who will death carry next? Hopefully it won't be too sad. I would not like to be crying myself to sleep.
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I really liked what you said about the theme of meaningful colors, they are definitely very intertwined in and out of the story, being that Death’s favorite things are the colors. Themes seem to be spread all over the plot of The Book Thief. A few themes that I have noticed the most are guilt, anger, and fatigue.
ReplyDeleteGuilt is felt by a majority of the characters throughout the book. Hans Hubermann feels guilty for the death of Erik Vandenburg; Liesel feels guilty for stealing books, and food; Max feels guilty for putting the Hubermanns in danger by living in their home; and later, Hans feels more guilt for driving Max away after giving bread to a Jew. All of this guilt compels the characters in different ways. Han’s guilt for his friend’s death compels him to take Max in in the first place. Liesel’s guilt brings her to write her own book. Max’s guilt keeps him from returning to the Hubermann’s house after the bread incident. Han’s guilt makes him wish for the Gestapo and go to war for the Nazi’s.
Anger is also felt by all of the characters. There is the all over anger at Hitler. There is anger at the Jews. There is Rudy’s anger at his Nazi Youth teachers. There is Rosa’s anger at the world. All of the anger adds to the mood of the book. Han’s and Liesel’s and Rudy’s and Max’s anger at Hitler makes the reader angry at Hitler too. The anger at the Jews throughout Germany creates a mood of pity for Max.
Lastly, fatigue is felt by all of the characters of The Book Thief. Death is tired of working so hard. The Hubermann’s are tired of pea soup. Rudy is tired of being hungry. Liesel is tired of looking for happiness in words. Germany is tired of fighting the war. The theme of fatigue is carried out through the actions of the characters. The Hubermann’s continuously look for work. Rudy steals to end his hunger, Liesel tears apart a book to get away from the words.
The themes of guilt, anger, and fatigue all twist together to make the storyline of The Book Thief.