Several of the themes that have been developed over the course of the book come together. The reunion was different from the other book i had read, because the girl could not speak anything but german for a while, but reunions after the war were more like the titanicyou had to wait and see, and if they came back it was the best thing in the world. This disparity is worthy of investigation, raising the question. Several of the themes that have been developed over the course of the book come together in the epilogue, through liesel in particular. This quote said by death, conveys that although humans see their perspective in their world of fearing death, in deaths world, humans haunt death.
The book thief is a historical novel by australian author markus zusak and is his most popular work published in 2005, the book thief became an international bestseller and was translated into 63. So basically it is saying that death is haunted by the suffering humans cause, since it has to go to the suffering people and kill them, although that is not a choice death has. In stating that he is haunted by humans, death is relaying how humanity s moral. Then i thought what if death is more like thinking, well, war is like the boss at your shoulder, constantly wanting more, wanting more, wanting more, and then that gave me the idea that. The fact that he admits to being haunted, not by ghosts but by humans, actually humanizes him a little more. Death s a last note from your narrator i am haunted by humans and the entire opening of the book made me think a lot about what it would be like to be a personified version of death and how i would react to humans. When she does it is in the creek that rudy retrieved her book for her. Get an answer for in the book thief, how is death haunted by humans.
Which leaves us only with stupid act number threeskipping the hitler youth. Death is haunted by those humans, because he cant forget the suffering they face. I just finished reading the book thief and i know it will stay with me for a. Several of the themes that have been developed over. For another, death is in some ways pretty humanespecially considering how inhumane a lot of the homo sapiens running around in the book thief are.
The book thief literary analysis 1198 words bartleby. I see their ugly and their beauty, and i wonder how the same thing can be both. Aug 07, 2009 humans think that they are haunted by death, but the book thief has twisted this so that death is himherself greatly affected by human deaths. How does markus zusak use colour to illustrate how death is. Death explains the distinction between what people think about warand about deathand the reality. Second, i want to highlight the fact that the book thief is, in fact, a story about an orphan a fact. Death is inevitable and that is the most fearing aspect of his.
Death is a very wellknown figure that is feared by many in all countries. The book thief discussion questions flashcards quizlet. To death, war does not serve as a friend but an employer, and a demanding one at that. The heart of humanity in the book thief page by paige. Why does death say i am haunted by humans in the book the book thief. They take enormous risks where they have a lot to lose and nothing to gain. The human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle, and i have the endless ability to be in the right place at the right time. Jan 24, 2010 in the book thief why is death haunted by humans. The narrator also reveals the fates of most of the characters beforehand, particularly the details of their deaths.
Death deals with ghosts or spirits or souls, depending on your religious bent. The book thief is a true masterpiece of a work by markus zusak, a. Sep 08, 2019 a small story of a little thief book thief closely observed by the death during world war hovering around the places to collect shuttered live. The book thief quotes, novel by markus zusak inboundquotes. The idea that this nonhuman being can be haunted adds to the personal qualities of its characterization. Beauty and brutality of humanity within the book thief prezi. Humans think that they are haunted by death, but the book thief has twisted this so that death is himherself greatly affected by human deaths. As we finally close this book and reach the conclusion, i want you to answer these two questions. This creates a different kind of suspense, where the reader. In this text it is death who takes a journey into the hellish realms of nazi. The book thief is framed by deaths contemplation of the worth of humanity, and deaths inability to reconcile the remarkable cruelty and. For one thing, death aint the bad guy that would be hitler. If death were a person they would become numb to the pain and the joy that they witness.
The book thief is framed by death s contemplation of the worth of humanity, and death s inability to reconcile the remarkable cruelty and the remarkable compassion of which human beings are simultaneously capable. Humans are capable of so much evil, and the things we do to one another can be horrifying. In some ways, this is what liesels story, the book thief, is all abouteven though she writes it before she loses rudy and the hubermanns. In the book thief, the narrator death is troubled and haunted by the actions of humans during nazi reign germany and wwii.
The first chapter in the prologue of the novel is titled death and chocolate. How does markus zusak use colour to illustrate how death is haunted by humans in the book thief. The book thief last sentence of the book showing 3 of 33. This quote said by death, conveys that although humans see their perspective in their world of fearing death, in death s world, humans haunt death. Death himself is the narrator of the book thief, and the setting is nazi germany during world war ii, so there is a constant feeling of danger and suspense in the story.
Death, part 10 531532 this quote shows how hubermann was a special kind of person. Dec 17, 2017 the whole book is narrated by death itself. The book thief by markus zusak book club discussion. Second, i want to highlight the fact that the book thief is, in fact, a story about an orphan a fact we are introduced to at the very beginning of the book. In the book thief, death is capitalized because it is personified.
Mar 29, 2020 as we finally close this book and reach the conclusion, i want you to answer these two questions. Death returns to this theme of attempting to understand humans and trying to understand how they are able to be responsible simultaneously for so much lightness and so much darkness in the world, how their stories are both beautiful and horrific. He takes an interest in liesel and her story, and he believes that liesels story is one of a handful of beautiful stories he possesses. Death returns to this theme of attempting to understand humans and trying to understand how they are able to be responsible simultaneously for so much lightness and so much darkness in the. With the perspective of the first person, death tells what he sees, every time a death occurs. Death, epilogue 550 this quote shows that death was both intrigued and daunted by humans. What does it mean when death says i am haunted by humans. Literary devices were implemented by authors to create gripping stories that they wanted to share with their readers.
I think death gets attached to people while there alive, so when he has to take there dead souls it becomes morbid and haunting. In the book thief, the narrator death is troubled and haunted. Apr 04, 2012 then i thought what if death is more like thinking, well, war is like the boss at your shoulder, constantly wanting more, wanting more, wanting more, and then that gave me the idea that death is weary, hes fatigued, and hes haunted by what he sees humans do to each other because hes on hand for all of our great miseries. Death states, im always finding humans at their best and worst. It was a fascinating thought process and an enthralling read. The consequence of this is that im always finding humans at their best and. Im not for sure what he means by it, but im going to tell you what i think.
In the novel the book thief we can find many examples of personification, a literary device used to give human characteristics to non human entities. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon. Explorations into childrens literature haunted by humans. In markus zusaks the book thief, the prologue not only sets the stage for the novel, but it becomes a.
Death is inevitable and that is the most fearing aspect of his persona. In other words, according to death, its easier to be dead than to be alive and deal with the loss of loved ones. Aug 12, 2014 this disparity is worthy of investigation, raising the question. The the book thief quotes below are all either spoken by death or refer to death. But dont go cowering under the covers on his account. This example of imagery, a literary device, in the book thief juxtaposed how death was haunted by the cruelty of human action, just as how humans were haunted by death. The consequence of this is that im always finding humans at their best and worst. Beauty of humanity brutality of humanity the portrayal of beauty and brutality of humanity within the book thief the consequence of this, is that im always finding humans at their best and worst. Death character analysis in the book thief litcharts.
Through his eyes we learn all about liesel and her life,and hearing about her life is an emotional experience for us. Throughout the book thief, death narrates the story of. Death ends the book by saying that he is haunted by. The ending of the the book thief is as true and impacting as it can be. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Zusak has presented us with, by far, the most sympathetic and likeable death that the literary world has seen. Throughout her life, liesels tale becomes ingrained in deaths thoughts. Throughout the book thief, death narrates the story of liesel meminger going through world war 2 conflicts, along with losing her family and gaining her new foster parents in germany, molching. He is suspected of being cruel, disturbing and all synonyms of horrifying. Zainab shahid the quote is actually im haunted by humans and, in my opinion, it means that sometimes humans can get so cruel and unpredictable that even. She moves to sydney later in life and lives to a very old age.
Death is haunted by humans, by the good and the bad and all the. What is a theme about humans and life that you take from this book. People often think that death haunts humans, but when you think about it, it is humans that cause death and suffering, not death itself lol that doesnt make sense. The book thief is a true masterpiece of a work by markus zusak, a work in which death has a story to tell. Humans is a direct reference to the concluding line of the book, when death closes the narrative saying. Why does death say i am haunted by humans in the book quora. At the same time, there are some humans who are incredible and who can just love and love and love no matter what. He is fascinated by humans and the colors of the world, but he struggles throughout the novel to decipher how humans are capable of so much ugliness and so much beauty. Death addresses the reader when he suggests that these suffering souls wish to get away from their fellow humans, thus implicating humanity in general in their deaths. The book thief is opened with a description seen from the glasses and described by the main narrator.
I also loved the irony in death becoming a book thief himself in the end. This example of imagery, a literary device, in the book thief juxtaposed how death was haunted by the cruelty of human action, just as how humans were. In markus zusaks the book thief, death is made to seem or resemble humans. She ends up spending a lot of time with frau, and when rudys father alex comes home she spends much of her time in his shop.
I am haunted by memories of goodness, memories of evil. His final words are delivered both to the book thief and to the reader. The reunion was different from the other book i had read, because the girl could not speak anything but german for a while, but reunions after the war were more like the titanicyou had to wait and see, and. I am haunted by humans death liesels story, named the book thief finishes with the words, i hated the words, and loved them, and i hope i have made them right. However, he attaches himself to the actions and emotions of.
Why does death say i am haunted by humans in the book the. Deaths a last note from your narrator i am haunted by humans and the entire opening of the book made me think a lot about what it would be like to be a personified version of death and how i. The book thief is a historical novel by australian author markus zusak and is his most popular work published in 2005, the book thief became an international bestseller and was translated into 63 languages and sold 16 million copies. Death is saying that heshe is quite literally haunted by humans their deaths linger around death, and heshe cannot shake them. A different kind of otherworldly visitor features in markus zusaks the book thief.
805 1423 515 1418 1529 1409 153 409 521 1028 151 559 595 1467 1174 1356 617 816 1264 1485 268 1116 987 209 641 1108 284 1200 734 1205 689 188