Tension In The Book Thief

Words: 489

Pages: 2

Open Document

In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, uncertainty is the strongest element of narrative tension. For example at the beginning of Death and Chocolate, Zusak uses uncertainty by keeping the readers on the edge of their seats. Zusak uses creative writing to make the readers unsure about if they should trust the narrator, “Does this worry you? I urge you- don’t be afraid. I’m nothing if not fair” (Zusak 3). Although this may sound reassuring to some, to others it is alarming how he could say, “you are going to die”, and then pass it off as you have no need to fear him. From then on, the readers are uncertain about if he is a good or bad person. The readers have no idea at this point if the narrator is trustworthy or even who the narrator is, leaving …show more content…
At the end of The Flag it states,” Yes, often I am Reminded of her, and in one of my vast array of pockets, I have kept her story to retell”(Zukas 14). This leaves readers wondering, Who is the Book Thief? Why is Death so intrigued by her? Why does Death hold onto her book and continue telling her story? All of these questions leave readers uncertain about what is to come. Nobody knows how the book thief has survived through all of the death that is taking place around her. Nobody knows why Death is so focused on her; however, everybody keeps reading in hopes of finding out. Another example of how the author used uncertainty is towards the end when the family suddenly takes in a new houseguest. At the end of Liesel’s Lecture it states, “’they’ll drag that man up there away, and maybe Mama and me, too- and we will never, ever come back” (Zukas 204). Although many readers gather an idea of what may be going on, nobody is certain at this point. The readers are not sure why Liesel’s family is hoarding a man that could rip their whole family apart. Nobody is positive about why the man is so important to keep hidden, however they do know that for Liesel’s sake, he needs to stay

Zusak Narrative Tension

all three elements of narrative tension, uncertainty is the one that vividly stands out in Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. In his book, Zusak writes parts where you become unsure of why he mentions certain things. For example at the beginning of the chapter “BESIDE THE RAILWAY LINE” Zusak writes, “First up is something white. Of the blinding kind. Some of you are most likely thinking that white is not really a color and all of that sort of nonsense” (Zusak 6). The book starts out talking about colors…

Words 532 - Pages 3

Marc Zusak Narrative Tension Essay

In Marcus Zusak’s The Book Thief, the element of narrative tension that stands out the most is anticipation. For example, Zusak uses anticipation at the beginning of part one to keep the readers interested and wanting to read more. In part one, Zusak writes, “There was something black and rectangular lodged in the snow. Only the girl saw it. She bent down and picked it up and held it firmly in her fingers. The book had silver writing on it” (Zusak 24). This shows anticipation because I now know that…

Words 456 - Pages 2

Book Analysis: The Shoulder Meminger

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak PART TWO A GIRL MADE OF DARKNESS Death offers a glimpse of what will become Liesel's second stolen book. The first book she stole was on January 13, 1939. The second: April 20, 1940. Death explains that Liesel Meminger will steal her second book, The Shoulder Shrug, from a book burning on Hitler's birthday and hints at many of the events that follow. She steals it out of anger and hatred, feelings that Liesel associates with Himmel Street, her mother, and the Führer…

Words 2564 - Pages 11

Buried Giant Vs Beowulf Analysis

of a better future through a respect for tradition, rather than for selfish desires. On the other hand, Warrior Beowulf concerns himself with the present- for example, the action of the dragon burning down his house is a direct offense. Ishiguro’s book responds…

Words 1120 - Pages 5

GIVEN Essay

Despite their many similarities, the choices they each made are what granted them separate fates. The author, Wes Moore, ends up as a graduate of John Hopkins University, a White House fellow, an army officer and the co-author of the book. The other Wes Moore ends up as a thief, drug dealer and a convicted killer. It is not luck that determines their different fate in life, but rather their mothers who influenced their futures. In ‘The Other Wes Moore’, the author Wes Moore illustrates that if children…

Words 1040 - Pages 5

Alfred Hitchcock Use Of Suspense Analysis

2.1 Introduction This section will explain what was found from considering Hitchcock’s use of suspense and humour; these observations were used to help create prototypes for various Hitchcockian 3D animated short This section will look at these films: (Marnie, 1964), (North by Northwest, 1959), and (Rear Window, 1954). Many different cinematographic methods will be explored by analysing a wide range of directors including some of the most prominent individuals, such as: Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley…

Words 986 - Pages 4

Modest Proposal Essay

Therefore, you don’t have to be an academic to be hit with a sudden realisation that both these highly skilled authors have wrapped their work in allusions and distortions. Claire Colebrook states that ‘irony lies within the tension of language’4, so it is within these tensions both Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe create a controlled interpretation for the reader. Both pamphlets were published anonymously due to the state of the commonwealth and religious order, so in relation to the pertinence of…

Words 2791 - Pages 12

Masque of the Red Death Symboloism Essay

within them all. The significance of the clock is evident as it is mentioned several times throughout the story. At not even one of these instances are the guests’ reactions any different, in fact the suspense seems to increase with the hour. The tension peaks when on the stroke of midnight, the guests notice the intruder. By the time the clock strikes one, death has shown its dreadful face and all have fallen. So, with the last sound of the clock ends the last life in the castle and all is silenced…

Words 1217 - Pages 5

The Kite Runner Amir's Relationship Analysis

longs for something more substantial than friendship with the servant’s son. Amir feels that he is missing something greatly essential to his life, and that something is his father’s love. “He skimmed through a couple of pages, snickered, handed the book back. ‘That’s the one thing Shi’a people do well,’ he said, picking up his papers, ‘passing themselves as martyrs.’ He wrinkled his nose when he said the word…

Words 1801 - Pages 8

W. B. Judson Diary Entries

Dear Diary, today was the most embarrassing day of my life. I was sitting at lunch with my friends when a kid I never talked to before came up to me and said something embarrassing. I could feel my face heating up as everyone's eyes turned to me. I realized the only place I had admitted that was in my journal. I quickly unzipped my backpack as I searched for the small, gray journal I had been writing in for years; the backpack was empty. Someone took my journal and leaked it to the entire school…

Words 1542 - Pages 7