An analysis on markus zusaks the book thief, the world war ii, author. What are her physical traits and descriptions, personality traits, significant events in which they are a part, the relationships they have with other characters, or any changes you see in them. Home alternate book cover poems childrens abc book interview with liesel character correspondence significant items oneonone exclusive interview with liesel meminger. There is more than meets the eye with the protagonist of the book thief, liesel meminger. Her hair was a close enough brand of german blonde, but she had dangerous eyes. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.
In the midst of all the nazi rhetoric invading molching, liesel cant help but turn on her oldest friend, words. Sep 29, 2009 liesel meminger is a young girl who experiences life in nazi germany with her eyes wide open. How could liesel meminger from the book thief be described. She reads with her papa and visits frau hermann in her library, one of the greatest places liesel has ever seen. Liesel helps max, a jew hidden from the nazi army, and the mayors wife, who lets liesel read, borrow, and steal. Zusak, 20 liesel was on her way to her new foster parents house when her younger brother died. He is a very tall man who walks upright, plays the accordion, and has silver eyes. After frau hermann fires rosa, liesel s opinion changes. As liesel would discover, a good thief requires many things. The book thief study guide contains a biography of markus zusak. Jun 11, 2012 liesel meminger is the hardworking, book thieving, kindhearted star of the novel. Liesel meminger the book thief the most crucial character from this book, the book thief s real name is liesel meminger, a 9 yearold girl with all kinds of memories, experiences, curiousity, desires. Analysis of the book thief by meminginger by liesel meminger.
The character of death in the book thief from litcharts the. She does the washing and ironing for many of molchings wealthy inhabitants and has liesel help her with the work, often insulting both liesel and hans for their uselessness around the house. At the beginning of the story, liesel was nine years old almost ten. She has a very calm personality, but when under pressure, or in extreme emotions, she will explode out of her quite and calm nature. Ilsa allows liesel to visit, read and steal books in her personal library. Ilsa also encouraged a young liesel to start writing, even provided her with a blank book. Jan 24, 2014 liesel meminger and identity in the very beginning of the book thief, liesel meminger is faced with a great deal of loss at a very young age. Not much is known about a song in the dark except that she stole it without rudys help, and she picked the book because it was green. Liesel witnessed the death of her younger brother, he was very sick and when the coughing stopped, there was nothing but the nothingness of life20.
What is a quote of liesel memingers personality in the. That night, liesel meminger truly became the book thief. Liesel meminger quotes quotes tagged as liesel meminger showing 115 of 15 after another ten minutes, the gates of thievery would open just a crack, and liesel meminger would widen them a little further and squeeze through. Analysis of liesel meminger in the book thief 855 words. Liesel meminger is the hardworking, book thieving, kindhearted star of the novel. You didnt really want brown eyes in germany around that time. The book thief has struck for the first time the beginning of an illustrious career. This is the official page for, liesel meminger and also but not official for the book thief.
Hardworking, intelligent even with her inability to read at the beginning of the story, brave, bold character summary. She has so much desire for books that she steals them even before she learned how to read a proper book. An adopted girl with blond hair that was a close enough brand of german blond and dark brown eyes on the verge of adolescence and the protagonist of the story. 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, like this one. Liesel meminger quotes 15 quotes goodreads share book. Get free homework help on markus zusaks the book thief. She is a little, but very strong girl, who has to suffer too much in her life. All 74 characters are listed by chapter including a description of each character.
I have read the book many times and happen to be doing an essay on it, although i cannot find a quote for her personality, feelings and opinions. Liesel meminger is the hardworking, bookthieving, kindhearted star of the novel. Book thief character description flashcards quizlet. What are the character traits for liesel in the book thief. By the end of the book she has a strong personal moral code, and is not afraid to endanger herself to enforce it. The character of liesel meminger in the book thief from. The central story of liesel the book thief who is fostered following the heartbreaking loss of her mother and sudden death of her little brother at the start of the war, follows her delightful friendship with her new papa, a kind, humble and musically gifted former german soldier who is there for her at every turn. When she first came to the hubermanns, she was stubborn and withdrawn. After frau hermann fires rosa, liesels opinion changes.
The book thief what is a quote of liesel memingers personality in the book thief. Introduced by death as the book thief, liesel is nine at the. She is described as having german features, such as blonde hair, but eyes that are dangerous because. The life of liesel meminger timeline timetoast timelines. Sure, shes a book thief, but shes no ordinary criminal and is more relatable than one might expect. The book thief had struck for the first time the beginning of an illustrious career. At his burial, she stole her first book called, the grave diggers handbook.
What is a quote of liesel memingers personality in the book. She is a really important character from the book called the book thief, which is by markus zuzak. Right after the funeral she was taken to the foster house of rosa and hans hubermann. Liesel stole a book titled the grave diggers handbook. As you can probably tell from the title of my post, todays post will be about the conflicts a girl named liesel meminger had to face. Liesel is caring, stubborn, brave, strongwilled, and loyal. Liesel meminger the storys protagonist must have shattered your notions on what a book thief is like when you got to know her. Liesel meminger quotes quotes tagged as lieselmeminger showing 115 of 15 after another ten minutes, the gates of thievery would open just a crack, and liesel meminger would widen them a little further and squeeze through. Her curiosity and interest in books makes her steal or take things which otherwise she might consider morally wrong. Liesel meminger is the protagonist of the book thief. Meminger family liesel sister werner brother hubermann family hans father rosa mother liesel meminger daughter, adopted hans jr. Liesel meminger character analysis just great database.
Markus zusaks the book thief, set in germany during world war ii, follows young liesel meminger as she struggles with the loss of her mother and brother and must go to live with foster parents, hans and rosa hubermann. Therefore, death gave her the nickname of the book thief before us knowing that she would become the book thief. Liesel character since the beginning of time, people have used bravery to continue fighting in order to overcome the hardest things in life. While subjected to the horrors of wwii germany, young liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others.
The whistler is rescued for liesel by rudy, who asks her, for the last time, for a kiss. Liesel meminger is the main character of the book the book thief. Hardworking, intelligent even with her inability to read at the beginning of the story, brave, bold. The book thief by markus zusak is set in nazi germany in world war ii. For those of you that dont know, liesel meminger is the protagonist of markus zusaks brilliant 2005 novel, the book thief.
Narrated by death, the novel takes as its protagonist liesel meminger, a girl who grows up in a foster home where jews arent seen as evil, in a departure from attitudes in the rest of nazi germany. The book thief character analysis 848 words 4 pages. In markus zusaks book, the book thief, liesel has to face many obstacles in order to see that she just needs to be brave and keep fighting through the emotional pain. Liesel s little brother, who died suddenly on the train with his mother and sister, while being transported to their foster parents. Learn all about how the characters in the book thief such as death and liesel meminger contribute to the story and how they fit into the plot. Coming of age imagine waking up as a fourteen year old girl surrounded by ashes, fire, and buildings demolished with people lying dead. Character list and analysis liesel meminger the book thief. Through the books she steals, reads, and writes, she evolves from a powerless character to a powerful character who deeply empathizes with the voiceless. She is kind, bighearted, and of course a book thief.
Set in nazi germany, the story follows the early adolescence of liesel, a young girl sent to live with foster parents who end up hiding a jewish man in their basement at the height of the second world war. As were both aware, shed stolen books previously, but in late october 1941, it became official. Sep 19, 2015 for those of you that dont know, liesel meminger is the protagonist of markus zusaks brilliant 2005 novel, the book thief. Character profile for liesel meminger from the book thief. She is fostered by the hubermanns when her father and mother, both communists, are most likely sent to dachau concentration camp although the book leaves its readers to make their own assumptions pertaining to the fate of liesel s biological parents.
Threw liesel a book in water, very mans and sexist towards liesel, almost stole with. Companion book for the book thief the book thiefliesel. A song in the dark is the book liesel stole from ilsas library,before liesel received the duden dictionary and thesaurus. Max and liesels friendship begins to grow when she gives him a hug, and he gives her the standover man. She refuses to take a bath for two weeks when she first lives with her foster family. She is 9 years old at the beginning of the story, when after the death of her brother she is taken in by the hubermann family. She also gives liesel a little black book, which leads liesel to write her own story, the book thief. Liesel meminger and identity the gates of thievery. Even when she is beat down by the pressures of war, she wont let any war, bully, or nazi soldier stand in her way. The reason being because she didnt own any books whos covers were green. With one eye open, one still in a dream, the book thief, also known as liesel meminger could see that her younger brother, werner, was now sideways and dead.
Liesel cares about other people, even her harsh foster mother, but especially hans, rudy, and the people in her village. This book was dropped by a young boy who was one of the grave diggers at werners burial. She believes the towns wealthy should continue to employ workers during the war. Liesel comes to understand that language can be both a dangerous weapon of control, as with the nazi propaganda, and a gift that enables her to broaden her view of the world. At first, liesel refuses the book offered by frau hermann because accepting felt wrong. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Liesel is nine years old, almost ten, at the start of the novel. This is when death, the narrator, met liesel for the first time. By signing up, youll get thousands of stepbystep solutions to your. The character of liesel meminger in the story of the book. Liesel meminger main character liesel was born on february of 1929. Rosa hubermann is liesel s foster mother, her mama. As you probably already know, death tells her story in ten sections, each one given the title of a book or story. She begins the story sent to live with foster parents, hans and rosa hubermann.
According to death, liesel s book, the book thief, is divided in this way as well. Markus zusak, the author of the book thief, creates a story of a young orphan named liesel meminger, who is living with her new foster family. He is telling us here the book is about liesel, her books, hans, erik and their shared accordion, the nazis, max eriks son, and the books liesel steals. Narrated by death, who over the course of the book proves to be a morose yet caring character, the plot follows liesel meminger as she comes of age in nazi. The quote marks the beginning of her career as the book thief. Liesel meminger is the main protagonist of the bestselling book the book thief and the 20 film adaptation. One day, liesel brings snow down to the basement for max. The first time was on a train, second during a plane crash and third during a. So, we think a good way to analyze liesels character. One of the main characters is a 9yearold adopted girl named liesel meminger. With one eye open, one still in a dream, the book thief also known as liesel meminger could see without question that her younger brother, werner, was now sideways and dead. The rest of the book is spent explaining these subjects. It was the first time liesel had been branded with her title, and she couldnt hide the fact that she liked it very much.
Death narrator page 31 this quote also indicates the time it was in world war 2 19391945 because in. She understands that there is great power in words, though, and she hungers for them. After another ten minutes, the gates of thievery would open just a crack, and liesel meminger would widen them a little further and squeeze through. The book thiefcharacter development overcoming adversity. Consequently, she steals the first book in the novel, called the gravediggers handbook. Liesel s desire and hunger to read began the day her brother was buried and she stole her first book. Primary characters liesel meminger is the book thief. Liesel meminger is the hardworking, book thieving, kindhearted protagonist of the book thief. She is 9 years old at the beginning of the story, when after the death of. She is a squat woman with a rough exterior, who calls liesel a saumensch, a female swine, and hans a saukerl, the male equivalent. Liesel meminger is the main character of a historical novel the book thief by an australian writer markus zusak which is his most popular work.
Death explains why liesel steals frau hermanns book. Like many of us, liesel doesnt have an easy time reading, at least not at first. He describes the 3 different situations where he sees the book thief aka liesel meminger. The the book thief quotes below are all either spoken by liesel meminger or refer to liesel meminger. She is curious, strong willed, trusting, and uses ever experience presented to herself to its fullest potential.
When he was set upon, he was slapped and clawed and obliterated by a girl who was utterly consumed with rage. Economizing at home makes poor workers like rosa even poorer. Having lost her father because of his communist sympathies, and soon thereafter her brother and mother, she understands the pain of loss, and these experiences inform her actions and attitudes towards the other characters. He was the crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world. Liesel meminger is a very quiet, but clever young girl. Or would they have the goodwill to let her back out. Ilsa knew that liesel was stealing her books, yet she never confronted or told on her.
She feels abandoned by her mother, and later realizes her mom did what she had to do. The book thief is a historicalfiction novel it is the. She stood up and took the book from him, and as he smiled over her shoulder at some other kids, she threw it away and kicked him as hard as she could. I didnt want my mama to leave, but after a while it got a bit better.
At this age, liesel was unfortunately separated from her family, her father and brother died and her mother was most likely brought to a concentration camp. Analysis of the book thief by meminginger by liesel meminger 1231 words 5 pages. Markus zusak, is the author of the book thief and liesel meminger is the protagonist in the book. At the start of her story, liesel is without words and cannot read. Liesel changes from an angry, distrusting character to one who deeply loves her family and friends. Detailed analysis of characters in marcus zusaks the book thief. In the prologue, the narrator death introduces himself and gives insight into his personality and job, which is collecting souls.
Without ilsas library liesel would not have been labeled the book thief. So, we think a good way to analyze liesel s character. Liesel lives with her foster family after her father abandons her and her mother becomes unable to take care of her. The protagonist of the book, liesel is also its moral center.
Under the stairs in her home, a jewish refuge is being sheltered by her adoptive parents. Liesel meminger character analysis essay sample your. The novel was an international bestseller and is now considered to be a modern classic. Being brought to live with complete strangers, that is. A young, tomboyish preadolescent girl and the protagonist of the book thief. The book thief had struck for the first time the beginning of an illustrious career zusak 29.
586 1493 570 1342 1249 745 1046 200 142 936 35 1488 564 509 584 559 1524 295 838 394 907 998 166 588 943 521 174 1048 1150 1544 1421 1306 349 1404 528 672 1344 266 417 259