Published in 2005, the book thief became an international bestseller and was translated into 63 languages and sold 16 million copies. 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. In my opinion, i think hans is the most loving character in the book. Hardworking, intelligent even with her inability to read at the beginning of the story, brave, bold character summary.
Liesel meminger is a young girl who has been placed in foster care by her mother. As the book continues on, death recounts the life of liesel meminger and informs the reader that his job is to take souls from the dead and carry them with him. Liesel meminger is a young german girl whose mother has given her up to the foster parent system because she can. See our topranked characters and read their profiles. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. The book thief character analysis 848 words 4 pages.
Liesel meminger, liesel is a foster child that learns to love her new home. Characters 7 essays 25 quotes 108 all books 1 liesel meminger. The novel was an international bestseller and is now considered to be a modern classic. While its set during a historical time period, the book thief doesnt give us a dry, factbased history lesson. Bystander to rescuer to survivor in markus zusaks the book thief, the character liesel meminger was a shy, heartbroken girl. Many of these changes occur due to rosa and hans teachings, liesels book stealings, and most. This study guide consists of approximately 52 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the book thief. Even though i finished the book i have yet to decide if i like liesel or. Take the analysis of major characters quick quiz take a study break. Get free homework help on markus zusaks the book thief. In the novel the book thief, one little girl possesses this trait, in a very surprisingly place.
Liesel shows major character development throughout the book thief. As you probably already know, death tells her story in ten sections, each one given the title of a book or story. Liesel lives with her foster family after her father abandons her and her mother becomes unable to take care of her. 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. She is 9 years old at the beginning of the story, when after the death of her. 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. She also meets a young boy named rudy steiner, who goes on to be her best friend and lover. In her final visions, she sawa long list of lives that merged with hers zusak 543. 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. Liesel meminger, the main character, is just a regular german girl with poor foster parents living on himmel street. Liesel is a book thief, therefore making her the main character she has blonde hair and blue eyes. 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.
Who is liesel meminger aggressive actions indirect curious thoughts indirect analysis this is also a side of liesel you would not expect. According to death, liesel s book, the book thief, is divided in this way as well. This is a character analysis assignment of liesel meminger from the novel the book thief. Hans is patient and gentle with liesel, and is the first adult able to win her. She had to move to himmel street in molching, germany because of her parents persecution in world war ii germany. Liesel changes from an angry, distrusting character to one who deeply loves her family and friends. Liesel meminger in the book thief by markus zusak the book thief lived to a very old age, far away from molching and the demise of himmel street. 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. The main character of the book thief is liesel meminger. So, we think a good way to analyze liesel s character.
By the end of the book she has a strong personal moral code, and is not afraid to endanger herself to enforce it. Liesel meminger character analysis in the book thief. At the beginning of the novel, liesels a lonely, confused, and severely lost child. Posted on november 1, 2015 november 5, 2015 by ampriolo. Get everything you need to know about liesel meminger in the book thief. Her hair was a close enough brand of german blonde, but she had dangerous eyes. The book thief is a historical novel by australian author markus zusak and is his most popular work. Death narrator page 31 this quote also indicates the time it was in world war 2 19391945 because in.
The protagonist of the book, liesel is also its moral center. Liesel character since the beginning of time, people have used bravery to continue fighting in order to overcome the hardest things in life. In the heart of nazi germany, liesel memingers innocence is easily distinguished. The book thief characters from litcharts the creators of. According to death, liesels book, the book thief, is divided in this way as well. Book thief character description flashcards quizlet.
Book thief character analysis sunday, october 26, 2014. 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. She is seen by death one day and catches his interest. It was adapted into a 20 feature film of the same name. As a child, liesels father disappeared, and so her mother was forced to send. Threw liesel a book in water, very mans and sexist towards liesel, almost stole with. In the story, liesel meminger is forced to adapt to a new family and environment due to her past traumatic experiences. His father saved hanss life during world war i, and later hans tries to save maxs life, which puts the hubermanns lives in great jeopardy. Themes and setting in the book thief by markus zusak 891 words 4 pages.
Detailed analysis of characters in marcus zusaks the book thief. Once a reluctant soldier during world war i, he is a house painter and accordionist. The character of liesel meminger in the book thief from litcharts. Character studies resources to assist teaching of the book thief. The book thief, by markus zusak, takes place in 1940s nazi germany in the small town of molching. 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. Liesel meminger as a girl with a mountain to climb liesel meminger is the main character of the book the book thief. Characters liesel meminger the protagonist of the book, liesel is also its moral center. The character of liesel meminger in the story of the book. She is a little, but very strong girl, who has to suffer too much in her life. Markus zusaks the book thief, set in germany during world war ii, follows young liesel meminger as.
Good to implement at various stages of the teaching process. Characters 7 essays 25 quotes 108 all books 1 death describes liesel as a cute 9yearold girl with a very hard destiny. Character profile for liesel meminger from the book thief. One of the main characters is a 9yearold adopted girl named liesel meminger. Max vandenburg is the jewish man who hides in the hubermanns basement. The book thief essays are academic essays for citation. As time goes on, liesel transforms into a curious, determined, and strongminded girl. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the book thief by markus zusak. Instant downloads of all 1296 litchart pdfs including the book thief. Death, as the narrator of the novel, dedicates his spare time during a certain time period to talk about those said experiences of liesel.
In the novel the book thief liesel experiences many difficulties in her life. For those of you that dont know, liesel meminger is the protagonist of markus zusaks brilliant 2005 novel, the book thief. The liesels mountain worksheet is good to use at the end of text study when preparing students for an essay task. You would not expect it because you would think that a boy who is much bigger than she is would not get beat up by someone of her stature. Character analysis of liesel meminger in markus zusaks. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. 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. The book thiefcharacter development overcoming adversity. A young, tomboyish preadolescent girl and the protagonist of the book thief. The novel focuses on the joys and sorrows of liesel, her foster family, and the jewish man they hide from the nazis. The book thief analysis songs that illustrate the characters.
Liesel meminger character analysis essay sample your. The death narrates this story, describes main characters and gives us his own opinion about humans. 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. At the start of the book she is just a nineyearold orphan making her way to himmel. 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. 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 liesels biological parents. Zusak, 20 liesel was on her way to her new foster parents house when her younger brother died.
The main characters in the book thief are death, liesel meminger, and hans hubermann death is the narrator of the book thief liesel meminger, the main character of. Take charactours quiz to get recommendations for thousands of characters, movies, tv shows, books, and games that are high matches for your unique personality. However, max vandenburg and liesel meminger went against this abomination during this time and during their friendship max vandenburg gave many things to liesel. Many people who have read it wondered if liesel meminger is a real person. At the beginning of the story, liesel was nine years old almost ten. Close analysis of liesel meminger and max vandenburg reveals that power can be achieved through literacy in a. You didnt really want brown eyes in germany around that time. Primary characters liesel meminger is the book thief. Death describes liesel as a cute 9yearold girl with a very hard destiny. 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.
In the novel the book thief by markus zusak, it is evident that books, reading, and words themselves represent power for different characters in different ways. Liesel meminger is the protagonist in the novel, the book thief. Liesel is the one character i had the most trouble finding a song for, because i didnt know which aspects of her to find in a song. The the book thief quotes below are all either spoken by liesel meminger or refer to liesel meminger. In markus zusaks book, the book thief, liesel has to face many obstacles in order to see that she just. The book thief tells the story of liesel meminger, a young german girl coming of age in nazi germany. Character analysis of markus zusaks the book thief 1723. Liesel meminger is the hardworking, bookthieving, kindhearted star of the novel. This is a small excerpt from the book thief, which was written by markus zusak. The book thief cliffsnotes study guides book summaries.
The book thief by markus zusak is a novel of cruelty, poverty, and hope. The idea of a jewish male and a german girl becoming good acquaintances is an unimaginable, punishable thought in the time that the book thief is written. So, we think a good way to analyze liesels character. Death is a sarcastic creature with a strange sense of humor. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
643 223 1606 560 431 1445 1230 682 365 907 1085 1097 758 1413 562 1165 400 1047 645 1209 195 1259 27 1214 1193 964 372 41 1103 983 616 1260 946