The Book Thief Death Analysis

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Death was a constant theme in The Book Thief. It was quite obvious as Death is the narrator of the story. Death introduces the story by telling about all the colors he sees and about a girl he sees three different times while collecting a soul of somebody dying. Everybody in The Book Thief is interconnected by death. Liesel Meminger arrives at Himmel Street following the death of Werner, her younger brother. While living with the Hubermanns, Liesel discovers a love for reading and develops a special relationship with Hans because he teaches her to read. Soon after Liesel arrives another person by the name of Max Vandenburg arrives at Himmel Street to live with the Hubermanns. Max was different than Liesel though, nobody could know about him …show more content…
In the book it said “ She would wake up swimming in her bed and drowning in the flood of sheets. On the other side of the room, the bed that was meant for her brother floated boatlike in the darkness.” (Zusak 36). This was right after she arrived at the Hubermanns house. Whenever Liesel would have her nightmares, mostly about her brother lying on the ground of the train with cold-lifeless eyes, Hans would come in to Liesel's room and teach her to read. The first book Liesel ever read was The Gravedigger's Handbook that she found on the snowy ground at her brother's funeral. By reading, Liesel became more indirectly connected to her brother even without her even knowing because she started her quest for reading at her brother's funeral. Later on after her thievery of books became more frequent, Frau Hermann left Liesel a note saying if she was coming to take a new book to please use the front door. After a couple of tries of making herself knock at the door of 8 Grande Strasse, she saw her brother. “‘That’s better, Liesel.’ It was with great sadness that she realized her brother would be six forever, but when she held that thought , she made an effort to smile.” (Zusak 473). Even towards the end of the book Liesel was still thinking about her brother. She was thinking of making him proud. Liesel continued on with her life after her brother died, he was …show more content…
Liesel still continued on with her life succeeding Werner’s death. She still is connected with him throughout the book when she reads and steals books. If Werner did not die Liesel may have never learned to read. Hans will always feel as if he indebted to Erik Vandenberg, their is no way to repay somebody saving your own life, even if Hans took in Max, Max ran away with an unknown future, which only increased Hans’ guilt. Max was Hans’ way of helping to repay the debt he felt he owed Erik. When Max arrived at the Hubermanns house he was felt like he was a huge burden. He left his family and ended up hiding in a basement, being the only one of his family to escape the Nazi he had the need to live. Liesel, Hans and Max were all survivors and all felt the need to not only live for themselves, but for others
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