7 Books That Had An Enormous Impact On Liesel

Some books are fun, some books are boring, and some are just as symbolic to a person as the words presiding in them. In Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief, Liesel has a connection to each book she possesses. Deep, huh? Click here to get a quick summary of the book. Here are 7 important books that meant so much to Liesel and helped her grow as a character. Just try not to get to attached to this article (it's pretty awesome)!

Via makeameme.org

1. The Gravedigger’s Handbook

Via flickr.com

The Gravedigger’s Handbook is super fricken important to Liesel because it is legit the first book that she “borrows without asking” and the first book she learns how to read. Liesel Meminger, her brother, and her mother were chilling on their way down to Munich when her brother became sick and died. Liesel spots the book at the cemetery, “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.” (p. 24) This book becomes kinda bittersweet for her. It’s the only memory of her brother and her mother (see this timeline of her life); she never sees them again :( (so sad). Therefore, it represents great loss and terrible sorrow. The book also helps her learn how to read. It also represents the beginning of a relationship in which her and Hans become homies. After Liesel’s evening nightmares, Hans would come thru to comfort her. After he finds the book he keeps it Gucci with her and reads with her. It was the little black book with silver words found in the cemetery that high key changed Liesel. It first symbolizes Liesel’s abandonment and sadness, however, it soon demonstrates her new relationship with Hans. It provides Liesel with greatest thing that has ever happened to her—the ability to read.

2. The Shoulder Shrug

Via pinterest.com

The Shoulder Shrug is the second book Liesel steals and is extremely significant to her. The book features a Jewish protagonist, therefore, it is one of the books forced to burn at Hitler’s birthday (4/20 won’t ever be the same after his birth tbh) book burning in Molching. Liesel steals the novel, “When she reached her hand in, she was bitten, but on the second attempt, she made sure she was fast enough. She latched onto the closest of the books. It was hot, but it was also wet, burned only at the edges, but otherwise unhurt.” (p. 120) For some out of this world reason, the book is too strong and too lucky. It doesn’t burn in the fire (deep, right?). In addition, Liesel steals the book after Hans explains to her that she was left without a family because of Nazis. Her new papa blames Adolf Hitler because she was left without a family and because of the crap that happened that led to her brother dying. Stealing the hot book from the fire gave Liesel a new sense of power and revenge against stupid ass Hitler. Most importantly, Liesel’s theft of The Shoulder Shrug reminds Hans to help his homie’s son, Max Vandenburg. Max thinks about his rescue, “As it turned out, his rescue owed itself to some reading and writing, and a book called The Shoulder Shrug.” (p. 213) After the Hubermanns take Max Vandenburg in, Liesel and him begin to get tight. Liesel’s relationship with Max gives her a crap ton of needed hope and helps her understand the difference between right and wrong. This novel is super important to Liesel because it helps her take back some of what Hitler is destroying and introduces her to a new friend.

Via haikudeck.com

3. Mein Kampf, The Standover Man, and The Word Shaker

Via giphy.com

Liesel does not read or steal Hitler’s Mein Kampf, however, the book is important to her as a person. Death (the homeboy) describes the book and its’ relation to Liesel, “It was the third book of great importance to reach Liesel Meminger; only this time, she did not steal it … Some would say that it was a miracle that she ever owned the book at all.” (p. 125) The book legit causes Liesel to be who she is. Liesel is literally living in it. No joke! Hitler made his words come to life and they shape who Liesel is. Zusak explains Liesel's understanding of words in this interview. Liesel first learns that words could cause terrible stuff to happen.

Later in the novel, Max paints the pages of Mein Kampf white which allows him to write The Standover Man and The Word Shaker (lowkey these books were super deep). These two books became something she high key loved. Liesel reads The Standover Man, “Buried deep inside it, The Standover Man resided. She mouthed the words and touched the birds. She turned the noisy pages, slowly.” (p. 246) Through the many readings of the books, Liesel understands that kind words have the power to rival hateful ones. In addition, these two books teach her about the significance of courage and friendship. The Word Shaker specifically alludes to Liesel’s love of shaking words. She shakes words from books, her mouth, and the mouths of others. Both novels teach her about the friendship and love that blooms as a result of kind words.

Via deviantart.com

4. The Whistler

Via giphy.com

This book is important to Liesel in so many ways. It comes thru for Liesel a lotta times. The Whistler is about some dude who killed someone who is on the run from the police. It is the book that Liesel reads when Ilsa Hermann fires Rosa from her doing her laundry (lmao she is a b****). Ilsa Hermann and her husband are the last customers they have. Liesel is furious when offered to keep the book, “She threw The Whistler at the woman’s slippered feet, hearing the clack of it as it landed on the cement. ‘I don’t want your miserable book.’” (p. 263) She becomes angry and roasts her. She uses words to hurt. After this confrontation, Liesel enters the Hermann library through the window in order to steal books. The Whistler becomes the first book Liesel steals from the library. The book represents her odd relationship with Rudy. It seems that Rudy truly loves Liesel, however, she does not quite understand her feelings (lmao she lowkey friend zones him). Rudy even goes to great lengths in order to rescue the novel from the Amper River. Liesel finally realizes her feelings and kisses Rudy after his death.

Via pinterest.com

5. The Dream Carrier

She jacked this important book from the Hermann library and it’s about an abandoned child who wants to become a priest. The book is stolen when Max gets sick. No one was down to help cure him, so Liesel came thru by helping through gifts and readings from The Dream Carrier. Death describes Liesel’s thoughts while reading the book, “The book was red, with black writing on the spine. Der Traumträger. The Dream Carrier. She thought of Max Vandenburg and his dreams. Of guilt. Surviving. Leaving his family. Fighting the Führer. She also thought of her own dream—her brother, dead on the train, and his appearance on the steps just around the corner from this very room.” (p. 327) This novel is symbolic of Liesel’s relationship with Max and her dreams. After reading the book and hanging out with Max, Liesel’s dreams begin to change. Her nightmares change from outlining the death of the brother with the image of Max feeling like crap. She is able to see similarities in both of these nightmares. The novel represents Liesel’s nightmares and relationship to one of her dearest friends (practically her bro).

Via memegenerator.net

6. The Last Human Stranger

Jules Heath / Via tumblr.com

The Last Human Stranger is super important to Liesel because it summarizes her feelings toward the end of the novel. This becomes the final book Liesel steals from Ilsa’s library. A quote from The Last Human Stranger reads, “There were people everywhere on the city street, but the stranger could not have been more alone if it were empty.” (p. 473) After Max had to leave, Liesel becomes pissed with the world and begins to lose hope (me during finals week tbh). The word “strange” in the title of the stolen book refers to the being lonely, feeling abandoned, being hungry, and being alienated. This is similar to how Jewish prisoners and German citizens felt. In addition, “being strange” means looking for odd ways to survive in this weird world. The title of the stolen novel directly refers those who have hope. The Last Human Stranger symbolizes the idea of being alone, but still holding onto hope.

Via giphy.com

7. The Book Thief

Via tumblr.com

The Book Thief is like one of the most important books in the Liesel’s life because it helps Liesel explain her emotions and ultimately saves her life (I really gotta read more). This is the book that Liesel writes leading up to the Himmel Street bombing. If Liesel had not been writing her novel in the basement on the night of the Himmel Street bombing, she would not have survived. Death talks about his love of Liesel’s story, “There’s a multitude of stories (a mere handful, as I have previously suggested) that I allow to distract me as I work, just as the colors do. I pick them up in the unluckiest, unlikeliest places and I make sure to remember them as I go about my work. The Book Thief is one such story.” (p. 549) Barely anything can distract Death from his job. The Book Thief is one thing that distracts Death and is something that Death will remember forever for like a crap ton of reasons. One reason is because the concentration Liesel places into the writing of the novel which shows her strength as a character. Another reason being the positive message and kind words (this video explains it all) Liesel uses when writing the beautiful story. In conclusion, Liesel becomes a serious author who uses words to spread good vibes.

Via shmoop.com

Works Cited

Gardner, Andrea. "The Power of Words." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Feb. 2010. Web. 19 May 2016.

Green, John. "Fighting for Their Lives." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 May 2006. Web. 19 May 2016.

Hanlon, John. "The Book Thief: An Interview with the Stars, Director, and Author." The Book Thief: An Interview with the Stars, Director, and Author. THEWEEK, 15 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 May 2016.

"Markus Zusak Biography." Study Guides & Essay Editing. GradeSaver LLC., n.d. Web. 19 May 2016.

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Liesel Meminger in The Book Thief." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 31 May 2016.

Shmoop Editorial Team. "The Book Thief Analysis." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 19 May 2016.

"SparkNotes: The Book Thief." SparkNotes. SparkNotes LLC, 2016. Web. 19 May 2016.

Ydstie, John. "Call Me Death: Odd Narrator of a Girl's Story." NPR. NPR, 02 Apr. 2006. Web. 02 June 2016.

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.