The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is an extraordinary story that chooses to use death as a narrator of the story. The story centers on Liesel Meminger, a foster girl who lives with her foster parents outside of Munich. The story is staged during World War II in Germany. The relationship of Death with this girl is extraordinary, and the story revolves around a trait in this girl which makes her a passionate book thief. This trait in Liesel evolves the strings of relationships in the book which connects the characters.
Liesel carves out an interest and sparks in her life by stealing books which she cannot resist. She learns to read with the help of her accordion player foster father Hans Hubermann. She also shares her treasure with children during the times of bombing when they are confined. She also develops a reciprocal relationship with Jewish man Max Vandenburg, who lives in hiding in the basement of their home. He helps her create a new book by painting and drawing on one of the old books. The exposition of the story told by death revolves around these three main characters within the story.
The conflict arises when Rosa the mother interferes in the peaceful harmony of the father Hubermann and daughter Liesel and calls them names like ‘pigs’. The bloodshed, concentration camps, and bombings divert the mind from the soulful world of the books to the harsh reality which death exposes.
The climax is reached when Liesel finds herself forced into one of Hitler’s Youth Uniforms and has the opportunity to steal the book “Main Kampf” which becomes one of the most important books in her life. The book first helps to save a young Jewish man named Max Vandenburg, who is hidden by Hubermann’s. Max develops a growing relationship with Liesel as he gradually paints the pages of the book and creates with new illustrations a new book for Liesel. This helps evolve an everlasting relationship between Liesel and Max.
The falling action is the commentary made by the death, which reveals the claustrophobic outlook in which stealing is the part of the life that sustains the chord of ongoing action in the novel. The story revolves around the Nazi regime and the actions to help defend against the holocaust.
The desired building in Max’s mind to fight is the sign of resolution which evolves in the society where fighting has been the surface issue. The Book Thief addresses the issue of fighting as the source of survival and a sign of weakness. Fighting is shown in all its complexity. The resolution is seen in the dream where Max is fighting the Fuhrer. In the end, when he manages to strike Hitler, the fists of the entire nation attack him and he cannot fight them all. The book understands that winners often lose.
The real resolution comes from the fact that Death as the narrator is soft and gentle in its narration and has a very intimate relationship in the portrayal of the heroine of the story Liesel, who is embodied as the symbol of hope amidst darkness. She grows into a good and generous person despite exposure to innumerable suffering and misery all around her. She evolves into a human being who is adored and admired even by death. The power of hope and light which is shown in the character of Liesel is unquestionable faith which you hang on to in the midst of scarcity, battle, and brutality which has been the backdrop of the story. Liesel is the shining beacon of light that can help dispel darkness from all major protagonists’ life with the soulful use of the books…which feed the souls.